Before New Guard America was officially dissolved (it has now been resurrected, but all of the members are not returning), it took part in a great adventure competing for a spot on, and hopefully winning: the America’s Got Talent TV program. Winning was not to be. However, with NGA making it to the small screen, millions of people will now be introduced to, not only armed, but bladed exhibition drill. This is a huge plus for the military drill world.
Even with Howard Stern, one of the AGT judges, calling NGA, “Glorified baton twirlers,” the team members did an outstanding job- even if there were some problems. Watch this ground-breaking performance this Monday, 28 May, 2012. If you miss it, I’m sure the dedicated fans of exhibition drill will record it and upload it to video channels everywhere!
Update: Monday’s show did not have NGA. Teusday’s AGT show will apparently have more from the Tampa, FL auditions.
Update 2: I give up. At one point NGA was told by one of the AGT staff that the team’s performance would not “translate well” to the American audience and so they were cut. I don’t know what that means, but it seems that exhibition drill is not yet ready to be given a wider audience. We will al keep plugging along and progressing drill to work toward the day when XD will “translate well.”
Update 3: Finally. Jun 12th saw New Guard America on America’s Got Talent. For three seconds. Literally. It’s better than nothing, but I know Drillers want more. That will come in time and not by someone who is going to throw something together tomorrow. Patience, Grasshopper.
For this photo, Summer Ryan, former Madame Commander of the NGA, said that AGT judge Sharon Osbourne, said that Summer was “Voguing.” :-)
Update 4: Well, this coming Monday, 25 Jun 12, is going to be the episode to watch according to Constantine Wilson, head of New Guard America.
This training rifle is somewhat of an anomaly. The butt plate is marked as follows:
HAUBERT, H. DUMMY TRAINING RIFLE
It appears to be identical to the Model B-M-30 “Senior Drill Team” Trainerifle that was produced by the Parris Mfg. Co. following WWII. Due to the fact that there is a fixed rear sight this rifle was probably made about 1960. This “training rifle” is certainly a drill rifle. It would be interesting to know who Haubert, H. was and what connection he had with the Parris Mfg. Co. It seems likely that Haubert purchased a small quantity of these drill rifles from the Parris Mfg. Co. and had his name stamped on the butt plate.
US NAVY TRAINING RIFLE – Model 1903-A3 Springfield
The following images are from “The Springfield 1903 Rifles” by William Brophy.
DETROIT COMPOSITION COMPANY TRAINING RIFLE
This training rifle was made by the Detroit Composition Company. Nothing is known about the company at this time. It is patterned after the 1903 Springfield rifle. It weighs 6 1/4 lbs and is 43 ½ inches long. This is slightly lighter in weight but very close to the Springfield dimensions. This is one of the better reproductions of 1903 Springfield rifle. The barrel muzzle, front barrel band, and front sight are made in one piece out of cast iron. This casting also has a stacking swivel and a bayonet lug. The receiver, rear barrel extension, and the rear sight base are also cast as one piece. There is no barrel section running through the stock. The trigger guard is formed from a steel strip. It has a functional bolt with an operational safety. The bolt handle, safety, and cockling knob are made of cast iron. The bolt body is a steel shaft. When the bolt is operated, it cocks the striker and the trigger will release the striker shaft when the safety is released. There is no cartridge chamber or firing pin. The rear sight has a functional slide. The butt plate is also made of cast iron and has the name and address cast in place. The stock is made of walnut and very well shaped and finished. There are no serial numbers or markings on any part of the rifle other than the butt plate. It was originally purchased from a man who stated that it was made early in the 1900’s for the Detroit Armory. I would speculate that they were made between 1915 and 1920. It seems probable that a relatively small number of these training rifles were made at the start of WWI and used by trainees at the Detroit Armory. To date, no advertisements or contracts have surfaced for these training rifles.
From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
The next installment: Indiana Quartered Oak Company
Why do I use the term “equipment” and not just say “rifle”? Good question; here’s the answer.
