Two FMS Cadets Invited to National JROTC Drill Championships
Waynesboro, VA — Two Fishburne Military School Cadets have been selected to compete at the JROTC National High School Drill Team Competition on May 1-3 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The FMS cadets invited are both 11th-graders and members of the Hudgins’ Rifles Armed Exhibition Drill Team at Fishburne. It has been nearly 5 years since Fishburne Military School has had a dual team invited to the National Championships.
Jacob Randall, son of Ms. Jenny Margaros of Stafford, VA, and Tyler Long, son of Mr. and Mrs. Tim Paddock of Beavercreek, OH, will be performing as a dual team and as individual soloists at the National Championships.
Of the approximately 3400 JROTC Units world-wide (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard), only 123 teams have been invited to the National Championships. Only three schools in Virginia (Fishburne Military School, T.C. Williams and Loudon County High School) have teams that earned invitations to this event.
April 23rd marks the 100th anniversary of ROTC/JROTC training in the United States.
Fishburne Military School’s Senior Army Instructor, LTC Robert A. Hunt USA(ret), notes “These young men have put in a tremendous amount of time and practice to reach this level. Fishburne Military School is well-known as a leader in the [US Army JROTC Cadet Command’s] 4th Brigade and this gives our young men a great opportunity to shine at a National level. We couldn’t be more proud of what these young men have accomplished.”
Cadet Long noted “We are both really excited about this chance to compete in Daytona Beach. All of the hard work is paying off and we can’t wait to represent Fishburne.” ____________________________________________________________________________________
Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built on the structure of an Army JROTC program. Boasting a 100% college placement rate for the past 10 consecutive years, FMS has also been designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academies. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation that is accredited by US Army Cadet Command.
