The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) hosted a military skills competition at Elston Middle School on Saturday, November 23rd. Eleven schools competed in military drill, academics, physical fitness, personnel inspection and marksmanship. Michigan City earned awards in eight of the 13 events. The Wolves placed first in “B” Color Guard, second in Armed Platoon, Armed Squad, “A” Color Guard, Academics, and Marksmanship, and third in Armed Exhibition and 1st Year Squad. The meet’s over-all winner was East Aurora, IL, a school of 4000 students, with 950 cadets in their Navy JROTC.
“Our cadets have been working very hard since September in preparing for this meet,” said Marine Instructor Master Sergeant Jeff Benak. “This was a good showing for our first drill competition.”
The competing schools, who came from Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland, praised Michigan City for the efficient organization of the competition. “It is much work hosting a competition like this,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath. “This was a true team effort. The local chapter of the Marine Corps League (a veterans group of former Marines) sponsored the meet. Our Booster Club ran two concession stands and provided a hospitality room for all of the instructors of the competing schools and the judges. The judges came from three different military sources. Non drill team cadets did a great job doing all of the small jobs that are needed to be done to pull off an operation like this. Our senior drill team cadets provided the leadership for our drill team to be prepared and prompt for all of our competing events. This again shows that Michigan City High School is a school on the rise, a school that other schools will try to imitate.”
The cadets next drill competition will be December 7th at Purdue University in West Lafayette. Cadets will also be competing in Cyber Patriot, a national computer security competition, the night prior to the drill meet. Additionally, cadets will continue to provide many hours of community service in helping the needy during the holidays.