Letter to the Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy
Letter
U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) have joined with Congressman Andy Harris (MD-1st) in writing to the Secretary of Navy to urge him to reconsider dismantling the Naval Junior Officer Reserve Training Corps (NJROTC) program at Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin. The Naval Service Training Command has notified the Superintendent of the Worcester County Public Schools that Decatur High School's NJROTC would be disestablished effective June 30, 2011 because it failed to meet enrollment requirements.
Over the last five years, enrollment in Decatur High School's NJROTC program has fluctuated between a low of 56 and high of 94 in 2010. The Worcester County School Board expects to have 120 students enroll for the 2011-2012 school year. Minimum enrollment standards require that not less than 10 percent of the student body be enrolled in the program, or 100 students, whichever is less.
The Honorable Ray Mabus
Secretary of the Navy
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20350
Dear Secretary Mabus,
We write concerning the pending disestablishment of the Naval Junior Reserve Training Corps (NJROTC) program at Stephen Decatur High School, located in Berlin, Maryland. Unfortunately, on February, 2011, Naval Service Training Command notified the Superintendent of the Worcester County Public Schools that the Decatur HS NJROTC program would be disestablished effective June 30, 2011.
The NJROTC program at Decatur HS is highly successful and valuable, benefiting both the cadets and the greater Worcester County community. For example, last year, cadets completed nearly 3,000 hours of community service and, in past years, participated in more than 50 school and community color guard events. Graduates of the Stephen Decatur NJROTC program have excelled both academically and professionally, with many continuing to serve our nation in uniform and as civil servants. Each calendar year since 2000, a member has either continued on to an ROTC program or attended a service academy. Additionally, the program was cited as " absolutely outstanding" in its most recent inspection report in December 2010.
While we recognize that Title 10, Sec. 2031, sets minimum enrollment requirements for JROTC programs, we encourage you to extend the program's probationary period. The NJROTC enrollment has steadily increased over the last three school years and only was shy of the required enrollment by 6 students this year. The dedication and commitment to this program by the Worcester County Board of Education is showing dividends, resulting in an initial course registration for the 2011-2012 school year of approximately 120 students. This number of cadets well exceeds the minimum enrollment requirement.
We encourage you to reconsider disestablishing the Decatur HS NJROTC program in light of the registered participants for the next school tear and extend the probationary period for one additional school year. It would be greatly disappointing for the Navy to turn its back on such a valuable and productive program, particularly after the school and its cadets have worked so hard to improve and expand enrollment.
Sincerely,
Benjamin L. Cardin
United States Senator
Andrew P. Harris
United States Representative
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator
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