JROTC Summer Training Programs - Brainstorming

[Flyboy]

Hi,
I would like to get your guy's opinions on Summer Training Programs, and my thoughts on improving the current one at my unit.

Currently at our unit we do a sort of summer training program for incoming cadets, while upperclassmen are welcome to join. This focuses mostly on drill, which though important in its own respect, being a smaller part of our program we could better use the time. We also have a problem with giving the right first years the higher positions (relatively of course) as well as officers not utilizing their enlisted properly. Do you think that drill should remain the focus of our 5 day summer event, or is this a good place to insert classes to help with these problems?
For a replacement, I was thinking that splitting the day into two parts, with different objectives for each part. In the morning we would have our Basic Cadet Training (BCT) which would be used for training new cadets. The second part of the day we would have our Officer Training School and NCO Academy running in separate rooms (or one out doing an exercise while the other uses the classroom). The OTS would be for recently promoted officers, helping them to become a better leader as an officer, and the NCOA would be for newly promoted Sr. NCOs that would help them to become a better enlisted leader (from what I have gone through they are different styles of leadership, correct me if I am wrong).

What do you guys think about a learning environment like this? What would be important for BCT, NCOA or OTS? Do you do anything like this at your unit?

~~Flyboy

[Drill for life]

I think it's a good I dea(especially the NCO and Officer school) but you have to keep drill in there. Drill is crucial in JROTC.

[armysc_25b]

Drill is a skill taught in JROTC. Some would argue it's crucial, others would say it's not. You have to find the balance for it. The day everything starts to revolve solely about D&C, there's problems. The day there's no D&C in the unit, there's problems. Catch my drift?

[TruBlu]

My recommendation is to not slack the incoming cadets by moving resources around. If you have to take cadets or instructors away from one house and move them to another, you won't have the manpower to properly teach incoming cadets. If you do move to a multifunction school per-say, make sure you add cadre/teachers/cadets to the new side, not move them. As for Drill and Ceremonies, they need to stay in place. Drill and Ceremonies is team building plain and simple. Also, if you cover Drill and Ceremonies at the program (well at least introduce and have them at a basic performance level) there will be less you have to teach when they actually enter the class.

[Flyboy]

I have done some more brainstorming since my post last night. I am thinking that to help you could run it as a group. BCT would be in the morning and have cadre from the NCOA and OTS (that would switch out as to not overwork anyone during their last days of summer), they would be one flight. The Flight CC would be a cadre member and stand off to the side more while the Flight Sgt would be chosen from the actual group of BCT cadets and would run the flight. This allows there to be leadership opportunities for the cadets in BCT (as Flt/SGT and element leaders). There would be a squadron for the NCOA (because we have on average 40 NCOs) with a Squadron CC being a cadre member from OTS and then a First from the NCOA, then two flights with Flight CCs being cadre from OTS and Flight Sgts being from the NCOA, and elements with element leaders from the NCOA. Then a flight for the OTS that will have a Flight CC from the OTS (this will act as the inside leadership position as they cannot be a flight sgt) and the Flight Sgt will be from the NCOA (offering one of the senior NCOA cadets a chance to see how OTS runs), and element leaders from within OTS.

The morning would have BCT with a mass formation at noon and the NCOA/OTS in the afternoon. I am trying to think of what to do during these events, and I think that drill is an important thing to keep in the BCT though it is not as useful in the NCOA/OTS applications.

Thank you for your input
~~Flyboy

[Drill for life]

That is a great plan(kind of complicated)(don't take this as rude) but do you think you have the time/ or can achieve this goal before this summer(or next summer)?

[Flyboy]

This is basically my job in the corps, and I come here to you guys to see what you think of some of my higher-up brainstorming (who really wants to hear about improving PA around the school anyways?). I am a founding member of the Commander's Action Group at my school and was appointed a full-time position heading up C.A.G. because my instructors wanted to see me attack things outside the box.

In our unit something like this would get past me and my fellow C.A.G. members, go to the Group Staff, and the instructors, gaining signatures along the way. It then would come back to me and I would put it into action. Here I would probably talk to LG about supply guidelines, talk to IM about putting together a SOP/OI/what-ever you want to call it, and talk with the Standardization and Training Officer on what we want the cadets to learn as well as ways of teaching it.

Because they let me spread the work around it wouldn't take too much to get done, as long as I can get the higher-ups to sign it.

~~Flyboy