Out of the 20 Air Force Junior ROTC (AFJROTC) units in Ohio, Tecumseh High School’s AFJROTC OH-881 unit is one of only three AFJROTC units in the state to receive the prestigious 2015-2016 “Distinguished Unit Award” (DUA) including the ‘With Merit’ distinction.
According to AFJROTC OH-881 unit advisor, MSgt Antonio Ruiz, every AFJROTC unit is required to conduct a very detailed, yearly inspection using an eight page-long checklist. Then every three years an AFJROTC Area Representative conducts their own inspection of the Tecumseh unit to confirm it is successfully accomplishing the mission and goals of the AFJROTC program. They also check to make sure the unit has correctly reported its findings during the two years it conducts its own yearly inspections.
“We have to account for (absolutely) everything, even including the little hard drives that we have! We have to physically show (the Inspectors) everything. The drill rifles have to be counted and marked a certain way--the serial numbers must be the ones that we have record of, and on and on. The cadets are also inspected to make sure they are properly uniformed and conducting themselves properly... (The inspectors) are looking for cadet-ownership,” says Ruiz, “They want to know that the cadets are empowered to do the work necessary and are able to those jobs effectively.”
Receiving the DUA award is difficult; receiving the “With Merit” distinction is rare and can only be bestowed when the Area Representative visits. It is the highest honor that can be obtained by an AFJROTC unit. The Tecumseh unit has received the DUA award 13 times, three of those times “With Merit.”
According to Ruiz, the honor is a validation that the Tecumseh AFJROTC OH-881 has performed beyond normal AFJROTC expectations and has cadets who distinguish themselves through outstanding service to their school and community, while also meeting the AFJROTC mission of producing better American citizens.
The objectives of the AFJROTC program are to educate and train high school cadets in citizenship and life skills; promote community service; instill responsibility, character, and self-discipline through character education, and to provide instruction in air and space fundamentals. Enrollment is open to all young people who are in the 9th grade or higher, physically fit, and are citizens or nationals of the United States. AFJROTC units are located in 870 high schools across the United States and at selected schools in Europe, the Pacific, and Puerto Rico; enrollment includes more than 120,000 cadets.
