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Is the New Kid in Middle School the US Army?

By: BorderExplorer send a private message
Wichita : KS : USA | 29 days ago  
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Views: 5,085
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  • onmouseover="showHoverContext('topRight', this);" onmouseout="hideHoverContext();" onclick="writeYouTubePlayer('http://www.youtube.com/v/Nj1WzSfy3NQ', '480', '385', '/contributed-news/4499715-is-the-new-kid-in-middle-school-the-us-army/video/41092345/landing'); return false;"> Posted April 26, 2009 by skaterat581.
    Posted April 26, 2009 by skaterat581.
    Posted by: BorderExplorer
  • Who is entering Middle School? The Army!
    Who is entering Middle School? The Army!
    Posted by: BorderExplorer
    Students file into school in morning light.
  • Is the Army hopping on the school bus?
    Is the Army hopping on the school bus?
    Posted by: BorderExplorer
    Students board bus for school in the early morning light.
  • Enter school building
    Enter school building
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    Students attend required classes.
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Adding someone (or something) new to the mix in a Middle School excites students who are transitioning into their teen years. What if that new element was the US Army?

A Wichita, Kansas school district offers middle school programs that are based on the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) curriculum. Now some top Army officials are wondering if they could be a model for other similar schools nationwide.

The Army is working with the National Association of School Boards on a so-called JROTC-plus program, according to an article on the Army Times website. The program would use the high school JROTC curriculum as a basis for a middle school program. The Army intends to fund a pilot program next school year.

Army JROTC director Col. John Vanderbleek personally visited Wichita to see their district's program. He explained to the Associated Press: "We want to reach students at that age before they make decisions that put them at risk."

JROTC supervisor and retired Army Col. Robert Hester established Wichita's JROTC twelve years ago to connect students to school and encourage them to graduate. "Being a good cadet means being a good cadet in school," he said in an Associated Press story.

Wichita's program is not unique. The Chicago Public Schools JROTC site posts 21 middle school programs. Their Middle School Cadet Corps Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the Middle School Cadet Corps Curriculum [Student Text, Lesson Plans, Lesson Slides, and Exercises] are available for download.

YouTube member sketerat581 posted a video of photos that, he states, show "ROTC at my middle school." That slideshow of images is located at the top of this post.

The program is not without its critics. Some posters in the discussion of the middle school JROTC at DemocraticUnderground.com consider middle school students to be inappropriately young and susceptible to "military brainwashing" or indoctrination. Some wondered: Could military recruitment be a possible subscript to the program? A few suggested that the program unfavorably connotes the child soldiers utilized in certain developing nations. Another expressed concern about a "glorification of 'war' and 'warriors.'"

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READ MORE: Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, JROTC, Col. John Vanderbleek, Col. Robert Hester, US Army, middle school, education, Wichita KS, National Association of School Boards, curriculum, Associated Press, DemocraticUnderground.com
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Post a Comment Comments: 27
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Posted By aprilsaturday aprilsaturday | 29 days ago
neat, I mean like wow. Very cool
Reply
Posted By slydog slydog | 29 days ago
I think there are pros & cons to this program. The military is quite good at instilling discipline, morale and comradeship. Worthwhile traits that could make for good citizens. Sadly, though, it stifles independant thinking and can too often be manipulated en masse for political (even immoral) ends by its "masters". Perhaps middle school is too young for these disciplines? I feel the European (and Jewish!) structure of mandatory 2 year service for those between 18 and their mid-twenties could perhaps accomplish the same ends w/o such early
"indoctrination". Interesting article!
Reply
Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 29 days ago
Great comment, Andy--you packed a lot of content into that paragraph. I wish that resources equal to those directed toward war could be directed toward peace education, including at the middle school level. Also with respect to your reference to the European mandatory two years of service, I love that they provide voluntary service in arenas of human need. Over the years I've volunteered with several wonderful young men and women who chose to do their service in the US. It is a win-win situation: they are good ambassadors for their countries, they solidify their English skills, and they provide important services at the agencies they assist. It is a formula toward world peace. Thanks for your comment, slydog.
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Posted By OwnKarma OwnKarma | 29 days ago
Interesting Alot of People are in the military already
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Posted By rroxas08 rroxas08 | 29 days ago
Thank you so much for this article, good to know....
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Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Thanks, rroxas. I was surprised by the information I discovered while researching this report. I didn't know it either, and I don't believe it is widely known.
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Posted By mirraco mirraco | 29 days ago
good to know all this.
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Posted By creepin creepin | 29 days ago
Good to know. Wow.
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Posted By Zephan20 Zephan20 | 29 days ago
Great idea. Getting youngsters interested in the military can help out the nation for years to come.
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Posted By DelilahStarling DelilahStarling | 29 days ago
Hi Billie, excellent article. I think the concern about indoctrination may be a little paranoid, because that is what Al Qaeda and the Taliban do, not the United States, but I would think freshman year in high school would be a little more appropriate. Let them be kids for a bit longer.

Just stopped by to give you my usual thumbs up. Keep up the good work!
Reply
Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Your affirmation always means a great deal to me, Delilah, because I look up to you as a writer and always enjoy your contributions here. I think your reports set a higher standard for citizen journalism.

I've given a lot of thought to your comment that indoctrination is "what Al Qaeda and the Taliban do, not the United States" because I think that if I were a member of Al Qaeda or the Taliban I would probably not agree with that and, indeed, would probably think the opposite.

On the other hand, like you, I just don't feel entirely comfortable with children learning military maneuvers. Some of the images in the video are disturbing to me.

Thanks for reading and commenting.
Reply
Posted By kimichaos kimichaos | 29 days ago
awesome. this is cool
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Posted By ihatethis ihatethis | 29 days ago
haha. this is lulz
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Posted By haidee haidee | 29 days ago
it is so awwesommme to know the facts about thosse kids
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Posted By jdangjenn jdangjenn | 29 days ago
Odd. Of course the Boy Scouts are militaristic and they're in the schools. I don't know if this is good or bad just different.Still if it gets young boys to pay attention and study in school it'll be worth it.
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Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Love your comment, jdangjenn, because I considered submitting this report in the "Odd" category. Like you, I have very mixed feelings about the program. Kids need support, some of them need lots of it. I'd choose a different support system than a military one, if it were up to me. Thanks for adding those observations.
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Posted By Treemanlolcats Treemanlolcats | 29 days ago
Sick I liked it a lot it was magnificent : ).
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Posted By mustardsauce mustardsauce | 29 days ago
wow, thats pretty gnarly
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Posted By monz79 monz79 | 29 days ago
did not know this
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Posted By SpamEmail SpamEmail | 29 days ago
Strange, didn't know that..
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Posted By Shirley66 Shirley66 | 29 days ago
These could influence discipline because military have a strong emphasis on discipline. Just hoping they could be just kids a little bit longer.
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Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Yes, there is something not right about children soldiers. This is not play or pretending--they are learning the basics of military for real (paid for by tax dollars, too, when the pilot program gets underway). Thanks, Shirley.
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Posted By fairy_fantasy fairy_fantasy | 28 days ago
they are very organized and their military baren is remarkable to be at that age....we can barely keep ours and we are in high school
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Posted By mona37 mona37 | 28 days ago
well this could either turn in to something really positive or really negative, it is really about how they want to put it in to use! and i hope they r smart enough to do the right thing !
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Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Me, too. Thanks, Mona.
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Posted By judeleneperez judeleneperez | 28 days ago
Wow cool..maybe they can use it rightly
Reply
Reply By BorderExplorer BorderExplorer | 28 days ago
Yes. If badly used, the consequences could be quite negative.
Reported by Billie Greenwood
Billie Greenwood

Member Since Dec 09, 2008

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