ARTICLES
November 26th
Battalion Bash26 November- Nike Park- The Smithfield High School JROTC Program conducted their semester Organizational Day Competition, the Battalion Bash, this past Tuesday. Cadets created the Battalion Bash to promote bonding among all cadets in the program through a series of competitions. It was a great opportunity for the entire battalion to show their espirit de corps through good gamesmanship and healthy competition. Competitive events included both mental and physical challenges: Tug-o-War, Kickball, a Scavenger Hunt, a Leadership Reaction Course, Drill and Ceremony events and multiple types of relay races to name a few. The entire event was resourced and planned by the cadet staff and was executed flawlessly. Cadets were able to get to know cadets from other companies and know who other cadets in the program are other than the ones in their specific classes. The staff reached out to former cadets and local recruiters from all services to judge the competitive events. “It was an exciting and thrilling way to bond with everyone in the battalion.” said Caitlyn Clair, the Battalion S4. When the day ended Alpha Company was victorious and claimed bragging rights and some prizes until it all happens again next semester. Cadet Connor Havron took honors as the best drilled cadet in the knockout competition, outperforming all the other battalion cadets.
Written by: Public Affairs Officer, S5, Cadet Captain Maty Wheatley
Blood Drive
November 20th
This past Wednesday, the JROTC Packer Battalion hosted a blood drive in the JROTC fieldhouse. The blood drive was open to anyone who attends Smithfield High School above 16 years old with parental consent and to anyone in the community who wanted to donate. This event was ran by the Packer Battalion with help from the Red Cross. The JROTC program holds three blood drives through the school annually, each year with around 300 donations. Last year, Smithfield High School donated the highest amount of blood in Virginia and met our goal this year with no problem. This year, Smithfield High School had people donate 89 pints of blood. Although this doesn’t seem like much, one pint saves three lives so all together we saved 267 lives and that is an enormous success for the school. “Although I was scared initially, I ended up having a great experience with the JROTC cadets working at the event. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I could save three lives in a few short minutes,” said Colton Butler.
Written by: Public Affairs Officer, S5, Cadet Captain Maty Wheatley
October 4, 2018
Grand Opening
This past week, the Smithfield packer battalion hosted a ceremony to celebrate the official grand opening of the newly built JROTC building. About a year ago, Smithfield Foods made a very generous donation to Smithfield High School and a large portion of it was put toward the JROTC program. With the donation, JROTC was able to become an entirely separate unit from the school. After construction was finished and all the finishing touches were made, JROTC invited members from the school board, VFW, and many other organizations to witness this momentous occasion. The Smithfield High School Band also attended the ceremony to play The National Anthem as the colors were raised in front of the building for the first time. After the ceremony, members of the community were invited to tour the new building as the culinary department of Smithfield High School served snacks and drinks.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 28th, 2018
SHS Homecoming Parade
This past week, the JROTC Packer Battalion led the SHS Homecoming Parade through the streets of downtown Smithfield. In preparation for the parade, cadet leaders worked diligently to teach over 50 new cadets how to march in formation to perfection. Although homecoming was much earlier this year, the 1st Semester cadets quickly picked up on how to stay in step and did a phenomenal job in the parade. In addition to learning how to stay in step, Cadet Major Jamison Davenport, a recent basic training graduate, called cadences he learned this summer. All the first semester cadets will earn their first ribbon for participating in the parade. Overall, the parade was a tremendous success for the program.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 24th, 2018
Hurricane Florence
This past week, the JROTC Packer Battalion collected much needed supplies for those individuals greatly affected by Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas. Wanting to help those in need, Devin Fitzgerald, Cadet Battalion Executive Officer, contacted Officer Lani Eerca from the Newport News Police Department. Officer Eerca is the lead for Operation Duck Sauce, an operation to gather supplies and sundries for the Hurricane Florence Carolina victims. To motivate the cadets, the packer battalion leadership implemented a company level competition to collect these needed supplies. In two days, Cadets gathered enough non-perishable items and supplies to fill an entire full size Chevy Silverado Pickup. “We hope these supplies can help those in need now and in the future,” said Cadet Dominick Ervin, who was able to collect several bags of clothes from his neighborhood which led Delta Company to their collection victory. When Officer Eerca arrived to pick up the supplies, she was amazed at how much the cadets were able to collect in only two days. “We hope to do this again in about a month to keep the supplies going to those still in need”, said Cadet Fitzgerald, “This was a huge success.”