When I was writing my second book, The World Drill Association Adjudication Manual and Rule Book, I quickly found that I had a slight dilemma. When I came to write the section for the judge who judges armed routines, I realized that I could not just label this caption “rifle” and have it apply to all types of teams. Not all teams are armed with rifles, some carry swords or sabers or even flags. Also, what about a team that is armed with rifles, but the commander carries a sword/saber? What about the guidon? “Equipment” fit perfectly.
ProAm
For ProAm, Constantine Wilson and I decided to label the Equipment score sheet with “Rifle” since that is what the Pro America Drill Meet is all about: rifle exhibition drill.
Other competitions
Any competition that uses the WDA adjudication system has five judges:
In America, the drill meet, after putting in hours of hard work designing, choreographing, practicing, rewriting and practicing some more, is a competition for drill teams, Drillers and color teams (NOTE: military-based: “color team;” music-based: “color guard“). The organizations that compete are each services’ Jr., high school, and Sr., college, Reserve Officer Training Corps, Army Cadets, Young Marines, Sea Cadets, Civil Air Patrol, private schools and academies and also independent Drillers and teams.
What are the Competitive Phases of a Meet?
Armed, unarmed, colors, inspection, regulation and exhibition. Solo, tandem, tetrad, squad and platoon. Here is the breakdown:
There are two divisions for competitions: armed and unarmed. Armed teams carry some type of equipment:
Rifle (M1 Garand, M14, M1903 or equivalent)
Swords/sabers
Flags
Teams can also march a guidon who carries the standard or a modified guidon
Unarmed teams do not carry a piece of equipment, but can have a guidon.
A typical drill meet has the following phases for platoons/flights in both divisions:
Inspection (IN): a platoon/flight goes through a rigorous inspection.
Regulation Drill (RD): a platoon/flight march within a marked-off area of 50′ x 50′ using all of the commands from their service’s drill and ceremonies manual. Timed.
Exhibition Drill (XD): a platoon’s/flight’s drill routine marched within a marked-off area of 50′ x 50′ using the Drillers’ imagination. Timed.
These phases are the minimum in which a team must compete to be eligible for the overall trophy. Usually, first, second and third place trophies are awarded in each phase for each division.
Other regulation-type phases:
Color Guard (CG): a team of four march within a marked-off area of 30′ x 30′ following a set list of commands. Timed.
Posting Colors: a team of four march within a marked-off area to post the colors.
Open Color Guard(c): a team of four march within a marked-off area of 30′ x 30′ using all of the commands, in any order, for colors. Timed.
Open Regulation Drill(c): a platoon/flight march within a marked-off area of 50′ x 50′ using all of the commands from their service’s drill and ceremonies manual, in any order. Timed.
Casket Watch*: a team of at least four (usually five), post two watches for a mock casket watch.
Mock Funeral*: a mock full honors funeral (Pall Bearers, Firing Party, Colors and bugler)
Two-Man Flag Fold*: a team of two or three enter, fold the flag and present it to the mock next of kin (NOK)
Six-Man Flag Fold*: a team of six or seven enter, fold the flag and present it to the mock next of kin (NOK)
WDA Ultimate Inspection(c): a single member from a drill team inspected inside and out, top to bottom.
*These phases are incorporated into the drill meet when honor guards (military, police, fire, EMS, veteran organizations, etc.) are involved.
Other exhibition phases:
Solo: a single Driller’s drill routine marched within a marked-off area of 30′ x 30′ using the Driller’s imagination. Timed.
Tandem: Two Drillers’ drill routine marched within a marked-off area of 30′ x 30′ using the Drillers’ imagination. Timed.
Tetrad: a drill routine consisting of four or five Drillers (the fifth is the commander) marched within a marked-off area of 30′ x 30′ using the Drillers’ imagination. Timed.
The Manual of the Firefighter’s Ceremonial Pike Pole
What about the manual of arms for the Firefighter’s Ceremonial Pike Pole? I have the solution! For my fifth book for the military drill world, The Honor Guard Manual, I developed a manual for manipulating the firefighter’s ceremonial pike pole that mimics the manual of arms for the honor guard.
