The Red Raider Battalion

Special to Digital Sports Hawaii by Felita Reed
Kahuku JROTC Public Affairs Officer

Interested in featuring your Schools JROTC program contact Kingsley Ah You- kahyou@digitalsports.com

Kahuku JROTC is
not like any other course in Kahuku High and Intermediate School. It teaches subjects like U.S. History,
fitness, and even helps cadets to write good essays. Along with those, JROTC teaches principles such
as leadership, teamwork, and how to be a more confident person.

Because
Kahuku Junior ROTC is funded by the
Army, cadets are taught leadership through military discipline. The Instructors of the Red Raider Battalion
are 1SG William Brandt and 1SG Don Glover.
However, the program is entirely run by the high school cadets. Leading the battalion is C/LTC Sharmaine
Palama with C/CSM Eliani Lawrence as the Battalion Command Sergeant Major. In staff, there’s C/CPT Gabrielle DeCosta as
the Adjutant; C/PFC Wesley Hurwitz as the Security Officer; C/CPT Rani
Phanthavong as the Training and Operations Officer; C/CPT Kanoe Padeken as the
Supplies Officer; C/CPT Felita Reed as the Public Relations Officer; and C/CPT
Hubner as the Education Officer. These
leaders work together to fulfill the Army JROTC motto: “To motivate young
people to be better citizens.”

Students
are taught leadership through personal application and have a chance to excel. They are promoted – based on performance –
where they may be in charge of 5 to 100 cadets, depending on what they’re
position is. Squad Leader is the first
leadership position available to cadets with Battalion Commander as the highest
position.

Teamwork
plays a very important role in Kahuku JROTC.
Without teamwork, the battalion would not move forward. Teamwork can best be seen in the special
teams: Color Guard, Drill Team, Honor Guard, and the Ranger Team. These teams practice after school, perform at
OIA games, along with competing against other JROTC programs from all over the
island.

Together,
the principles of leadership and teamwork help to boost the confident of a
cadet. Students learn to express
themselves in front of their peers.
There are also times where the cadets break off into groups and teach a
lesson in the class. This helps the
cadets who come into the Kahuku JROTC program as shy, and quiet students, leave
the program as confident young adults.

The
Kahuku Red Raider Battalion is a great program for all students. It helps many cadets to pursue their dreams. It teaches them leadership and teamwork,
which will be used throughout life. Most
of all, it teaches the self-confidence needed to succeed in life.