Jrotc Unit Best Practice

JLAB 2012

JROTC UNIT BEST PRACTICE

Command and Staff – Promotion Test

San Diego High School JROTC – San Diego, CA

The cadet leadership is very involved with the training of all cadets and the cadet leaders. To ensure the best cadets are promoted, a formal promotion test is administered four times per year. The battalion S-3 and the cadet Command Sergeant Major are responsible for the conduct of this test.

Preparation for the test is the responsibility of each platoon leader and platoon sergeant. The promotion tests are administered on a Saturday. The date is posted several weeks in advance and does not conflict with any of the JROTC activities. The test is a demonstration of the cadet’s knowledge. The S-3 insures that the training schedule has the promotion test scheduled. Cadet leaders are the evaluators and must be assigned specific duties well in advance. Each evaluator must be trained and qualified before working a station. The cadet command sergeant major will oversee the stations and will evaluate the final station of drill. The cadets will complete a promotion score sheet in advance and present the sheet to their platoon sergeant for a recommendation for promotion. The promotion test consists of test stations. The cadet must receive a "Go" at each station to be promoted. Any "No Go" and the cadet may try again, one time.

Station One is reporting in and cadet knowledge.

Station Two is stationary drill without arms.

Station Three is folding the flag.

Station Four is stationary drill with arms.

Station Five is the drilling of a squad. Station Six is the drilling of a platoon.

The cadet will go through the number of stations depending on the rank that is desired. For example, c/PFC would go to stations 1, 2, and 3. The c/CPL is stations 1, 2, 3, and four. The c/SGT is stations 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; and C/SSG and C/SFC would include stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The cadet NCO ranks would then be required to complete one last task of teaching a class on drill using one of the three methods of drill instruction before the AI. The teaching of the Extended Rectangular Formation for PT may be substituted for drill demonstrations.

Each cadet is aware of the requirements of the promotion test and a study sheet is provided. The cadet leadership also conducts several classes after school to help those cadets seeking cadet NCO positions. The cadets find the promotion tests to be very challenging and once promoted, the cadets are very proud of their new rank.