Air Force Junior ROTC (AFJROTC) students from Bob Jones High School won first-place honors at an invitational drill meet in Batesville, Miss.

Bob Jones students won first place in Unarmed and Armed Drill Inspection at the Invitational Drill Meet held at South Panola (Miss.) High School – Batesville Civic Center.

In addition, the students ranked in first place for Unarmed and Armed Regulation Drill. “The team won overall first place for Regulation Drill,” retired Chief Master Sergeant Ellis Clark said. Ellis is the aerospace science instructor at Bob Jones. Retired Lt. Col. Randy Herd is the senior aerospace science instructor. Both men retired from the U.S. Air Force.

Competition participants were seniors Sean Motz, Christian Morris, Christopher Marris and Brandon Attanasio; juniors Chantel Watson, Christian Weiss, Mitchell Stease and Steven Sparks; and sophomores Akeia Williams and Teralynn Stewart.

This semester, AFJROTC has 65 cadets. Ellis projects 85 cadets next semester.

To prepare for competition, students trained almost two months “using standard operating procedures provided by the hosting school that dictate the exact sequences of drill team maneuvers,” Ellis said. JROTC cadets from the University of Mississippi judged the drill meet.

Students were required to execute drill inspection maneuvers and reporting procedures specified in the Air Force drill and ceremony manual, both with and without replica weapons with moving bolt actions, Ellis said.

To qualify for the competition team, freshmen through seniors must be currently enrolled in JROTC, or previously completed a JROTC course, and active members of the reserve flight.

“We rely on parents to help out in chaperoning our trips and appreciate the community support we receive at our semi-annual car washes at the school,” Ellis said. “We also receive some financial support from local veterans organizations and grants from local companies that want to make an impact on our young people, the leaders of tomorrow.”