The Observer Newspapers |NJROTC Holds Change of Command Ceremony

May 9, 2008

NJROTC Holds Change of Command Ceremony

By Rebecca Plevin

Observer Staff Writer

The Herndon High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps was scheduled to hold its change of command ceremony on Thursday, honoring a Navy tradition that recognizes the formal transfer of authority from one commanding officer to another. "As seniors, we give our power to the rising seniors and let them take over," said senior Fabio Garcia, who served most recently as executive officer of the squad.

Garcia said the ceremony would be the last time he wore his NJROTC uniform. Turning in his uniform, "hits me right here," Garcia said, as he placed his hands on his chest. But the Herndon uniform will not be the last one he wears-Garcia is enlisting in the Marine Corps and expects to begin his service in June or September.

Some students, like senior Jonathan Lacher, viewed Thursday's event as a welcome rite of passage. The change of command comes as a relief, he said, because now, "I don't have this giant responsibility to keep track of anymore." Lacher will not be lacking responsibility for long, though. He will participate in the Navy ROTC program at Old Dominion University next fall and said he plans to pursue a full career in the Navy.

Senior Brittny Tisdale also said she was looking forward to handing off her responsibilities to the rising senior class. "I'm really ecstatic for the people who are going to be taking over," she said. The new leaders, she said, "can run this unit the way it needs to be run."

Senior Chris Comtois said he has enjoyed training his successor to serve as the group's financial officer. Passing on the squad's traditions, he said, "Makes you feel part of something." Comtois plans to join the Air Force ROTC at Virginia Military Institute and said he "always wanted to join the Air Force."

And as they prepared to pass on their leadership roles to the younger students, some seniors reflected on their four years in the NJROTC program. "It's not a military thing," senior Kunal Kumar said about NJROTC. "It's also a leadership class. It prepares you for college." Kumar said the course taught him to pay attention to details, even when organizing large events, gave him leadership opportunities and forced him to manage his time well.

Emma Leeth, one of two female seniors who held leadership roles this year, said that serving as the assistant female supply officer gave her the confidence to take on other challenges in life. Having completed the task, she said, "is a really good feeling."

Leeth said she plans to pursue a career in nursing and will attend Northern Virginia Community College in the fall and later transfer to Radford University. She said she considered being a military nurse, but her experience in NJROTC "gave me the confidence to go without the military." She said, "the military is absolutely amazing, but it's just not for me."

Commander Rick Cassara said the class' senior staff helped nominate the squad's upcoming leaders. Interviewing the candidates and assigning positions to the rising seniors, he said, "Is the most important thing they're going to do before they leave here."

Cassara said he has bonded with the students through their four years of overnight travel, formal and informal social events, and athletic activities, and said, "I'm going to miss these guys." His relationships with them, he said, "goes beyond the classroom."