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 22nd, 2018
Car Wash
On September 22nd, 2018, the Packer Battalion hosted an annual car wash to fundraise money for materials and other expenses like the Cadet Ball and field trips. The car wash was located at the Taco Bell in Smithfield, Virginia. Half of the battalion showed up to clean cars, and in hours we raised over eight hundred dollars! JROTC Packer cadets showed an enormous amount of teamwork and responsibility at the car wash. We had cadets ranging from LET ones to LET sevens cleaning, laughing, raising donations, and having the public see how happy we were to be bonding!
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 11, 2018
9/11 Ceremony
On Tuesday, the 11th of September, Smithfield High School JROTC hosted a ceremony in remembrance of the tragic events that took place on September 11th of 2001. The ceremony was led by JROTC’s very own Battalion Commander, Ryan Willis, and Sheriff James R. Clarke attended as the main guest speaker at the event. The first event that took place was the raising of the flags and the singing of the national anthem by Smithfield High School’s Choir. In Sheriff Clarke’s speech we were gifted with some words of wisdom as he reflected upon life after 9/11. After listening to an empowering speech, the mic was handed over to our very own Principal Haney who provided some closing remarks. Following the speaking portion of the ceremony, the SHS Packer Band performed The Patriotic Medley. Subsequently, Spencer Melillo and Alan Fletcher ended the ceremony with the playing of TAPS.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
October 12, 2017
JROTC Dons Pink Cords Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness
The SHS JROTC Packer Battalion is wearing pink uniform cords for the month of October to support those who FIGHT, those who have SURVIVED, and those who have BEEN TAKEN by breast cancer. Cadets, with the help and instruction from the JROTC Booster Club, each constructed their own pink cords and donned them for the first time on October 6th for the homecoming parade in downtown Smithfield. All one hundred plus cadets are wearing their new pink awareness cords on their left shoulder; holding those affected by breast cancer close to our hearts. “We wanted to show our support for those affected by breast cancer and this was a way we thought we could raise awareness at SHS and in the Isle of Wight Community” said Cadet MAJ Jamal Edwards, Packer Battalion Commander. The SHS JROTC cadets will wear their pink breast cancer awareness cords throughout the month of October.
Written by Cadet Hailey Bullock
September 30th, 2017
Flag Retirement
On September 30th 2017 the American Legion Post 49 hosted a flag retirement ceremony. Six members of our JROTC and six members of the American Legion Post 49 were in attendance. There are two flag retirement ceremony a year. One in the spring and one in the fall. Local businesses and community members turn in their flags to the American Legion. The flags are brought to the flag retirement and presented by one of the JROTC Cadets. It is then the American Legion officers, job to inspect each flag and determine it to be unserviceable. They look for flags that have been so spoiled, faded and are torn. Once they are determined unserviceable the flags are then placed in an elevated grate and retired by being burned. Once the ashes are cooled they are buried in a solemn and respectful manner. The flag burning is done to pay respect to the non-functional flags which are a symbol of our nation.
Each of these flag retirement ceremonies are open to the public. So, please keep your eyes open for the next flight retirement ceremony in your area. It is a wonderful way to pay respect to our nation and our flag.
Written by Cadet Hailey Bullock
September 11, 2017
9/11 Ceremony
The 9/11 remembrance ceremony, held at Smithfield High School on Monday was a clear representation of this community and how it comes together. JROTC, the SHS Band and Choir all played parts in a ceremony including representatives from the Smithfield Volunteer Fire department, Smithfield Police Department, Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Department and the Smithfield Volunteer Rescue Squad. Over 400 students and guests attended the ceremony as Smithfield Chief of Police Alonzo Howell provided insight into the importance of remembering the events on Sept 11th, 2001 and how this country and community came together when it was threatened. Students, faculty and guests paused to reflect on what happened sixteen years ago and as Taps played to conclude the ceremony it reminded us how precious life is and how the country, along with its first responders, answered the call that day and ever since to prevent another terrorist attack on US soil…..Never Again!!!
