Soaring high: Selma AFJROTC wins Distinguished Unit Award

By George L. Jones

The Selma Times-Journal

The Selma High Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps puts a lot of emphasis on its students being well-rounded citizens.

A recent award demonstrated how much that pays off.

Unit Alabama 091 was a recent recipient of the Distinguished Unit Award for the second consecutive year.

“I’m pretty proud of our particular unit,” said Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, Major Larry D. Spicer. “They’re involved with a lot of community service activities. Our drill team and color guard is one of the best in the Southeast.”

The Selma High unit was one of 265 in the AFJROTC system to receive the award. There are 746 participating high schools and 104,000 cadets all over the United States, Europe, the Pacific and Puerto Rico.

In addition, Selma’s unit has also won Alabama’s Outstanding Unit Award two of the last four years.

Spicer said the award is a reflection of the effort displayed by all his cadets.

“They apply what I teach and use it in all phases of their lives,” Spicer sad. “The students run the cadet corps. They’re the ones that do all the work.”

There is also a significant emphasis put on being complete students.

Cadets are given hands-on experiences that coincide with their curriculum, according to Spicer.

They not only excel within the ROTC environment, but various other places as well.

“One of the things that has been instilled in them is our motto of ‘Pride, Honor, Confidence,'” Spicer said. “They’re not only part of ROTC, but they’re in every facet in high school. They’re officers in the student government, in band and choir. They’re very well-rounded.”

There are currently 150 students in Selma’s unit.