What I have done is to try to match, as closely as possible, the honor guard manual of arms for the rifle and present a standard that everyone can use regardless of where they are or the size of their team.
Here is a sample of going from Order Arms/Attention to Present Arms and then Present Arms back to Order Arms/Attention:
Pike Pole Order Arms/Attention to Present Arms
These movements mimic the ceremonial manual for the rifle for color guard, which tends to be a bit complex for those unable to put in consistent practice. A simpler version is relatively easy to create by skipping steps 3 ad 5 here, for example.
The Daisy Museum in Rogers, Arkansas was helpful in providing information on the Sport Trainer. Daisy introduced a line of sport trainers in April 1966 and produced them through 1969. There were five lever action models ( 626, 630, 631, 632 and 633). The 634 was a bolt action model and the largest of the line at 33 1/2”. This line was designed to compete for a market share with the Parris Mfg. Co. The Model 634 retailed at about $4.00. The design of the Model 634 is similar in many ways to the Parris Mfg. Co. TraineRifle models, although most of the parts are a slightly different shape. The short sheet metal barrel and the bayonet lug are nearly identical in shape and location to the Parris models. There is a short cartridge that retracts into the bolt face when the bolt is closed that is similar in principle to the Parris models. The model 634 uses two metal clips on the bolt face to retain the cartridge instead of a screw through the side of the bolt on the Parris models. It is uncertain which company first started using the retracting cartridge. The early Parris Mfg. Co. TraineRifles did not have this feature and it is uncertain when this practice started, as the early production information has been lost. The Parris Mfg. Co. was producing their TraineRifle models in the early 1950’s, which is well before the start of the Daisy production.
There are two features on the Daisy 634 that are significantly different from the Parris models. The base of the bolt handle guides the bolt in the receiver and becomes the locking mechanism when the bolt is rotated closed. This approach is more like a modern bolt action rifle. The butt stock has a pistol grip which also makes it look more like a modern rifle. It is uncertain if Daisy or Parris produced the metal parts that were used on their trainers or got them from a sub contractor. Due to the similarity of many of the parts, it is possible that both companies purchased the metal parts from a third party. I suspect that both companies produced the wooden stocks for their toy rifles and assembled them in their respective factories. The side of the receiver is marked:
DAISY MFG. CO. ROGERS, ARKANSAS
There is a round paper label on the right side of the butt stock that is marked:
DAISY SPORT TRAINER
The model 634 was equipped with a rubber bayonet. It has been verified that Daisy purchased these from another company. The design of the bayonet mounting lug is identical on the Daisy and Parris rifles that were produced in the 1960’s. The early Parris TraineRifles had the bayonet lug mounted on the barrel rather than being inserted into the end of the forearm. The grip design of both bayonets are nearly identical. The Daisy bayonet is the same length as the Parris bayonet but the blade is double edged. I suspect that both Daisy and Parris Mfg. Co. contracted with the same firm to supply their bayonets. The following pictures clearly show the shape and marking of the Daisy bayonet.
Next installment: Haubert, H. Dummy Training Rife
From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
I have spent considerable time and have made many contacts in the toy field and have found no definitive information relating to the production of rubber bayonets that were used on the Parris Mfg. Co TraineRifle and Daisy Sport Trainer. The Daisy Sport Trainer Model 634 was produced from 1966 through 1969 and all of this production had a bayonet lug on the fore arm and carried a rubber bayonet. The first illustration of the Parris Mfg. Co. rubber bayonet appears in their 1954 catalog. It is shown as a separate item but indicates that it can be attached to the #4, #2A and MO-1 TraineRifles, which were all lever action cork guns. All models that were later offered with a bayonet attached carried a B prefix (B-MO-1). There is no mention of the Model 23 or 30 bolt action TraineRifles in the 1954 catalog. In their 1956 catalog both of these bolt action models were offered with a bayonet attached. It is unknown when the Parris Mfg. Co. stopped providing a bayonet with their toy rifles. It seems likely that production stopped about the time of the Vietnam War in the early 1970’s.