Written by Cadets Hailey Bullock and Devin Fitzgerald
November 26th
Battalion Bash26 November- Nike Park- The Smithfield High School JROTC Program conducted their semester Organizational Day Competition, the Battalion Bash, this past Tuesday. Cadets created the Battalion Bash to promote bonding among all cadets in the program through a series of competitions. It was a great opportunity for the entire battalion to show their espirit de corps through good gamesmanship and healthy competition. Competitive events included both mental and physical challenges: Tug-o-War, Kickball, a Scavenger Hunt, a Leadership Reaction Course, Drill and Ceremony events and multiple types of relay races to name a few. The entire event was resourced and planned by the cadet staff and was executed flawlessly. Cadets were able to get to know cadets from other companies and know who other cadets in the program are other than the ones in their specific classes. The staff reached out to former cadets and local recruiters from all services to judge the competitive events. “It was an exciting and thrilling way to bond with everyone in the battalion.” said Caitlyn Clair, the Battalion S4. When the day ended Alpha Company was victorious and claimed bragging rights and some prizes until it all happens again next semester. Cadet Connor Havron took honors as the best drilled cadet in the knockout competition, outperforming all the other battalion cadets.
Written by: Public Affairs Officer, S5, Cadet Captain Maty Wheatley
Blood Drive
November 20th
This past Wednesday, the JROTC Packer Battalion hosted a blood drive in the JROTC fieldhouse. The blood drive was open to anyone who attends Smithfield High School above 16 years old with parental consent and to anyone in the community who wanted to donate. This event was ran by the Packer Battalion with help from the Red Cross. The JROTC program holds three blood drives through the school annually, each year with around 300 donations. Last year, Smithfield High School donated the highest amount of blood in Virginia and met our goal this year with no problem. This year, Smithfield High School had people donate 89 pints of blood. Although this doesn’t seem like much, one pint saves three lives so all together we saved 267 lives and that is an enormous success for the school. “Although I was scared initially, I ended up having a great experience with the JROTC cadets working at the event. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I could save three lives in a few short minutes,” said Colton Butler.
Written by: Public Affairs Officer, S5, Cadet Captain Maty Wheatley
October 4, 2018
Grand Opening
This past week, the Smithfield packer battalion hosted a ceremony to celebrate the official grand opening of the newly built JROTC building. About a year ago, Smithfield Foods made a very generous donation to Smithfield High School and a large portion of it was put toward the JROTC program. With the donation, JROTC was able to become an entirely separate unit from the school. After construction was finished and all the finishing touches were made, JROTC invited members from the school board, VFW, and many other organizations to witness this momentous occasion. The Smithfield High School Band also attended the ceremony to play The National Anthem as the colors were raised in front of the building for the first time. After the ceremony, members of the community were invited to tour the new building as the culinary department of Smithfield High School served snacks and drinks.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 28th, 2018
SHS Homecoming Parade
This past week, the JROTC Packer Battalion led the SHS Homecoming Parade through the streets of downtown Smithfield. In preparation for the parade, cadet leaders worked diligently to teach over 50 new cadets how to march in formation to perfection. Although homecoming was much earlier this year, the 1st Semester cadets quickly picked up on how to stay in step and did a phenomenal job in the parade. In addition to learning how to stay in step, Cadet Major Jamison Davenport, a recent basic training graduate, called cadences he learned this summer. All the first semester cadets will earn their first ribbon for participating in the parade. Overall, the parade was a tremendous success for the program.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 24th, 2018
Hurricane Florence
This past week, the JROTC Packer Battalion collected much needed supplies for those individuals greatly affected by Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas. Wanting to help those in need, Devin Fitzgerald, Cadet Battalion Executive Officer, contacted Officer Lani Eerca from the Newport News Police Department. Officer Eerca is the lead for Operation Duck Sauce, an operation to gather supplies and sundries for the Hurricane Florence Carolina victims. To motivate the cadets, the packer battalion leadership implemented a company level competition to collect these needed supplies. In two days, Cadets gathered enough non-perishable items and supplies to fill an entire full size Chevy Silverado Pickup. “We hope these supplies can help those in need now and in the future,” said Cadet Dominick Ervin, who was able to collect several bags of clothes from his neighborhood which led Delta Company to their collection victory. When Officer Eerca arrived to pick up the supplies, she was amazed at how much the cadets were able to collect in only two days. “We hope to do this again in about a month to keep the supplies going to those still in need”, said Cadet Fitzgerald, “This was a huge success.”
