Viking Battalion

HISTORY OF JUNIOR ROTC

The Reserve Officers Training Corps is organized under the authority of the National Defense Act of 1916. The program is sponsored by the United States Army.

Public Law 88-647, dated October 13, 1964 provided for the expansion of the Junior ROTC program. During the past few years much emphasis has been placed on the program by the Department of the Army and there are now over 1645 high schools participating in the

Army JROTC program, and over 280,000 cadets enrolled.

The JROTC unit at D. H. Conley High School was established in July 1972, upon application by the Board of Education, Pitt County Schools, to the United States Army. Our program has maintained the highest possible rating (Honor Unit with Distinction) for over thirty seven years.

Included on the faculty of the school are military personnel to conduct the JROTC program. These are retired Army personnel: the Senior Army Instructor is normally a Lieutenant Colonel who is responsible for the program and the Army Instructor, is normally a Sergeant First Class.

The common misunderstanding of JROTC is that you have to join the military. THIS ASSUMPTION IS COMPLETELY FALSE. JROTC prepares you for LIFE, NOT the military, it helps you with the leadership skills, time management, many other life skills.