LEADERSHIP EDUCATION SYLLABUS

Lieutenant Colonel Denis Carruth

Gunnery Sergeant Erwin

2007 – 2008

Program Goals are to:

• Develop leadership and build character.
• Create informed, patriotic, and responsible citizens.
• Develop responsible young adults who are physically, mentally, and morally fit.
• Develop informed and civic-minded young adults prepared for higher education, civilian careers, and public service.
• Instill discipline, respect, and responsibility through military-related subjects and activities.

Course Length: One to Four years.

Course Objective: Leadership Education, more commonly referred to as Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC), is a four-year academic program. Enrollment does not obligate a student to join the Marine Corps or any other branch of the service. Cadets, however, must accept Marine Corps standards of discipline, appearance and training. It is a nationally recognized program that has received accreditation by The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). The CITA Alliance includes the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS-CEMS and SACS-CSMS). It is designed to instill in high school students a value of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of ethics and honor. Gaining popularity among the top students in the Gwinnett County school district, the Parkview MCJROTC Program has produced several graduates who have attended the service academies, received college ROTC scholarships, or are serving in the various branches of the Armed Forces. The majority of former MCJROTC students have advanced to college or are working in the civilian community- applying the leadership skills learned and developed while in this program.

The primary purpose of the MCJROTC Program is Leadership Education. It prepares high school students for responsible leadership roles while making them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges as American citizens. In order to be a good leader, one must first learn to be a good follower. As a cadet gains experience and knowledge, he or she will be given active, hands-on leadership responsibilities within the JROTC Program.

The Marine Corps JROTC Leadership Education Program emphasizes the development of self-discipline, leadership, honor, integrity, and the value of community service. Citizenship training is emphasized throughout the program and reinforced by using current events and activities occurring in the Gwinnett County area, the state of Georgia, our nation and the entire world. In addition, students are acquainted with basic military subjects and Marine Corps traditions, customs and courtesies.

The success each student achieves while in the Marine Corps JROTC Program depends to a large extent on their willingness to get involved and participate in the program. Satisfactory performance within the program will result in the cadet receiving passing grades during the academic reporting period. However, since the MCJROTC Program is structured to function much like a military organization, there will also be opportunities for cadets to develop leadership skills and to progress in rank. Promotions, especially those to the senior enlisted and officer rank, are based on a cadet’s overall performance and their demonstrated capability to assume greater responsibility. A great deal is expected from the cadets promoted to leadership positions. Cadets who accept top-level promotions also accept the additional duties and responsibilities that go along with the promotion. Conversely, top-level promotions may be rescinded if a cadet, once promoted and assigned to a leadership position, demonstrates that he/she is incapable or unwilling to put forth the time and effort to successfully meet the obligations of the grade and billet assigned.

The Parkview High School Marine Corps JROTC Program continues to seek top students who excel both academically and athletically to ensure that the high caliber of leadership is maintained within the program. We strongly feel that the Marine Corps JROTC Program is a complement to the leadership development of honor students and athletes as well as service clubs within Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Satisfactory completion of the program can lead to preferential consideration for a service academy appointment, advanced placement credit in the Senior ROTC program or advanced rank in the Armed Forces. The Marine Corps JROTC program is one of the Marine Corps’ contributions to assisting America’s youth to become better citizens and future leaders of America. The program produces successful students and productive adults, while fostering in each school a more constructive and disciplined learning environment. This program makes substantial contributions to many communities and ultimately to the nation’s future. It is the centerpiece of the Department of Defense’s commitment to America’s Promise for Youth through its emphasis on community service and teen anti-drug efforts.

Course Prerequisites:

• LE I - completion of the eighth grade.
• LE II-IV must successfully complete the previous LE program.

Course Requirements: All students will be required to adhere to Marine Corps grooming standards while enrolled in MCJROTC. The Cadet MCJROTC uniform will be worn one day each week. It must be clean and freshly pressed. No more than two excused absences will be allowed for a designated uniform day each semester.

Daily Routine:
Monday:  Academic instruction in the classroom.
Tuesday:   Close Order Drill out of the classroom.
Wednesday:   Uniform Inspection out of the classroom.
Thursday:   Physical Training out of the classroom.
Friday:   Academic instruction and testing in the classroom.

Academic Instruction:
LE-I:   The Marine Instructor is the primary instructor for first year cadets. The academic emphasis is learning General Military Subjects (GMS), basic close-order drill, proper wearing of the MCJROTC uniform and the importance of physical well-being through repetitive activities. Time management, study and memorization skills will be reinforced each day.
LE-II through IV:   The second through fourth year cadets will be expected to retain LE-I knowledge in order to progressively improve leadership skills and be given increased levels of responsibility within the classroom environment. Major research projects will be assigned each semester that will require the cadet to demonstrate proficiency at internet and library research, use of MS Word and Power Point programs, and written and oral communication skills.

