The JROTC program has prepared me to be a better citizen in many ways.  Leadership skills, history, and life skills I believe are the three most important ways the program has made me a better citizen.

    The JROTC program teaches leadership through values, traits, and by showing how a structured chain of command functions.  Through my experiences in various leadership positions, I have learned how to take responsibility for my actions, lead a group of people to complete a task on time in an orderly fashion, and also how to make-decisions promptly, but smartly.  These skills help me handle situations better and also instill responsibility in me.   The leadership skills I have acquired will help me one day to lead a group of others in the workplace and in life.

    In my past three years as a cadet in the JROTC program, I have learned a lot about our country's history.  I have learned about key leaders and great people who fought hard to make our great country what it is today.  By learning about these people and events, I have a great sense of pride in my country.  I feel very proud when the national anthem is played or when the pledge of Allegiance is said because I know how much of a fight was put up so I could indulge in many freedoms today.  I believe a sense of pride in your country is a very important thing to have in order to be a good citizen of the United States of America.

    Out of any program or class I have ever taken, JROTC had taught me the most life skills.  Some of the most important skills I have learned are communication, time management, organization, and discipline.   By watching the chain of command flow, I have learned how information travels and have learned communication skills.  Strict rules on timeliness are highly enforced in the JROTC program.  I have learned that being early leaves a better impression and is also more beneficial than arriving on time or late.   These time management skills have already helped me and I know that they will continue to benefit me.  I have become very organized since I enrolled in the JROTC program.  I have learned how to keep records and files neat and in order.   I have also learned how to keep a good schedule and how to run a task smoothly and easily.  Organization skills are very important because the tasks of life run a lot easier when you know where to find something as opposed to stressing out over finding something in a mess.  Teamwork is also an important skill I have learned, when you do something as a team, you can get it done faster.   Through cooperation, a team can do just about anything.  Out of all the life skills I have learned, discipline has been the one that I have benefited from the most.  I have acquired a lot of discipline through drill and ceremonies.   All of the life skills I have learned in discipline have helped me become even more disciplined.

    You may wonder how these skills will benefit me in the future.   The skills and qualities I have acquired will benefit me in everything I do for the rest of my life.  JROTC has more prepared me for life than any other course I have taken.  Above all, JROTC has ultimately prepared me to be a better citizen by giving me the power to influence others to become better citizens also.