Our commitment to youth development honors Teddy Roosevelt’s values of spirit, competition and fair play.
Junior Reserve Officers training CorpS (JROTC)
The JROTC program is a federal program conducted at accredited secondary schools and taught by instructors who are retired military personnel. The purpose of JROTC is “to instill in students in secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, and personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment.” Classroom instruction is augmented throughout the year by extracurricular activities of community service, academic, drill and orienteering competitions, visits to military facilities and physical fitness training.
The New York Council directly supports four JROTC units — three Navy (NJROTC) and one Marine Corps (MCJROTC). In Manhattan, the Graphics Campus NJROTC unit is embedded in a high school campus building on West 49th Street. The George Washington NJROTC unit is embedded in a high school campus building in Washington Heights. In Staten Island, the Council supports the NJROTC cadets of Curtis High School and the MCJROTC cadets of Tottenville High School.
The JROTC cadets often appear at New York Council events. Each year educational stipends are given to selected graduating cadets who have excelled in the program while underclassmen may be awarded the Navy League's Teddy Roosevelt Youth Medal. Watch the latest videos from our supported units here or by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
Westbury NJROTC Cadets with the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, at the New York Council’s 120th Anniversary Dinner.
On Wednesday, March 20th, the Westbury High School Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) held its Annual Military Inspection. Commander Humphries, the Area 2 Manager, and other military personnel inspected the cadets. We are immensely proud of all the cadets who earned their ranks and ribbons. Additionally, our NJROTC cadets excelled during the inspection, ceremonial phase, and staff brief.
On Saturday, Oct 28, Graphics Campus NJROTC cadets participated in a drill meet hosted by Owen J. Roberts HS NJROTC unit in Pottstown, PA.
The unit achieved 3rd place overall out of 20 units participating. This is the best finish the unit has achieved in over 20 years, and is a testament to the dedication of our cadets to the art of drill. They devote many hours after school to practice and we wish them all congratulations on this success!
On February 3, Council VP of Feet Support Charles Blaich conducted the inspection for the Curtis NJROTC unit.
On Sunday, October 17, the Westbury Cadets provided support for the AHRC annual walk-a-thon. AHRC is an organization that provides lifetime support for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The cadets enthusiastically cheered on families as they started and completed the walk.
Utilizing social cognition tenants, several NJROTC Cadet Officers conducted inspections at George Washington HS on Thursday, November 7. Staff officers are pictured on the main staircase and entrance to the school.
On February 3, the Benjamin Cardozo NJROTC unit competed in the Francis Lewis High School Army Junior ROTC Drill competition, placing 3rd in Color Guard and Inspection Team. This was the first competition that BNC NJROTC participated in that was not hosted by a NJROTC unit. Congratulations to everyone involved!
In December, the New York Riptides provided our Westbury NJROTC cadets with free tickets to their Home Opener game.
Cadet Elizabeth Marte from Graphics Campus NJROTC receiving her graduation stipend award.
Curtis High School Cadet Warriors challenged some of the top NJROTC schools in the Northeastern U.S. at the Area 4 Drill Competition in Manchester Township, NJ on December 7. The unit fought hard, pulled together as a team and came home with many new friends, new ideas to improve the unit and the passionate determination to make their best efforts even better at the next meet.
Naval Sea Cadet Corps
The U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps program is a non-profit civilian youth organization made up of two programs: The Naval Sea Cadet Corps (NSCC) program for young people ages 13 through 17 and the Navy League Cadet Corps (NLCC) for young people 11 through 13. At the request of the Department of the Navy, the Navy League of the United States established the Sea Cadet program in 1962 to “create a favorable image of the Navy on the part of American youth.” Today's U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps continues to further the image of our maritime services by adhering to a standardized training program designed to:
develop an interest and ability in seamanship and seagoing skills
instill virtues of good citizenship and strong moral principles in each cadet
demonstrate the value of an alcohol-free, drug-free and gang-free lifestyle
expose cadets to the prestige of public service and a variety of career paths through hands-on training with our nation's armed services
The New York Council supports the Sea Cadet program by sponsoring the Bronx-based George Washington Division, the Empire State Division in Brooklyn and the DC3 Nathan Bruckenthal Division in Staten Island. We look forward to supporting additional units in New York City as this important program expands.
DC3 Nathan Bruckenthal Division held their unit’s first awards ceremony on March 16, with an outpouring of support from the community. Two cadets were elevated from League Cadets to Sea Cadets by unit leader and Council Advisory Committee member Joanna Karagiannis in the presence of USNSCC North East Regional Director and Council member LCDR Melva Cordova. Council Executive Director Jessica Hitchen, herself a Staten Islander, presented the Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal to Cadet Edward Sanchez. Local elected officials, veterans and first responders were also there to support the unit, including State Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo and State Senator Andrew Lanza’s Chief of Operations, William Matarazzo.
Former Empire State Division Sea Cadet and now United States Naval Academy Midshipman Hoang spent the day training current Empire State Cadets on February 18.
George Washington Division Sea Cadets carried the New York Council banner in the NYC Veterans Day Parade on November 16.
Young Marines
Since the Young Marines' humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to more than 280 units with 9,600 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Germany, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries. The organization seeks to strengthen the lives of America’s youth by teaching the importance of self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring our veterans, good citizenship, community service, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The program focuses on character building and leadership, and promotes a lifestyle that is conducive to being productive members of society for boys and girls ages 8–18. Our sponsored unit, the River Towns Young Marines, meets weekly during the school year in Sleepy Hollow and takes part in events throughout the area. For additional information about the Young Marines or their events, visit their website.
On Saturday March 9, despite the rainy weather, the River Towns Young Marines marched in the White Plains St Patrick's Day Parade.
A recent alumnus of River Towns Young Marines, Brandon Gibson earned a NROTC scholarship. He is studying aeronautical engineering and aspires to be a fighter pilot then an aeronautical A/C designer. He is shown here visiting his alma mater, Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers NY.
River Towns Young Marines might be remembering this warm weather fondly during their upcoming Winter Encampment and Training Weekend, to be held December 31–January 1 at Blue Mountain Park in Peekskill, New York.