Physical training will be conducted one day each week. In order for a student to participate in physical training and/or marksmanship training, parents must complete three forms:

• Emergency Data Sheet
• Parental Consent For Marksmanship Training Form
• Parental Permission/Disclosure Form
• GHSA Sports Physical Form
• Gwinnett County Parent Transportation Permission Form
• Student Athlete Drug and Alcohol Disclosure Form

All cadets participating in high adventure training through the Venture Crew will be required to complete a crew membership application to include a class 1 and 2 physical examination. The crew application accompanied by the sports physical will suffice for satisfying individual physical requirements

PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION

Notes:

1. 1 HR = 45 min class
2. Core is taught all 4 years.

Grading Scale:A point system will be in effect for this course with tests, quizzes, projects, written and oral evaluations, drill evaluations, uniform inspections and leadership evaluations as the weighted course events. The following scale illustrates the grade value associated with the overall percentile and the specific categories and the associated weight each category is given in the course.

A = 100 – 90%
B = 89 – 80 %
C = 79 – 74%
D = 70 – 73%

Weighting of Course Disciplines:

Conduct and leadership are evaluated each day. Classroom distracters such as tardiness, talking, inappropriate language or gestures, violations of school policies and regulations will negatively impact on a cadet’s leadership evaluation. The rubric below is an example of what might affect a cadet’s leadership grade during a six-week reporting period. This is provided as an example and not intended to be binding to the instructor’s subjective evaluation. If a cadet receives a failing Leadership grade, it will be up to the discretion of the SMI and the Principal as whether the cadet will be allowed to continue in the program; even if he/she has an overall passing grade in MCJROTC.

RUBRIC (DAILY CONDUCT/LEADERSHIP) (Draft Example)

Homework will be assigned periodically. Homework will be completed and turned in on the day that it is due in order to receive full credit. The following rubric identifies the points that will be deducted for late homework.

RUBRIC (HOMEWORK)

Missed Assignments/Tests It is the responsibility of the student to arrange with the instructor to make-up any missed assignments or tests within two school days of his or her return to the classroom.

Text: MCJROTC Leadership Education I, II, III and IV. Restitution for lost or damaged textbooks will be made to Parkview MCJROTC. The cost of each text is $5.00.

Uniforms: Male and Female cadets will be issued uniforms identified in the attached uniform issue list. Costs of replacement and cleaning are also noted. Uniforms are to be maintained in a clean and serviceable condition. Upon termination in the program or at the end of the school year, all uniforms will be returned in a clean and serviceable condition. Restitution will be made to Parkview HS MCJROTC in the event that a uniform article is lost, or presented unserviceable. Uniforms that are returned unclean will also require restitution for the cleaning bill.

Varsity Sport and Extracurricular Opportunities: Drill practice for all Marine Corps JROTC drill disciplines will commence on the 1st of August. To participate in the GHSA Varsity sport of Riflery (separate from MCJROTC Rifle Team), students must complete a sports physical to be eligible to practice and compete. Varsity Rifle practice will begin the third week of school and continue through the entire school year. Those desiring to participate in the extra-curricular activities, MCJROTC Drill and Color Guard Teams, Physical Fitness Team and Orienteering Teams, will also need parental consent and a sports physical prior to practicing or competing. After school training for these events will begin during the first week of school. A schedule for each of the above will be published and placed on our website. Participation or non-participation in extra-curricular activities will not directly impact or influence a cadet’s academic grade.

Scholarship Opportunities: There are many benefits to the program. The most obvious is the leadership training. The self-confidence and discipline obtained will give the cadet a decided advantage, not only in high school, but in college, the job market, or if desired, when joining the military service. Some specific advantages are:

ROTC COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS- Chances for obtaining a college ROTC scholarship, worth approximately $150,000 are improved if a student has had MCJROTC. In addition, colleges may also give ROTC credit for MCJROTC, reducing the overall requirement for graduation.

NAVAL ACADEMY NOMINATIONS- Each Senior Marine Instructor of the MCJROTC unit is allowed to nominate outstanding cadets for appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. This privilege allows a cadet to circumvent competition with civilian applicants for the limited number of congressional appointments.

HIGHER RANK FOR ENLISTMENT- If a cadet decides to enlist directly into the armed forces following high school graduation, he or she enters at a higher rank by virtue of having completed at least three years of MCJROTC.

SMI Closing Comments- The MCJROTC instructors will treat all MCJROTC cadets with the utmost respect and dignity. In turn, cadets must make every effort to conduct themselves in a manner so as not to bring discredit upon themselves, their families and school, or to the MCJROTC Program. If you have any questions regarding the program, please feel free to contact the Senior Marine Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel Denis Carruth, or the Marine Instructor, Gunnery Sergeant David Erwin at (770)806-3897.

MCJROTC EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND LETTERING OPPORTUNITIES

The Leadership Education classroom work will determine the cadet’s grade in the class. There are also extra-curricular opportunities that will further develop, in a practical sense, those leadership skill sets learned in the classroom. Extra-curricular involvement also provides each cadet the opportunity to earn a letter in MCJROTC.

