Kubasaki Marine Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps wins Far East Drill Championship

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Cadets of the Kubasaki High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps are inspected by Staff Sgt. Junior E. Diaz during the 2012 JROTC Far East Drill competition on Kadena Air Base, March 26-28. Kubasaki’s team earned the title of 2012 JROTC Far East Drill Champions of Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific after competing against 11 other Pacific region JROTC units from the Army, Navy and Air Force. “Drill requires much more dedication than any other sport in high school,” said Cadet Lt. Col. Emmanuelle Cordero, the team’s instructor and cadet battalion commander. “Drill is six months worth of preparation and refining our drill procedures. I’m so proud of our team and pleased that all of our hard work and sacrifices paid off with the title of Far East champions.” (Photo courtesy of Robert E. Mastriano)  

KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

04.04.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Courtney White 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan - The Kubasaki High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps won the title of the 2012 JROTC Far East Drill Champions for the Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific during a competition on Kadena Air Base, March 26-28.

The competition included 156 cadets representing 12 DODEA high schools in the Asia-Pacific including schools from the Republic of Korea, mainland Japan and Guam. Kubasaki competed for the title against 11 other DODEA Pacific regional JROTC units from the Republic of Korea, mainland Japan and Guam.

The team, which has been practicing since October, committed more than two hours per day during the school week leading up to the competition.

“The team started off practicing unarmed drill and then progressed to armed drill with [M14A1 assault rifles] and then finally into armed exhibition, which is similar to what you see in the silent drill team during their performances of exchanging rifles and throwing them in the air,” said Robert Mastriano, a Kubasaki JROTC instructor and retired sergeant major.

The Okinawa-based team competed in a total of six graded events during the competition.

“We took first place in armed regulation, unarmed regulation and color guard,” said Mastriano. “[We also took] second place in unarmed exhibition and third place in personal inspection.”

Drill requires much more dedication than any other sport in high school, according to cadet Lt. Col. Emmanuelle Corderro, the cadet battalion commander.

“Drill is six months of preparation and refining our drill procedures,” said Corderro.

The JROTC program, though time consuming, provides the students with confidence, opportunities to grow and obtain leadership positions, patriotism and the love of being an American overseas, said Corderro.

“I am very proud of our team. Their dedication is indicative of the future of a country we can be proud of,” said Mastriano.

• Date Taken: 04.04.2012
• Date Posted: 04.10.2012 20:31
• Story ID: 86534
• Location: KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP