Ranger cadets tour England

Ranger cadets tour England
By Luke Hales

Published August 11, 2008

There are field trips, and then there are great field trips. For seven MCJROTC (Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) cadets from Ross S. Sterling High School, it’s the field trip of a lifetime.

As part of a summer exchange program, cadets David Mathews, James Lightbody, Katie Reeves, Charles Bonnett, Blas Escamilla, Aaron Hillard, and Eric Castillo, along with chaperones MSgt. William Childs and Joni Chachere, took off on July 26 for a three-week stay in Suffolk and Ipswich, England, to learn how the British train their troops and experience a way of life from across the globe. While there, the cadets are not only learning the routine of an average British cadet, but are also staying busy with a hectic schedule, which includes camping, hiking, and river rafting — all skills potentially necessary to a soldier.

“This trip really gives them the opportunity to meet the cadets from there, and gain a better understanding of their lifestyle,” said Blanca Pentoja, secretary of the Sterling MCROTC booster club. “More than that, they can carry this experience for the rest of their lives.”

Pentoja’s son, Eric Castillo, is currently a junior at Ross S. Sterling, and is the company commander for the program there. He is no stranger to the game, either; Castillo was recently selected for a prestigious training trip in Pennsylvania, one of only 100 or so students selected from the greater Houston area for the Marine Corps- sponsored event. This is the first time students from Baytown have been selected, which makes the appointment even more special.

The ROTC program has always played a pivotal role in the development of youth from the United States. Though the program places focus on physical fitness, drill team and marksmanship, the classes also deliver heavy emphasis on military discipline, military science and military history. ROTC is also well-known for its development of citizenship and leadership skills for those who participate.

Each branch of the armed forces has ROTC programs across the country, with each delivering elements of the specific service branch to the program. Sterling’s program is sponsored by the United States Marine Corps, with Marines in charge of the instruction.

This is far from the first year that Sterling students have taken the journey; Pentoja estimates the program has been going on for more than 20 years. “ I spoke to one of Baytown’s higher-ranking police officers, and he said he was one of the first to make the trip,” said Pentoja.

No matter how long it’s been going on, one thing is certain; the program is giving Baytown kids an education they can’t receive behind a desk. While in England, the juniors and seniors will tour several airfields and a military base in south Wales, in addition to tourists’ standard sightseeing fare. Next year will bring cadets from England to Baytown, where, like the Sterling kids, they will stay with host families during their time here.

A trip like this doesn’t come cheap, however; each cadet needed to raise close to $1,400 for the flight alone. Luckily, the booster club gave them a hand by setting up fundraisers and promoting the trip. “We had several events to help them raise money,” said Pentoja. “ We held a breakfast event at the Applebee’s in Crosby, and they were generous enough to give us 60 percent of the cost of the meal. We also held an event at CiCi’s Pizza, along with a barbecue and a market day. We wanted to raise around $2,500 for each student, so they would have spending money while they were over there. The parents footed a lot of the cost, but the fundraising really helped, too.”

Ellie