A concurrent RESOLUTION

to commend the outstanding students and leaders of the United States Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in South Carolina schools, and declare april 27, 2023, as JROTC Day at the South Carolina State House.

Whereas, JROTC Day at the State House was initiated by House of Representatives' staffer Donna Jones to honor all cadets and leaders of JROTC programs across the State of South Carolina; and

Whereas, the United States Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC), one of the world's largest character development and citizenship programs for youth, was established in 1916 to organize JROTC programs at public and private educational institutions. In 1964, the United States Congress expanded the program to all military services and changed from active duty to shared support from the services and schools; and

Whereas, to fulfill JROTC's mission "To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens," each military branch is congressionally mandated to have a JROTC program to instill "the values of citizenship, personal responsibility, a sense of accomplishment, and service to the United States," in students in the nation's secondary schools. Led by nearly four thousand instructors, the JROTC faculty are retired from active duty or on reserve duty or National Guard Army service and are trained and qualified to teach and mentor approximately 314,000 JROTC cadets annually; and

Whereas, some forty percent of JROTC programs are in inner city schools, serving a student population of fifty percent minorities. As JROTC students (cadets) progress through the program, they experience opportunities to lead other cadets. Female cadets comprise forty percent of the cadet population, a major component of the JROTC leadership and citizenship program; and

Whereas, JROTC curriculum provides academic content and learning experiences in lessons that motivate cadets to learn new information and apply competency to real life situations and requires them to develop critical-thinking skills, reflect, collaborate, and integrate content with other disciplines. In many states, the curriculum aligns with Career and Technical Education clusters that cadets learn and apply, using the classroom's technology, and it meets the Common Core State Standards; and

Whereas, cadets demonstrate proficiency in co-curricular activities, such as air rifle competitions, precision and exhibition military drill competitions, Raider Challenge competitions, JROTC Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB), STEM Camp, and a physical fitness competition known as JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC). Cadets completing four years of JROTC co-curricular activities and curriculum are more prepared for college and for careers; and

Whereas, the College Options Foundation works independently of JROTC to help cadets locate colleges offering credits for completing JROTC. Additionally, Army ROTC offers college scholarships to cadets who qualify for their scholarship program; and

Whereas, one of the most successful and significantly impactful youth-oriented programs in American history, JROTC exceeds school averages in the Five Quality Indicators used by high school educators to measure success and value of a program: attendance, graduation, indiscipline, drop-out rate, and GPA. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, commend the outstanding students and leaders of the United States Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in South Carolina schools, and declare April 27, 2023, as JROTC Day at the South Carolina State House.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Major General William Grimsley, Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Veterans' Affairs, and to Steven Watterson, Director of South Carolina JROTC.

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