The Los Alamos High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps during an annual inspection from the Naval Service Training Command Thursday, April 19 in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy/LAPS
NJROTC during inspection April 19 in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps had two major events Thursday, April 19: an annual inspection from the Naval Service Training Command and an awards ceremony to recognize outstanding cadets.
The Area 9 Manager, CDR Merv Dial, visited the LAHS campus early Thursday morning to evaluate the Los Alamos High School Naval Science Department and NJROTC program. CDR Dial inspected the cadets, received a briefing from the cadet staff, and visited with Superintendent Kurt Steinhaus and LAHS Principal Carter Payne.
In their briefing to CDR Dial, the cadet staff acknowledged the accomplishments of the team over the past year. The cadet staff also hosted CDR Dial and Payne for a homemade lunch provided by the NJROTC Booster Club.
In addition to the inspection, the cadets also performed an opening ceremony, several exhibition drill team routines, and a formation pass in review. The pass in review portion of the morning gave cadets an opportunity to demonstrate basic formation drill and marching.
Overall, the annual inspection went superbly and CDR Dial expressed high satisfaction with Topper Company uniform and personnel inspection.
According to NJROTC Senior Naval Science Instructor CDR Brian Gauck, CDR Dial was pleased to learn of the number of LAHS students who selected Naval Science classes for the coming school year. According to the registration results taken from the course registration in February, 133 students are pre-enrolled in Naval Science classes for the 2018-19 school year.
“I was very pleased with the cadets and staff. With only one full rehearsal for the pass in review, the cadets, Color Guard, and staff did an outstanding job of executing this military-style tradition,” CDR Gauck said.
The annual military inspection and the awards program are a significant portion of a cadet’s grade in Naval Science. The awards program took place that same evening at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Hall.
Complete list of awards and recipients:
- Outstanding Naval Science 1 cadets were Aria Schmierer, Hailey Jackson, James Bourguet, Caden Noakes, David Kwei, and Alex Tuning.
- Outstanding NS 2 cadet was Caden Cionek.
- Outstanding NS 3 cadets were Jacob Thompson, Cameron Armstrong, Kaden Lim, and Echo Rogers.
- Outstanding NS 4 cadets were Jacob Torrez, Austin Estrada, Vincent Maestas, Richard Thompson, and Neil Wilkerson.
- Cadet David Kwei received recognition as Cadet of the Semester.
- MOWW Awards for “outstanding cadet” went to Aria Schmierer, NS1; Caden Cionek, NS2; Jacob Thompson, NS3; and Jacob Torrez, NS4. Richard Thompson received the Award of Merit and Marie Macinnes received the MOWW Scholarship.
- The Daughters of the American Revolution Bronze Medal went to Austin Estrada. The recipient is a cadet who demonstrated loyalty and patriotism with qualities of dependability, good character, adherence to military discipline, leadership, and a patriotic understanding of citizenship development through JROTC training.
- Linda Fox presented the American Legion Post 90 awards for military excellence to: Hailey Jackson, Trystan Osburn, and Rene Macinnes. Receiving the award for academic excellence were Trystan Osburn and Jacob Torrez.
- Dan Norris, Military Order of the Purple Heart and Purple Heart recipient, presented the Military Order of the Purple Heart medal to Richard Hensley.
- Four cadets received the Thurston A. Griffith Award of Student Involvement. Inspired by a Los Alamos High School alumni, Griffith was a varsity athlete and an honor roll student who served in Vietnam after graduating from West Point. Jacob Torrez, Richard Thompson, Jacob Thompson and Neil Wilkerson received the Griffith Award.
The awards portion of the program culminated with recognition of graduating seniors. Cadets graduating are: Cameron Armstrong, Austin Estrada, Aiden Jaramillo, Marie Macinnes, Vincent Maestas, Phoenix Rogers, Jacob Thompson, Richard Thompson, Jacob Thompson and Neil Wilkerson.
NJROTC during inspection April 19 in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy/LAPS
NJROTC during inspection April 19 in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy/LAPS
NJROTC during inspection April 19 in Griffith Gymnasium. Courtesy/LAPS
