Entry#2: Out Of The Past!!!

     Hey everyone! I'm back with a new post, this time I will be talking about a Blast From The Past!  This is about when I was in high school, now people have many different experiences within high school.  Myself, I had a Blast! During the summer of my freshman year I decided to try out a program.  The program was Thunderbirds Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps or NJROTC for short.  Yes it was a military program but the difference with this program was that it didn't pay you or put you into the military, it was not a recruiting center.  It was a regular high school program, and was quite different from all the other classes and clubs.  During that summer I went to the ROTC Emergency Responce class called CERT which was taught by the Phoenix Fire Department.  The class was 3 days long and we learned how to respond to natural disaster scenarios by rescuing dummies from under big pices of debris that was an earthquake simulation.  We got to learn how to use a fire extinguisher, and also CPR and First Aid!  Going to that summer course, I got to meat most of the unit including both instructors, which made me decide to fully join the program.  During Freshman registration, I got my uniforms for the ROTC program and some books for my other classes.   I also volunteered during the registration with ROTC to obtain some community service hours for the unit.
        Once school started I was very excited to go to my second hour class which was ROTC!  When I walked in I was amazed on how the classroom looked and how welcoming the upper classmen were.  I went to my seat up in the front row and sat down.  The Platoon Commander took roll and did the daily announcements.  Then one of the instructors came up to the front of the room, GOOOOOOOOODDDDD MOOOOOORRRRNNIIINNNNGGGGGGGGG CLLLLLAAAASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!! He said with a cheering and booming voice, which made me jump a bit.  The upper classmen responded to his greeting which made me jump a bit once more.  He introduced himself, "Very Good, Very Good, My Name Is Chief Warrant Officer Christopher J. Houston, United States Navy Retired!"  "I am happy to see ALL these NEW FACES!'  "WELCOME! WELCOME!"  He said that with such excitement and enthusiam I couldn't help but smile at that.  He went on with his daily announcements while we all listened in fascination of the likes of him.  After he was finished with his announcements, he started to talk about ROTC and what it was about and how the program was not for everyone but its worth giving a shot for at least a semester.  Then we went over the classroom syllabus and rules and that took us acouple of days to get through along with the TTO's or the Training Time Outs and Physical Exams.  After class I walked to my next one and I couldn't help but think that I was going to enjoy my time in high school espically when I am in my favorite class.
         Not knowing how fast days turned into weeks and weeks turned to months and months turned into semesters and then BOOM! it was the end of my first year already!!!  I had learned sooo much in the first year that I was very excited about the next years to come!  Summer flew by and it was already the first day of my Sophmore year!  This time I was the upper classmen welcoming the rookies.  Once the bell rang we took our seats and the Platoon Commander took roll and once again went through the daily annoucements.  Then Chief Warrant Officer came up to the front of the class and with his booming command voice he said, "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDD MOOOOOOORRRRRRNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG CLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAASSSSSSSS!!!!!'  Making the rookies jump as I did on my first day, and we responded, "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDD MOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRNNNNNNNIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG SIIIIIIIIRRRRRRR!"  With our loud and proud command voices, once again making the confused rookies jump.  I couldn't help but chuckle at that, and once again he went through introducing himself to the rookies and went on to explaining what ROTC was and how its not for everyone.  After class, I headed to my next class and thought the same thing when I was a rookie, "Now I was the upper classmen and now I have to set the example, and be there for the new cadets".  Then it was about 3 months later and it was uniform wearing for all hands and was the rookies first uniform wearing and inspection.  We fell in and prepared to inspection.  After inspection we did Columbs into the classroom for debriefing.  It was awesome being the upper classmen and being able to teach the rookies how to stand at Attention and keep bearing along with teaching them how to put together a military unifrom.  I wanted to do the best I could to teach them what I was taught when I was a rookie.
         I have lots of memories from being in ROTC for all 4 years but I have to say it was awesome and I learned soooo much in that 4 years.  Next I will be talking about the ROTC's Military Ball but, it was so much better than PROM.  The reason why I say that is because they FEED YOU, which is VERY IMPORTANT! Espically since you will be dancing around with your fellow cadets all night.  My first Military Ball was just AMAZING!!! I mean it was just the best dance I have EVER went to!  We had Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner, and for dessert we had CHEESECAKE!!! The best I have EVER had!!!  It was a very formal dinner with the missing man cerenomy where we would have the XO and the CO come up to give the speech and is followed by a moment of silence, then we would eat and chatter with eachother till it was time to dance off the food.
         The next year I was the units recruiting officer and I had more responsibilites on my plate on top of school work.  I knew I had a huge responsibility to uphold and that I had to give it my 100% dedacation! I was ready for the challenge and ready for the responsibilities of the upcomming school year.
         That year went by faster than the other two did! Just WOW how time flies!  This is me at my Junior year Awards Night Ceremony already my THIRD ONE WOW!!! I just have one more left!  This uniform I am wearing is the Navy Service Dress Blue Uniform which only Chief Petty Officers and above wear only.

          Next thing I know it is already the end of my Senior year and now it is a year later and is awards night once again.  I was thinking "WOW my last NJROTC Awards Night!" Time flies too fast never take that for granted! Enjoy it as long as you can I deffently enjoyed my time in High School because I was a NJROTC cadet and was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
          Here are some more pictures of my Senior Awards Night that was a very emotional night for me.  These pictures are of myself getting ribbons and a 2nd place metal for top sales. I have earned 3rd Place Sales my Freshmen year and the other three years I have earned 2nd.  After the awards are handed out to the company,  The Seniors line up on the right side of the stage and a line of cadets are on the center of the stage with sords, which is called the Honor Guard.  The Honor Guard raises their sords after the cadet requests permission to Go To Shore.  That is the way a senior cadet graduates the program.  Then a whistle will sound and the cadet goes to the Honor Guard, saluting while walking  under the swords, towards their future.
       

                                                                                                                                                   

                       This concludes my post I hope you guys enjoyed my Blast From The Past!