Warhawk Battalion leading the way

Building character and leadership are the cornerstones of the Daleville High School JROTC program.

Nearly 70 cadets are in the Daleville program under the direction of retired Army Col. Teresa Townsend and retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Petty.

Since the program’s inception in 1971, the DHS JROTC “Warhawk Battalion” has earned the title of Honor Unit with Distinction over 90 percent of that time.

This year the battalion is one of four in Alabama chosen to be part of the JROTC pilot program which is including eighth graders in the traditionally 9th through 12th grade course of instruction. Townsend, who serves on the US Army Cadet Command JROTC Program Advisory Committee and is president of the JROTC Section of the Alabama Career and Technical Education Association, said that the concept of including eighth graders has been discussed for years and that this year the pilot program was launched. She said that DHS Principal Josh Robertson and DMS Principal Chris Mitten were on board with the idea and that she has been pleased with the success of Daleville’s participation in the pilot program.

“It is a tremendous opportunity,” according to three Daleville Middle School eighth graders participating. Cadets Jaycee Heldreth, Sahand Matthew Jahandar and LaTerria Adams agreed that the opportunity has heightened their awareness of the potential for personal leadership development afforded by the program. “I was really happy that I was allowed to be put in JROTC because it prepares you for the ‘real world’ and I really want to be prepared for that when I graduate,” Jahandar said. Heldreth and Adams agreed.

“We’re a student-led battalion with the guidance of Colonel and Sergeant Major,” explained Battalion Commander Cadet Lt. Col. Alana Gordon, a senior who has been a cadet since her freshman year. “Our whole purpose here at JROTC is to motivate young people to become better citizens. This program is not about motivating you to join the military. It really just makes you become a better person for yourself and other people.

“You start proving that you are your own person and believing that you are your own person,” Gordon said. “They put you in leadership positions and it’s a learning process.

“You’re going to fumble the ball, as Sgt. Maj. likes to say,” Gordon said. “But as long as you don’t quit and you are trying, that is what really matters.”

Cadet Capt. Jascianna Straw, is the battalion adjutant. She is a junior and has been in JROTC for two years. “I always wanted to join JROTC because it seems like a great way to become a better leader and to help develop my people skills,” she said.

Cadet Capt. Cade Tucker is the battalion officer in charge of information and security. It is the junior’s third year in JROTC. “JROTC teaches you social skills as well as discipline. It gives you a format for treating other people the same way you want to be treated.”

Cadet Maj. Rossy Briceno is a senior in her fourth year in JROTC. She serves as the battalion operations officer. She said she has learned how to be a better leader and how to motivate others to become leaders through the program.

The opportunities available through JROTC are the reason that Cadet Capt. Xyla Tucker, a junior, said. She has been in JROTC for three years and serves as the Battalion logistics officer.

Cadet Capt. Gabrielle Scott, the battalion special projects and public affairs officer, agreed. The junior with three years in the program said that she joined JROTC on the recommendation of friends and she is glad that she took their advice.

Cadet Capt. Jayden Faulk had an older brother in JROTC. “I wanted to see for myself how it was,” the DHS senior who serves as the battalion technology officer said. “The mission of JROTC is to motivate young people to become better citizens and I feel like I have grown, become more mature and a better leader through the experience.

Cadet Command Sgt. Maj. Storm Turley agreed. “JROTC definitely helps with your discipline, communication skills and how to handle people better,” the DHS senior who has four years JROTC under his belt said. “It is a really fantastic way to get experience and skills for life.”

Battalion Executive Officer Cadet Maj. Amerikus Enfinger, had an older brother that was in JROTC and older friends who recommended she join. “I definitely would recommend the experience,” the DHS senior with four years JROTC experience said. “I feel like I’ve grown as a person.”

“We have to prepare these students for life after high school,” said Townsend, adding that although JROTC indeed involves military training and discipline, it is so much more. “In JROTC, we are now steering students towards STEM,” she said. STEM is an abbreviation for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“At the start of the pandemic, USACC offered VEX Robots to programs who wanted them, so I accepted,” Townsend said. “Once the program gets up and running, the cadets will be learning how to build, operate, and use robots.”

“I would love to find someone in our community who would volunteer to help us with robotics,” Townsend said. “Just because we’re in a small school doesn’t mean that we can’t take advantage of some of the things that the big schools have. That’s been my approach since I’ve been the SAI”

Townsend said the cadets are currently preparing for JLAB—JROTC Leadership Academic Bowl— competition which is an all-service national competition that culminates in the championship in Washington D.C. “JLAB is a nationally recognized academic competition created exclusively for JROTC students,” she explained. “By participating, cadets learn the values of citizenship, leadership, academic competition and college opportunity. We’ve participated for the last five years and have advanced to Round 2, twice.”

“I would love for our teams to advance to Round 3 and travel to Washington, D.C., to compete for the championship,” Townsend said. “They can do it. My biggest job is to convince them that they can.

“That’s the thing about JROTC,” Townsend added. “It’s a leadership development program, but there is something for everybody.”

“Our cadets are involved all over campus,” she said about the cadets in the Warhawk Battalion. “I’m pretty proud of them,” she added with a smile.