During the 1960’s most of the companies that had been producing rubber toys had converted to the use of vinyl materials rather than rubber. This presents a problem as the bayonets are clearly made of rubber and this material is identified in some of the advertisements. There were several companies that had produced rubber toys prior to WWII that stopped producing any toys by the early 1950’s. It appears that the Auburn Rubber Co. which was located in Auburn, Indiana, is the only company that continued producing rubber toys into the time period in question. It is known that they produced toy rubber knives. However, there is no record that they produced any rubber bayonets. Unfortunately, there are no identifying marks on either the Parris or Daisy rubber bayonets. The Auburn Rubber Co. began utilizing vinyl material about 1954 and by 1957 was primarily using this material for their toy production. Although this would have been very late in their production of rubber toys, I believe that there is a high degree of probability that both of these bayonets were produced by the Auburn Rubber Co.
It is hoped that additional information or advertisements will be discovered that will confirm this suspicion. In recent years, Parris Mfg. Co. has only produced a Kadet model (29-1/2” long) and a slightly shorter version of the M-30 model that is 42″ long. This model has less detail than the earlier M-30 rifles.
Some odd Trainerifles have surfaced that are marked differently or that have no identification of any kind. Most of the Trainerifles that have been produced have a decal on the right hand side the butt stock. The design of this decal has changed at various times but they all identify the as a Trainerifle. All of the full size Trainerifles that were produced in Clarinda, Iowa had a butt plate that is stamped with the name and the Clarinda, Iowa, address. Some of the models produced after the company moved to Tennessee have metal butt plates and do not. These butt plates may or may not have any identification markings on them. Unmarked specimens that were produced by the Parris Mfg. Co. are easily identified by the characteristic bolt and action which has remained unchanged since the 1940’s. White stocks became available for all models about 1958. Currently Parris is marketing several different toy rifles that carry the Parris name but are being produced in China.
The decal shown below has a distinctive BB on the Trainerifle logo. This does not appear on the early Trainerifle logo’s. Since it has the Kadets of America symbol it probably was used between 1960 and the early 1970’s. There is no documentation that clearly identifies the meaning of the BB letters. It is known that the Parris Mfg. Co. produced a lever action toy rifle that shot either corks or BB’s. Although the model No. 11 bolt action was designed to fire corks, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the later bolt action drill rifles had a mechanism to fire BB’s.
Soon after the move to Savannah, Tennessee, the Parris Mfg. Co. started using a wooden cartridge in the front of the bolt. This was spring loaded and retracted into the bolt body when the bolt was closed. As the bolt was opened the gold colored cartridge reappeared. It also applied pressure on the bolt to hold it in the closed position. In later production the wooden cartridge was replaced by a plastic cartridge. Often a cartridge is incorrectly called a bullet. I suspect that this was the case here. It appears that all of their early toy drill rifles had a bayonet lug. The BB may stand for – Bullet & Bayonet.
Kadets of America
It appears that the development of the different size Drill Rifles is associated with the formation of the Kadets of America organization. This organization was founded in the spring of 1953 by Cecil Parris to encourage boys and girls to become interested in being members of an organized drill team. There was a complete line of Kadets of America merchandise. This included Official Kadet Trainerifles. In their handbook it states that the Official Kadet Trainerifles had nickle plated metal parts. It appears that only the barrel, bolt body and bolt handle were nickle plated. During the same period they were also producing Trainerifles that had painted metal parts for the general toy market. Obviously the “Official” designation was a merchandising ploy to enable them to sell more drill rifles and related accessories, but it also appears that Parris believed that young people would benefit from a paramilitary experience. The following brief history appears in a 1960 copy of the Kadets of America Handbook.
I located the cover sheet and back page of “The Kadet News” which was a bi-monthly newsletter of the Kadets of America. It is dated June, July 1958 and has a picture of founder Cecil Parris on the cover. The Kadets of America stopped functioning in 1970. They very likely went out of existence due to the antiwar sentiment relating to the Vietnam War.
Next installment: The Daisy Sport Trainer
From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
My only interest in the Parris Mfg. Co. toy rifles is in their bolt action models that were generally patterned after the 1903 Springfield rifle. However, some general information is useful in understanding their development. It appears that Cecil Parris was the driving force in developing their toy gun market. He was younger that William Dunn and had a strong sales background and it would have been natural for him to have wanted to expand their market. In 1943 Parris approached Maurice Greiman about designing a toy gun that would fire small corks and the successful development of this first “pop gun” started them in their toy business. When Parris purchased the company in 1949 they already had a well-established toy business.
With each toy rifle you got a well-designed document that gave the standard military manual of arms and showed pictures of their line of toy guns. Unfortunately these documents were not dated but those that show the Clarinda, Iowa address were printed between 1944 and 1951. In one such booklet, they show two “clicker” models that were non-firing toys and seven models of different sizes that were “cork shooters”. They also show a “cork shooter” pistol that appears to have been patterned after the Colt Woodsman automatic pistol. This pistol was sold under the name of “Strait Shooter”. There were two different groups of rifles, one called “Trainerifles” and the other called “Cowboy Pla Guns”. Both used the same lever action cocking lever and had similar profiles. The main difference was that the Trainerifles came with a canvas sling attached. They also produced a “Shoot- Rite Gun” which was also cork firing. This was available singly or as a complete “Indoor Trainer Kit” which included movable “Ro-Target” that spun when the cork hit the target. This gun was substantially more refined and had front and rear sights. It is interesting to note that this booklet does not show any toys guns patterned after the 1903 Springfield rifle. At this time they were still producing a Drill Rifle similar to the full size military training rifle. I would assume that they felt that this model was too large to be appropriate for the toy market and as such was not included.
It should be noted that from the very start of the production of bolt action toy drill rifles there were minor variations in their size, shape and marking. All of these models carry the TRAINERIFLE designation. Although you may find drill rifles that vary slightly in length, it appears that there were only five different sizes of bolt action toy rifles produced. The smallest is the SMALL FRY TRAINERIFLE which was 23 ½” long and had a different type of bolt action. It had a trigger mechanism that made a clicking sound when pulled and is definitely a toy. This model appears to have gone out of production soon after the company moved to Tennessee. Production records no longer exist so it is impossible to determine precisely when specific models were introduced, modified or dropped from the line. For a short period of time about 1960 they list a model No. 11 cork shooting drill rifle. This is the only bolt action drill rifle designed to fire any form of projectile.
In the earliest listing of toy rifles made by the Parris Mfg. Co. in Clarinda, Iowa the prefix A is used on several of their earliest models. The prefix B has been verified to indicate models that had a rubber bayonet attached. The prefix K was used on models specifically designed for the Kadets of America. The Kadets of America were organized in 1953 and stopped functioning in 1970. The prefix M appears on bolt action models patterned after the 1903 Springfield military rifle. It appears that at various times the letters K and M were “mixed and matched” on the same models. (K-23, M-23, K-M-23). The number designations appear to be a means of identifying the relative size of the non-firing toy drill rifles. The smallest being #20 and the largest #30. It should be noted that their model No. 11 fired corks and does not have an M designation.
The following bolt action drill rifles all have the same action as the original military training rifles made by Parris-Dunn. They were introduced into the toy line in 1955-56 and were offered with a rubber bayonet at this time.
Approximate Overall Length and Model Designation
30″ K-21
33″ K-23
39″ M-K
43″ (Full Size replica) M-30
The early model K-23 illustrated below was made about 1956. What is unique with these early models was that they were designed to carry a rubber bayonet. You should note that on this model the barrel is longer than on later models and that it has a metal tab on the barrel near the forearm. This metal tab fits into small recess in the end of the bayonet handle. The barrel length is 3 9/16″ from the muzzle to the inside of the tab. The barrel length of later models ranges from 2 1/2 – 3″, which is too short to mount the bayonet. If the barrel has no tab, the toy drill rifle was not designed to carry a bayonet. It is uncertain when the change occurred but it is probable that after 1970 no bayonets were available.
