New JROTC program is a first for Peninsula School District. Here’s what they’re doing

For junior Executive Officer Cadet Lieutenant Alexander Hardy, Peninsula School District’s new JROTC program is a stepping stone to what he wants to do post-high school: enter the Air Force Academy.

“Both of my grandfathers served and they specifically told their children not to join the military. Now their grandson is planning on going to the Air Force Academy if they will take me,” Hardy said. “This just felt like a way that I could try to help everyone else out with growing our citizenship, along with helping me advance towards that goal that I have. So it was like a win-win-win situation all around.”

The Peninsula School District was approved by the Secretary of the Navy to begin the Navy National Defense Cadet Corp program in Spring 2020. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing students to learn from home, the program did not begin until students returned to campuses in September.

The new curriculum is shared by Peninsula, Gig Harbor and Henderson Bay High Schools. Schools such as South Kitsap and Shelton have similar Navy-based JROTC programs, but the program is a first for the Peninsula School District.

“The JROTC from the Navy’s perspective is a citizen-to-ship development program. It is not a pathway to get children into the military, not at any means,” said retired Lieutenant Commander Darrell Hood, the advisor for the program. “It’s providing them with opportunities and life skills that are going to be beneficial to them in the long run. We always say that we want our kids to be respectful and have life lessons. They learn those in JROTC.”

Because JROTC programs are military-based, students will learn mostly the same teachings regardless of what branch is represented at their schools.

Students participating in the classes experience military-based teachings on how to respect one another, show up on time, develop leadership qualities, and other life skills.

In Hardy’s mind, he is already developing the self-discipline he needs to keep up at the Air Force Academy. The JROTC program is providing him an early opportunity to fine-tune important life skills he will need to be successful in the Air Force and beyond.

He is also developing his leadership skills. Hardy is the Executive Officer for the Peninsula/Gig Harbor unit, a position that he poled his fellow cadets to elect him to.

As the Executive Officer, Hardy acts as the liaison between Commander Hood and the student-Commanding Officer down to the admin and operations crew in the unit. He also heads a mentoring program.

“My job is essentially to run our mentoring program, we are still working to get that off the ground. And also to try to make sure everything is running smoothly,” Hardy said. “In other words, I am the in-between between the Commanding Officer and making sure that everything else happens with our supply and the other departments.”

For example, if Commander Hood requests the unit for a community service event, it would go from the unit’s CO to Hardy, down to the Community Service Officer and any other people involved. Then it runs back up the chain of command. It’s a responsibility Hardy enjoys, and he has worked hard to help raise the number of JROTC members.

The kids participating in JROTC meet twice a day; once in the mornings at 6:15 a.m. and again after school. Both meetings are held at Peninsula. Students who attend Gig Harbor and Henderson Bay are expected to be there as well.

“I think any time that we can take them and subject them to a wide swath of information and then pepper that with the things that we need them to understand, I think [the students] are better for it,” Commander Hood said. “In the long run, I believe that to be the case. … I did not know about this program when I retired from the military after 30 years. I stumbled into this opportunity, and it is the best thing that I have ever done in my career.”

Hood, a 30-year serviceman in the Navy, started advising JROTC programs in his retirement. He began substituting at South Kitsap where, for the first time, he saw high school-aged young men and women in uniform.

He knew that there were ROTC programs at the college level, but not at the high school level. Immediately, Commander Hood knew that he wanted to volunteer. Within a month, he put a package together to be approved as an instructor.

Once he got his certification, Commander Hood found a job opening in Shelton and became their advisor for three years. Now in his fourth year, Commander Hood is overseeing the Peninsula program.

Hood said his goal is for high schoolers to learn how to become better versions of themselves and to be good members of the community.

Even in the very beginning of this program, there was a sense of pride that the students had, Hood said.

The program has 87 students from Peninsula and Gig Harbor High Schools (no students from Henderson Bay have enrolled yet). Commander Hood hopes to get the numbers up to 100 soon.

“When you meet one of our JROTC students, you’re going to meet a young man or young woman who is respectful to you,” he said. “And that right there benefits our community. Outside of that, they are a group of individuals who are willing to go work hard. There are community projects whether it is placing flags at the cemetery, cleaning up a particular area, or anything the community needs, we are going to take advantage of those because we believe we have to give back.”

Mondays are uniform days, Tuesdays are academic days, Wednesdays are for drill practice, and Thursdays are for physical training. Fridays are fun days for the students. They have competitions such as push-up contests, trying to make each other laugh when standing at attention, and drill competitions.

Another part of the curriculum is community service.

Commander Hood had the students volunteer on Veterans Day. It was their first opportunity to let the community know about the new program. Kids were lined up in their formations from 9 a.m. until about 8 p.m.

“Now, people are saying: ‘What can we do to help?’” Hood said. “We’re always seeking donations to better the program, to better the kids down the road. Whether it is buying them uniforms, buying them things that are necessary for their day-to-day operation to take some of the burdens off of the school, the district.”

It is Commander Hood’s objective to not pass any costs to students who join the JROTC program. This way, it is open to anyone who is curious about it. All that is asked of the students is to show up and honor their commitment.

This story was originally published January 10, 2022 at 5:00 AM.