THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504280191
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Beth Pitsenbarger joined Naval Junior ROTC because she knew she would have ``instant friends.'' David Bauman signed up because he wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps after graduation. Bryan Hall wanted to prepare for college at The Citadel.
All three are 18, seniors at Green Run High School and part of a national award-winning program at the school.
Green Run took second place in a national NJROTC competition in Savannah, Ga., last weekend, stepping down one notch from its first place win of the year before. Programs from 400 schools around the country competed in Savannah. Green Run is used to scoring well. It took second place in 1993, too.
If they had a trophy case at Green Run, it would be overflowing.
Capt. Charles ``Bud'' Futch said, ``Trophies? We don't even have a case big enough. Where would we put them all? We've won 85 trophies, medals, awards this year alone.''
The retired Navy officer has been the naval science instructor for five years. He pointed around the classroom and said, ``As you can see, they're stacked everywhere, lying around on tables, all over the place.''
Another retired officer, Lt. Cmdr. Rick Conaway, has been at Green Run for seven years. He is the associate instructor.
``The team competes in academics and athletics, as well as the drill team,'' said Conaway. ``Many people may not realize the program has those components, too.''
Futch said, ``You win by a cumulative score based upon all three, not just the drill maneuvers.''
The Green Run NJROTC course can be taken as a math or science requirement, Conaway added. There are 110 students who attend classroom sessions three times a week and participate in leadership laboratory, the drill team practice and personnel inspection twice a week. Forty-six of the upper classmen competed in the national event.
More numbers rolled from Futch's mouth as he spoke proudly of the NJROTC:
``Last year, 12 of our 15 graduating seniors joined the military, another won an appointment to the Naval Academy and another is attending the University of Virginia. Students who join the military can enter as an E-3, instead of E-1.
``We put on 120 color guard presentations for football and basketball games and so forth.
``We prepared for the nationals with 12 drill team competitions; 10 academic; and four athletic. I could go on and on. I'm so proud of these kids.''
Michael Calkins and Sean Manley will join their classmates at the graduation ceremony in June.
Calkins will leave to join the Army three days later. Manley leaves for Parris Island, S.C., and Marine boot camp on July 5.
Another senior, James Quinn, has enjoyed his four years of NJROTC, but he is headed in a different direction.
``I want to go into management with the company I'm working for,'' said Quinn. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY EDWARDS
Cadet Lt. Cmdr. David Bauman, left, and Cadet Ensign Jake Baird
perform a two-man drill during NJROTC practice.
by CNB