The following appears to be a later variation for mounting a rubber bayonet on the muzzle of a K-23 Parris Mfg. Co. Toy Drill Rifle. You will note that there is a small bar inserted into the wood below the barrel. I suspect that this was the system that was used during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s as this would have been less expensive than mounting the tab on the barrel.
The next installment: Rubber Bayonets
From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
Following the completion of their military contracts for the Parris-Dunn Training Rifle in 1943, they continued making a similar model for the civilian market. In 1949, William Dunn retired and sold the company to Cecil Parris. Parris renamed the company the Parris Manufacturing Company and continued to produce toy guns and drill rifles in Clarinda until 1951. In 1952, he moved the company to Savannah, Tennessee. The company is still located in Savannah and continues to produce a variety of toys.
The earliest information concerning the civilian production of Parris-Dunn Corp. drill rifles is a flier showing what they called the Victory Trainer. This came in a Standard and Deluxe model. The Standard model has a fixed wooden bolt, a simplified trigger and a raised wooden platform for a rear sight. It was the same size and shape as the Parris-Dunn Training Rifle. The Deluxe model appears to be identical to their military contract Training Rifle. Both of these models have a metal butt plate marked:
In March of 1946 the Parris-Dunn Corp. celebrated the production of their 2 millionth gun. This number included (335,000) military contract training rifles, (200,000) similar civilian models, and (1,465,000) drill rifles and other assorted toy guns. Mr. Greiman indicates that they had production capabilities to produce over 3000 guns a day.
Parris-Dunn TraineRifle This specimen is the only Parris-Dunn marked toy TraineRifle that I have located that is the same general size and shape as the military models. It appears to be a composite of features taken from both of the military models. It has traces of the original Parris-Dunn decal remaining on the right side of the stock. The stock has the identical profile and thickness of the Victory 1942 Army model. The radius of the curved surfaces on the top and bottom of the stock is slightly greater than the Army model and is more similar to the Navy model. This tends to make the sides of the stock to look more flat. The finger groove on the fore arm is 7-1/2″ long as compared to 6-1/2″ on the military models. The front and middle bands are painted on the stock, the barrel is made of wood and there is no bayonet lug which are all features found on the Army model. The wooden barrel on the TraineRifle is 3-5/8″ long as compared to a 3-1/4″ length on the military models. The swivels, receiver and bolt are identical to the military models. The trigger, trigger guard and adjustable rear sight are identical in appearance and function to the Navy model. The butt plate is the same size and shape as the Navy model but has different markings. This marking is also found on the Standard and Deluxe models of the Victory Trainer which were made for civilian drill groups following the completion of the military contracts in 1943. I would guess that this TraineRifle was produced between 1945 and 1948. It appear that Parris-Dunn was attempting to use up the parts that were remaining from their military contracts and decided to add a full size TraineRifle to their toy line. It is interesting to note that this size TraineRifle never appears in any of the Parris-Dunn advertising but surfaces in the Parris Mfg. Co. advertising in 1955-56.
Parris Mfg. Co. M-30 TraineRifle This toy bolt action training rifle was made by the Parris Mfg. Co. It was part of a line of toy rifles that they produced after the company moved from Clarinda, Iowa to Savannah, Tenn. It was the largest in the line and was probably developed primarily for use by the Kadets of America drill teams. It has many of the same characteristics of the earlier Parris-Dunn TraineRifle. The following illustration shows their similarity.
There is a significant difference in the weight and quality of the materials. The stock is made of pine and stained to look like walnut. The front and middle bands are painted black on the wood surface and there is no recess in the top of the front band. There is no metal butt plate. The face and a strip around the butt are painted black. The barrel is a thin metal tube also painted black. The trigger assembly and trigger guard are made of thin sheet metal. The trigger makes a clicking sound when pulled. This is accomplished by snapping a lever over a thin wooden strip. The stacking and sling swivels are very similar to those on the original military training rifles. This model was designed to carry a rubber bayonet and has a thin metal strip attached to the under side of the barrel to hold the bayonet in place.
