Freehold Regional High School District ROTC: "Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors"

Colts Neck High School Principal Keith Land spoke at the Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education meeting on Monday, May 23 about the New Jersey Reserve Officer’s Training Corps and their current accomplishments. 

“It’s been a phenomenal year,” Principal Land said in regard to the progress the NJROTC program has made. Four years ago, the year-end report identified the unit as one that “needs improvement”, Land said. 

The unit refocused their efforts and within a year the Freehold Regional High School District ROTC unit was labeled as the most improved unit in the area and designated as a “Unit of Distinction with Academic Honors”. This distinction has been maintained every year since. 

“That means we are part of the best in the area,” Principal Land explained. The FRHSD ROTC is a part of area 4, which encompasses a significant chunk of New Jersey and goes as far west as Ohio, Principal Land said. 

“The fact that we have been identified as a ‘Distinguished Unit’ means we are in the top echelon of those schools,” Land clarified. “The added designation of ‘Academic Honors’ means we are in the top ten of all the schools in our area that have been designated as ‘Distinguished Units’.” 

The FRHSD ROTC excels in community service and fundraising. The team works all over the state of New Jersey and provides color-guard services for a variety of events. The team also contributes thousands of hours fundraising for a myriad of organizations, including the American Cancer Society, MS Walk for Life, Toys for Tots, and the Ashely Lauren Foundation, according to Land.

One of the most valuable experiences is the participation on a Tiger Cruise, Land said. Presently, 15 cadets are aboard the U.S.S. New York sailing from Virginia into New York Harbor on Wednesday, May 25 for Fleet Week. 

In terms of competition, the Drill Team currently competes at the highest level in national competition throughout the year. The team also competes at a Masters Level, which is the highest level of competition, and the team will be participating at Nationals in Pensacola, Florida this year. Other competitions besides Drill Team, include Academic, Orienteering, and Athletic.

Gaining the distinction of “Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors” gives the district power, according to Land. Usually, if a student wants to attend a military academy for college the cadet would need a letter of recommendation from a congressman, senator, President or Vice President. As a school which has a “Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors” Principal Land said that he now has the authority to write those recommendations. Land can nominate up to three students for the Naval, Army and Air Force Academies. 

“So, all in all, we are very, very proud of the accomplishments of our unit,” Principal Land said. “I think the district as a whole can be very proud of our cadets and the NJROTC unit. I think that over the past four years we have turned our vision of opportunity and pride into a reality.”