> Published Wednesday, December 22, 1999, in the Miami
> Herald
>
> Navy plans lots more high school programs
>
> BY BILL KACZOR
> Associated Press
>
> PENSACOLA -- The Navy is planning a 61 percent increase
> in high school Junior ROTC units by 2005, but the
> expansion has nothing to do with military recruiting
> woes, a spokesman said Tuesday.
>
> The number of schools authorized to have Naval Junior
> ROTC will grow from 435 to 490 during the current budget
> year. The Navy plans to add 210 more units over the next
> five years, bringing the total to 700.
>
> ``It's not a recruiting tool,'' said Cmdr. Jack Papp,
> public affairs officer for the Naval Education and
> Training Command, based at Pensacola Naval Air Station.
>
> Military recruitment has been down in the 1990s. The
> Army, Navy and Air Force all failed to meet goals for the
> fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
>
> Papp said society benefits whether JROTC participants
> later join the armed forces or remain civilians. Those
> who do enlist can begin up to two pay grades higher than
> recruits without JROTC experience. It also helps cadets
> compete for college ROTC scholarships and appointments to
> the service academies.
>
> Navy officials say schools with JROTC programs have
> better attendance, higher graduation rates, reduced gang
> involvement and fewer discipline problems.
>
> ``It comes down to one thing: popular demand,'' Papp
> said. ``The program is to expose kids to leadership,
> patriotism, self-discipline and citizenship.''
>
> The Navy's plan is part of a military-wide expansion
> ordered by Congress. In July, the Army, which has
> programs at 1,370 high schools in all 50 states and the
> District of Columbia, announced it would expand by 50
> schools per year for the next five years, for a total of
> 1,620 high schools.
>
> The Navy program has about 63,000 cadets and 961
> instructors in 43 states, the District of Columbia,
> Italy, Japan and Guam. One priority is to expand into the
> seven states without programs: Idaho, Montana, North
> Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Vermont and Iowa.
>
> The annual cost to the Navy was $31.7 million before
> expansion. That will increase $7 million this year, Papp
> said.
>
> The government pays for uniforms and equipment and the
> schools match the cost, primarily by paying the
> instructors, who are all military retirees.
>
> Students are taught naval history, oceanography,
> navigation, astronomy, naval operations and leadership.
> Cadets also can participate in drill competition, visit
> military bases and go on sea cruises.