Riverbank High's cadets of the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps unit drew high praise from the recruiting officer who visited on March 18 for the unit's annual inspection and review.
"I've done 10 of these things this year and this is the best I've seen," said Commander Romuel "Roy" Nafarette, USN, executive officer of the San Francisco Navy Recruiting District, which covers units scattered all the way from Fresno to Ukiah.
"These guys are disciplined. I can tell by looking at their dress and apparatus. They are very mature for their age. You should be proud to be associated with them," he told a group of parents and friends gathered in the football field stadium.
"Join the Navy," he said. "If you want to go to college, it will give you a bonus of $40,000 toward it. There's a war going on, two wars in fact and more than 20,000 sailors are involved. They have taken over the administration and logistics duties to leave the soldiers free to do the fighting. We also have Navy Seals and special forces over there."
In his turn at the podium, Riverbank High Principal Ken Geisick called the review "one of my favorite events" and praised the work of the Navy Science Instructor Cmdr. Harlan Woodward, USN (Ret) who will be retiring from schoolwork also this summer after close to 15 years leading the cadet program.
RHS Assistant Principal Sean Richey, who gave the keynote speech, went into details about his own experience with the ROTC.
"When you look at these cadets, are you not impressed?" he asked. "I look forward to each Tuesday when they come to school dressed in their uniforms. The ROTC gives them the opportunity to learn traits and skills they cannot learn elsewhere."
In the first school at which he taught, Richey recalled, he had a hard time with one particular boy. He and the boy's grandfather used to meet and commiserate over the student's misbehavior and seeming lack of interest in school.
"I've done 10 of these things this year and this is the best I've seen," said Commander Romuel "Roy" Nafarette, USN, executive officer of the San Francisco Navy Recruiting District, which covers units scattered all the way from Fresno to Ukiah.
"These guys are disciplined. I can tell by looking at their dress and apparatus. They are very mature for their age. You should be proud to be associated with them," he told a group of parents and friends gathered in the football field stadium.
"Join the Navy," he said. "If you want to go to college, it will give you a bonus of $40,000 toward it. There's a war going on, two wars in fact and more than 20,000 sailors are involved. They have taken over the administration and logistics duties to leave the soldiers free to do the fighting. We also have Navy Seals and special forces over there."
In his turn at the podium, Riverbank High Principal Ken Geisick called the review "one of my favorite events" and praised the work of the Navy Science Instructor Cmdr. Harlan Woodward, USN (Ret) who will be retiring from schoolwork also this summer after close to 15 years leading the cadet program.
RHS Assistant Principal Sean Richey, who gave the keynote speech, went into details about his own experience with the ROTC.
"When you look at these cadets, are you not impressed?" he asked. "I look forward to each Tuesday when they come to school dressed in their uniforms. The ROTC gives them the opportunity to learn traits and skills they cannot learn elsewhere."
In the first school at which he taught, Richey recalled, he had a hard time with one particular boy. He and the boy's grandfather used to meet and commiserate over the student's misbehavior and seeming lack of interest in school.
