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WHS Marine Corps JROTC Takes Top Spot at Regional Drill Meet in Tennessee

Left to right is Miguel Ruiz, Christian Richardson, Reece Horbury, Dominic Hammac, Noah Pearson, Max Woolard, Joey Watson, Garin Reese, and Nailea Fuentes.

Watauga High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps recently took home several honors at the annual Daniel Boone High School MCJROTC Invitation Drill Meet in Gray, Tenn.

WHS cadets placed first in three of four events, including armed and unarmed drill and personnel inspection. The group placed first overall, and claimed the championship for the smaller program Elite Division.

MCJROTC Cadet Capt. Noah Pearson said the group’s success was due in part to the way student leadership works within the program.

“The drill team, like many of our activities, is run by the cadet leadership with supervision of the program’s instructors,” Pearson said. “The MCJROTC’s main purpose is to instill leadership in students. The drill team is a great place to see this process in action. Cadets appointed to be unit leaders and the drill team commanders teach the up and coming cadets drill, discipline and Marine Corps history in preparation for drill competitions.”

In addition to the success of the group as a whole, Cadet Capt. Pearson recently qualified for and was invited to compete in the Marine Corps JROTC service-wide air rifle championship next month in Anniston, Alabama

WHS MCJROTC instructor Lt. Col. Gerald Harper said Pearson earned the invitation through exceptional competitive marksmanship during the fall semester. Harper said Pearson will now go on to compete against the best Marine Corps JROTC air rifle marksmen from across the country.