Community Service and Support to Parkview High School: In addition to Riflery and Drill, there are other opportunities for each cadet to earn a varsity letter. This may be accomplished by dedicating time to community service and supporting Parkview High School official functions. Cadets are needed to help control the parking of cars at home football games and provide security at home basketball games. Cadets are also needed to provide directional assistance to visiting students the morning of SAT testing and in the evenings during orientations and open houses. MCJROTC has also adopted Mountain Park Park to ensure that cleanliness of the park is maintained. There are several other opportunities to perform community service, of which the Parknership Community Park clean-up and Feed the Veterans on Veteran’s Day are two examples where cadets have provided community service in the past. Our MCJROTC Color Guard is requested to perform throughout the county several times each year. The above is just an example of how cadets may involve themselves to earn points toward a varsity letter in MCJROTC. A matrix will be distributed by separate correspondence that more clearly outlines the lettering requirements and the points associated with cadet participation at each extracurricular activity.

Booster Club/Non-Profit Corporation: A Booster Club was chartered several years ago to provide an official vehicle for parents to support all the MCJROTC extracurricular activities. Participation in the Booster Club is an excellent way to be kept informed on all the activities planned for the cadets. Three years ago we moved beyond the Booster Club designation and became a non-profit (501.c.3), organization, Parkview High School MCJROTC, Inc. This gives us serious leverage for corporate donations. Your active participation is strongly encouraged. Meetings are normally scheduled on the second Monday of each month.

Annual Budget: The annual budget will be distributed by separate correspondence. It is anticipated that the program will require between $50,000 and $60,000 in order to fund all the annual activities that are currently planned. An annual fee will be required to support each extra-curricular discipline. The cost to each cadet is as follows: Drill $350, Riflery $250, Orienteering $100. These fees will fund the majority of the expenses for the year. In order to reduce the cost or earn credit toward other adventure training trips or Regional and National competitions, PHS MCJROTC Inc. schedules several fundraising activities throughout the year. Cadets who participate will receive a monetary credit toward upcoming activities. If a cadet drops the activity, the initial fee is non-refundable.

Summary:The Leadership Education curriculum is excellent for establishing a solid foundation to develop one’s character and a basic understanding for the importance of community service. Strong emphasis is placed on respecting others and learning good leadership skills. Conceptual mastery of the traits and principles of leadership can be evaluated academically in the classroom. The character development and practical leadership skill development is enhanced by participation in those extracurricular opportunities outlined above. We encourage you to support your cadet in every way that you can to ensure that your child gets the full benefit of the MCJROTC experience.

MORE ABOUT MCJROTC

Organization: Each Leadership Education class, or period, is organized as a platoon. This ensures that upper-level cadet leadership actively mentors the junior cadets. This is the first year that we have downsized from a battalion structure to a company structure. There are special staff positions identified to be filled by upper-level cadets due to the higher-level coordination that must take place in order to make things happen within the Corps of Cadets. We have a designated Commanding Officer who has a staff of officers and enlisted who each handle a specific functional area. The Commanding Officer is the leader is responsible for everything the unit does or fails to do. The senior enlisted cadet, the rank of First Sergeant, is responsible for the morale and welfare of all enlisted cadets and is the advisor to the commanding officer on all issues. The First Sergeant also ensures that personnel records are kept up-to-date and also files and produces correspondence internally and to outside agencies. The Executive Officer, second in command, is responsible for producing a monthly training schedule and oversees all operations that the unit is tasked to support. The Logistics Chief, a special staff position, is responsible for the logistical support for all the operations and also oversees the maintenance of the cadet supply warehouse. The Public Affairs Chief, another special staff position, is responsible for reporting on all cadet activities and providing draft articles and pictures for publication in the MCJROTC Panther Newsletter. This newsletter will be published every six months.

Chain of Command: Each period has a designated platoon leader, and platoon sergeant, that provide direct leadership to their respective class during the period of instruction. They are directly responsible to the Commanding Officer and the First Sergeant respectively for all that the platoon does or fails to do. It is important that first year cadets understand that the chain of command is there to provide requisite leadership and facilitate the flow of information and instruction. Clearly stated, the class leaders are not on an ego trip. They are merely carrying out the orders given them to the best of their abilities given their level of experience.

Promotions and Rank Structure: Promotions are scheduled during the ninth or tenth week of each semester. All first year cadets will start out as cadet privates in the Corps of Cadets. Assuming that they maintain good standing academically and behaviorally, each first year cadet will be promoted to cadet private first class during the first semester and to cadet lance corporal during the second semester. If a cadet performs exceptionally, he or she may receive a meritorious promotion to the next rank and could achieve a rank as high as corporal or sergeant by the end of the first year. Promotions are not automatic and may be temporary if the cadet does not perform to the expected level or does something to bring discredit to himself/herself, the Corps of Cadets, or the school. Only by exception will a cadet be promoted to a cadet officer rank before their third year in the program. The rank of Staff Sergeant and above, as well as Second Lieutenant and above, requires extracurricular participation in activities after school.

For more information about next year's program, download and complete this form by April 1. Application of Intent