JROTC drill meet fosters leadership Published March 27, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Tong Duong 17th Training Wing Public Affairs SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Cadets from the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps Detachment 847 hosted their annual Junior ROTC drill meet at Angelo State University March 23. While more than 350 JROTC cadets and family members from 12 high schools throughout Texas traveled to compete in various drill competitions, the purpose of the meet was two fold. The event gives junior and senior ROTC cadets a chance to take on leadership roles, and allow JROTC members to visit ASU's detachment and to interact with cadets and instructors. "Putting on a big project like this gives me experience before I commission, and that what we try to do, give cadets hands-on experience with leadership," said cadet captain Angelie Warner, Detachment 847 ROTC senior and drilling commander. For the San Angelo native, one of the main things this event taught her is delegation. "That is something that's going to help me out when I go into the Air Force," Warner, who will commission in May as a Security Forces officer, said. Since January, Warner has assigned other junior and senior cadets to help organize and manage facets of the drill competition to ensure the event ran flawlessly, something Lt. Col. Stephen Magnan, Air Force ROTC Detachment 847 Commander, is proud to see. "[Warner] has done a fantastic job and things are running very smooth," Magnan said. "We as the cadres are here to mentor and guide them when need be, and to evaluate them to make sure they are ready for active duty, other than that we are hands free." Regardless of the drill competition's outcome, the detachment commander was proud of his ROTC for showcasing their leadership, organizational and managerial skills and the JROTC cadets for coming out to the event and giving it their all. "I am extremely proud of them all," Magnan said.
