thedrifter
03-29-09, 04:54 AM
March 29, 2009
North Rockland's Navy JROTC dominates drill meet
Akiko Matsuda
The Journal News
THIELLS - Eight cadets yesterday afternoon marched down the hallway in North Rockland High School.
It's a familiar location for the members of the high school's Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but the atmosphere was tense.
The squad stopped in front of two Marines, who inspected uniforms and test military knowledge as part of the competition during the annual regional drill meet.
The school hosted the event, which drew about 650 students from 19 high schools in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Senior naval science instructor Mike Zimet, a retired captain of the U.S. Navy Reserve who has been coordinating the high school's program for about two years along with Senior Chief Petty Officer Mary Cavanagh, said the drill meet was to test the discipline, expertise and professionalism of the cadets in various aspects including military bearing, military knowledge, formation drilling and academic performance.
The two inspectors - Lance Cpl. Jerry Premuto and Cpl. Adam Akers from Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh - thoroughly examined the North Rockland cadets from head to toe and peppered each with questions.
Their questions ranged from how long cadets spent polishing their shoes to the General Orders.
The Marines were intimidating, but the cadets didn't flinch.
Nicolle Rivero, a sophomore and the lone female cadet in the eight-member squad, answered inspectors' questions with her loudest voice.
Because Rivero told Premuto that she was hoping to join the Marine Corps, Premuto asked why.
"I want to serve my country, sir!" Rivero said.
"Where do you go for training when you join the Marine Corps? Do you know that?" Premuto pressed.
"South Carolina, sir!" Rivero answered.
"You want to protect the country, right?" Premuto said.
"Yes, sir!" Rivero yelled.
When Akers asked Rivero which position she would like to attain in the Marine Corps, she said she has not decided yet.
Akers told her she should decide before joining the Corps.
Zimet later explained that inspectors keep asking questions until a cadet stumbles so they can see their reaction.
"Whether you are in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps, at some point, you'll be under pressure and be expected to perform whatever your job is," Zimet said. "They teach them poise. They teach them confidence under pressure."
After being dismissed, the North Rockland cadets marched back to the area where their parents waited.
"You were loud," said Adriana Martinez, Rivero's mother, as she hugged Rivero's shoulders. "I'm so proud of you."
"I heard you over here," said Robert Martinez, Rivero's stepfather.
"My heart was pounding," Rivero called out as her eyes slightly filled with tears.
Cadet Commander John Petr, a student who led the squad, said he was pleased with their performance.
"It went pretty well. Everybody was confident," said the senior, who has received a full scholarship to go to the State University of New York Maritime College. "I'm very proud of them. They did an outstanding job."
James Garcia, a member of the squad, said he thought everybody handled the tough inspection pretty well.
"We did well. We did pretty well," said Garcia, who is set to join the Marine Corps on July 6. "Only time will tell."
At the end of the day, the results were announced. North Rockland ended up winning the overall champions of the drill meet, getting first place in both the inspection category and the new cadet basic.
Phil Heckett won first place in individual knockout and Matt Helmke won second place in the same category. The high school's squads of color guard, armed basic, unarmed basic all won second place.
They won the rights to compete at the Area IV competition in Seaford, Del., on May 16.
Ellie
North Rockland's Navy JROTC dominates drill meet
Akiko Matsuda
The Journal News
THIELLS - Eight cadets yesterday afternoon marched down the hallway in North Rockland High School.
It's a familiar location for the members of the high school's Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but the atmosphere was tense.
The squad stopped in front of two Marines, who inspected uniforms and test military knowledge as part of the competition during the annual regional drill meet.
The school hosted the event, which drew about 650 students from 19 high schools in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Senior naval science instructor Mike Zimet, a retired captain of the U.S. Navy Reserve who has been coordinating the high school's program for about two years along with Senior Chief Petty Officer Mary Cavanagh, said the drill meet was to test the discipline, expertise and professionalism of the cadets in various aspects including military bearing, military knowledge, formation drilling and academic performance.
The two inspectors - Lance Cpl. Jerry Premuto and Cpl. Adam Akers from Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh - thoroughly examined the North Rockland cadets from head to toe and peppered each with questions.
Their questions ranged from how long cadets spent polishing their shoes to the General Orders.
The Marines were intimidating, but the cadets didn't flinch.
Nicolle Rivero, a sophomore and the lone female cadet in the eight-member squad, answered inspectors' questions with her loudest voice.
Because Rivero told Premuto that she was hoping to join the Marine Corps, Premuto asked why.
"I want to serve my country, sir!" Rivero said.
"Where do you go for training when you join the Marine Corps? Do you know that?" Premuto pressed.
"South Carolina, sir!" Rivero answered.
"You want to protect the country, right?" Premuto said.
"Yes, sir!" Rivero yelled.
When Akers asked Rivero which position she would like to attain in the Marine Corps, she said she has not decided yet.
Akers told her she should decide before joining the Corps.
Zimet later explained that inspectors keep asking questions until a cadet stumbles so they can see their reaction.
"Whether you are in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps, at some point, you'll be under pressure and be expected to perform whatever your job is," Zimet said. "They teach them poise. They teach them confidence under pressure."
After being dismissed, the North Rockland cadets marched back to the area where their parents waited.
"You were loud," said Adriana Martinez, Rivero's mother, as she hugged Rivero's shoulders. "I'm so proud of you."
"I heard you over here," said Robert Martinez, Rivero's stepfather.
"My heart was pounding," Rivero called out as her eyes slightly filled with tears.
Cadet Commander John Petr, a student who led the squad, said he was pleased with their performance.
"It went pretty well. Everybody was confident," said the senior, who has received a full scholarship to go to the State University of New York Maritime College. "I'm very proud of them. They did an outstanding job."
James Garcia, a member of the squad, said he thought everybody handled the tough inspection pretty well.
"We did well. We did pretty well," said Garcia, who is set to join the Marine Corps on July 6. "Only time will tell."
At the end of the day, the results were announced. North Rockland ended up winning the overall champions of the drill meet, getting first place in both the inspection category and the new cadet basic.
Phil Heckett won first place in individual knockout and Matt Helmke won second place in the same category. The high school's squads of color guard, armed basic, unarmed basic all won second place.
They won the rights to compete at the Area IV competition in Seaford, Del., on May 16.
Ellie