JROTC needs your help!

Some of you may be under the impression that JROTC is fully funded by the DOD.
Uhhhh…NO.
The DOD funds very little…pretty much just the websites.

The parents of the Cadets foot the bill for everything else.

These kids take the same Oath any other Armed Service Member takes.
Maybe not as “binding” as the “adult version” but still taken very seriously.

I wanted to enroll my boy as a Sea Cadet (USN JROTC).
I was surprised to find out I needed to cut a personal check for around $750 just to get him started.
That does not include continuing costs of uniform upgrades, field trips, etc., etc.

The military and the USMM saved my life…literally.

There are so many kids out there that are considered “Dead End Kids”; both rural and inner city.
Their parents are broke so the kids can’t join up until they are 17 1/2.
By that time a lot of them have already started down the wrong road and that path sometimes affects the future of their ability to serve our Great Nation.
If we catch them early and keep them on the right path this would not be an issue.

I always thought it was pretty insulting to have to purchase my own uniforms and pay for my own dry cleaning to pass inspection when I was in…especially when my best year I made $9500.
But at least I had 3 hots and a cot and money to pay for those costs with.

A kid that takes that is willing to take the same Oath I did is SOL unless his parents can foot the bill.

Any kid that is willing to lay down their life now or in future service to our Nation should have a “full ride” as long as he or she is meeting or exceeding the requirements of the program they join.

I pay my own way and so does my boy.
I also contribute to our local Unit of the Stars and Stripes Division of the Sea Cadets of NW Indiana.
But it is not enough.

JROTC, whatever branch, needs your help, Shipmates!

Of course, if you feel like contributing I would prefer you do so to my son’s unit but any kind of help whether is be networking, monetary, or service on your off time, would not go unrecognized by your Country and especially by kids that need a “way out” of dead end roads they may be on.

Sea Cadets of Lowell, IN needs your help!!!
Please shipmates.
Anything you can do to be helpful will be appreciated by many.

Our Commanding Officer is LT Serena.
His phone number is 815-405-2574.

Monetary contributions to “Regional” come with a tax deductible receipt.
Contributions to our Unit non profit account do not.
And of course contributions of time and networking can not even be measured but are invaluable to us.

If you feel no need to help out my boy’s Unit then consider helping out JROTC on the National level because the DOD is failing our kids.

President Trump says he is going to increase military spending.
I have written him.
I was answered by President Obama but not by President Trump.

We need your help, Shipmates.

Thank you for reading.

PS
I don’t have much time for computer stuff so I will not be checking this thread too often.
Please re-direct any questions or comments to the CO of Stars and Stripes Division NW Indiana Sea Cadets.