One unusual detail is the adjustable rear sight. This sight appears to be identical in material and workmanship to those used on the military contract training rifles. I am certain that every attempt was made to reduce the production costs of these TraineRifles. Most of the TraineRifle production had a decal on the side of the stock. Even when a decal was not applied or has worn off, they are easily identified as being very different from those produced by Parris-Dunn. They were produced from 1955-56 until at least 1970. The current M-30 model that they produce is a much simplified and a slightly shorter version but it retains the familiar bolt action.
The next installment: Toy Drill Rifles
From the paper, Non-Firing Drill and Training Rifles, by By Malcolm MacPherson
If you are a member of the military drill world then you have most likely heard of JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Program) which is in hundreds of high schools across the nation; ROTC, the senior program that is in hundreds of colleges and universities, is the senior partner. Each branch of the military has an ROTC program: Army, Marines, Navy and the Air Force. The Coast Guard has two JROTC-like programs with one in southern Florida and one in North Carolina. The Merchant Marines don’t have a program, but do have the Merchant Marine Academy.
Now, let me introduce you to a fairly new program that is only in the state of Kentucky: Jr. Guard. It’s the Army’s National Guard program for five Kentucky high schools. Make that four Kentucky high schools. The school board at Lincoln County High School has deemed it necessary to remove the program. Here is part of a message a Marine friend of mine received:
“Good evening Sgt., i was wondering if you could do me a favor? You see, this September, i will be enlisting in the Marine Corps. We had a program in my high school that was dropped because of budget cuts. The thing is, the school never payed us anything, they never did anything for us, we were funded through the national guard, and then the national guard stopped funding us, we paid out of our pockets. Then on the last day of school, they fired our instructor, SFC Eddie Jones and took the program out of high school. For me and other Jr Guardsmen, this was our life, most of us plan on joining the military here soon. We were using the program to prepare us, but they cut it out. and well, i was wondering, if you could like the page Help Save Jr Guard at LCHS and maybe say something about it? We would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your time Sgt. Semper Fi
Folks, we need to save student programs: band, JROTC, art, all of these types of classes that enrich the lives of the students beyond the measure of test scores. The types of classes/programs that help shape and build the character of the students taking part. Read here how the program has improved the students!!
Some information about this great program:
The JR. Guard program is a collaborative partnership between our Youth Service Center and the 1/623rd Kentucky Army National Guard. The program began in the 1995-96 school year with approximately 15 students. The idea was to target “at-risk” kids who were falling through the cracks of our educational system. Students are provided with a JR. ROTC-like opportunity that links our school and the military. Through this opportunity we hope to find a niche for those students who may not be able to find there way elsewhere in the school.
The students in the program are linked with National Guard who serve as mentors. These mentors meet with the students on a regular basis.
-They participate in experiential activities that demonstrate the value of classroom learning with adult guardsmen.
The students are taught things like self-discipline, rappelling, marching, drill and ceremony, use of night vision goggles, map reading, marksmanship, military etiquette, first aid, physical fitness, and the list goes on and on.
The culmination of the year brings the students to our annual FTX (Field Training Exercise). At the FTX, students put into play, what they have been practicing all year long.
During the 1998-99 school year, the Kentucky School Boards Association, through their Public Education Achieves in Kentucky (PEAK) Award, recognized [the program’s innovative] design because it enhances student learning and promotes public education.
While the program initially targeted an “at-risk” population, the popularity of the program has grown so that there is a waiting list every year of the students and parents who want to participate in the program.
We have seen a reduction in disciplinary problems with these students and a dramatic improvement in student self-esteem and achievement.
Currently the program includes students in grades 6th-12th at participating schools. The schools that are participating are in 8 different school systems across the state of Kentucky