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 22nd, 2018
Car Wash
On September 22nd, 2018, the Packer Battalion hosted an annual car wash to fundraise money for materials and other expenses like the Cadet Ball and field trips. The car wash was located at the Taco Bell in Smithfield, Virginia. Half of the battalion showed up to clean cars, and in hours we raised over eight hundred dollars! JROTC Packer cadets showed an enormous amount of teamwork and responsibility at the car wash. We had cadets ranging from LET ones to LET sevens cleaning, laughing, raising donations, and having the public see how happy we were to be bonding!
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
September 11, 2018
9/11 Ceremony
On Tuesday, the 11th of September, Smithfield High School JROTC hosted a ceremony in remembrance of the tragic events that took place on September 11th of 2001. The ceremony was led by JROTC’s very own Battalion Commander, Ryan Willis, and Sheriff James R. Clarke attended as the main guest speaker at the event. The first event that took place was the raising of the flags and the singing of the national anthem by Smithfield High School’s Choir. In Sheriff Clarke’s speech we were gifted with some words of wisdom as he reflected upon life after 9/11. After listening to an empowering speech, the mic was handed over to our very own Principal Haney who provided some closing remarks. Following the speaking portion of the ceremony, the SHS Packer Band performed The Patriotic Medley. Subsequently, Spencer Melillo and Alan Fletcher ended the ceremony with the playing of TAPS.
Written by Cadets Ariana Grimm and Maty Wheatley
October 12, 2017
JROTC Dons Pink Cords Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness
The SHS JROTC Packer Battalion is wearing pink uniform cords for the month of October to support those who FIGHT, those who have SURVIVED, and those who have BEEN TAKEN by breast cancer. Cadets, with the help and instruction from the JROTC Booster Club, each constructed their own pink cords and donned them for the first time on October 6th for the homecoming parade in downtown Smithfield. All one hundred plus cadets are wearing their new pink awareness cords on their left shoulder; holding those affected by breast cancer close to our hearts. “We wanted to show our support for those affected by breast cancer and this was a way we thought we could raise awareness at SHS and in the Isle of Wight Community” said Cadet MAJ Jamal Edwards, Packer Battalion Commander. The SHS JROTC cadets will wear their pink breast cancer awareness cords throughout the month of October.
Written by Cadet Hailey Bullock
September 30th, 2017
Flag Retirement
On September 30th 2017 the American Legion Post 49 hosted a flag retirement ceremony. Six members of our JROTC and six members of the American Legion Post 49 were in attendance. There are two flag retirement ceremony a year. One in the spring and one in the fall. Local businesses and community members turn in their flags to the American Legion. The flags are brought to the flag retirement and presented by one of the JROTC Cadets. It is then the American Legion officers, job to inspect each flag and determine it to be unserviceable. They look for flags that have been so spoiled, faded and are torn. Once they are determined unserviceable the flags are then placed in an elevated grate and retired by being burned. Once the ashes are cooled they are buried in a solemn and respectful manner. The flag burning is done to pay respect to the non-functional flags which are a symbol of our nation.
Each of these flag retirement ceremonies are open to the public. So, please keep your eyes open for the next flight retirement ceremony in your area. It is a wonderful way to pay respect to our nation and our flag.
Written by Cadet Hailey Bullock
September 11, 2017
9/11 Ceremony
The 9/11 remembrance ceremony, held at Smithfield High School on Monday was a clear representation of this community and how it comes together. JROTC, the SHS Band and Choir all played parts in a ceremony including representatives from the Smithfield Volunteer Fire department, Smithfield Police Department, Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Department and the Smithfield Volunteer Rescue Squad. Over 400 students and guests attended the ceremony as Smithfield Chief of Police Alonzo Howell provided insight into the importance of remembering the events on Sept 11th, 2001 and how this country and community came together when it was threatened. Students, faculty and guests paused to reflect on what happened sixteen years ago and as Taps played to conclude the ceremony it reminded us how precious life is and how the country, along with its first responders, answered the call that day and ever since to prevent another terrorist attack on US soil…..Never Again!!!
Written by Cadets Hailey Bullock and Devin Fitzgerald