Thunderbird
Trumpet
“Choose Greatness…
Strive for Excellence! ”
1st Quarter Issue
www.eahsjrotc.wix.com/thethunderbirds
A Strong Beginning
Hello and welcome to all new and
returning cadets! As a new school year begins,
new memories await to be made. The JROTC
mission is to encourage young people to be
better citizens. The East High Thunderbird
Battalion is a program that accepts anyone
looking for a chance to work on themselves
individually as well as hone their skills as part of
a team. Four years will pass in the blink of an
eye, and you're encouraged to use it well.
One of the most exciting memories to be
made here are memories from the JROTC
Cadet Leadership Challenge (JCLC). JCLC is an
annual summer camp that tests your leadership
as well as teamwork skills with your peers. Last
summer, for the first time, all four army JROTC
schools participated together (East High,
Colony, Bartlett, and Dimond). When you think
2018 - 2019
Upcoming Events
Parents’ Meeting for
Interior Drill & Rifle
Meet
November 15th, 2018
West Rifle Valley Meet
November 30th, 2018
Interior Rifle Meet
December 1st, 2018
Cadet Challenge
December 4th to 7th,
2018
East cadets face Bartlett cadets in the ultimate event in WACKO: Topple the Castle.
In the first quarter, one main event should
be marked on every cadet’s calendar: WACKO.
WACKO is an event in which JROTC battalions from
different schools spend a day competing in games
you would not typically find in a field day.
(Generally, each school arrives with two teams to
compete.) The most popular events include the
graveyard relay, the picnic table relay, and topple
the castle. Each event puts a different set of skills
to the test; the three teams with the best
performance receive first, second, and third place
trophies. Ultimately, the team who performs the
best overall receives the WACKO trophy, and is
declared the winner of WACKO.
Cadets from Bartlett High School, Colony
High School, Dimond High School, and Service High
School joined the Thunderbird cadets. The day was
filled with chaos, each school determined to win. All
schools showed lots of enthusiasm and excitement,
but Bartlett High School’s effort shone through the
most. Their cadets showed an immense amount of
esprit de corps and efficiency throughout the day.
In the end, they took the WACKO trophy home for
the first time. Congratulations, Golden Bears!
Special thanks to the East High Military Recruiters
who helped make this day possible.
Thunderbird Trumpet
The Raider Decathlon
Community Service
ce
The team poses at East once they return at the end of
the day.
For three weeks, a team of committed
cadets practiced, doing two to three events per
hour to prepare for one big day…the Raider
Decathlon.
The Raider Decathlon was held at
Wasilla High School. The Raider Decathlon is
an event where cadets from different JROTC
schools come and participate in ten, yes, ten
difficult events. Among the cadets who
qualified to be on the team were familiar faces
from the Thunderbird Chain of Command itself.
The Alpha Company First Sergeant, Ozzy
Sopcak led the team with the Battalion
Commander James Royals and Katherine
Barazi, the Fundraising and Resources Officer
in his ranks as highly spirited members of the
team. Although the Raider Decathlon was a
competitive event among different teams, the
bond within the Thunderbird team grew and
tightened with every practice.
Once the cadets got to Wasilla they
immediately started warming up and
stretching. Our cadets started off with the 60meter relay, this is where each cadet ran 60
meters and tried to get the best time. They
ended off with the basketball toss, where each
participating cadet tosses a basketball while
sitting down and sees who threw it the furthest.
All of the cadets performed well and fortunately
no one got hurt. This year the raider team took
home not one but three trophies for the 60meter relay, fire hose relay, and inverted crawl!
Overall the Raider Team performed very well.
Cadets participating
at a fall community
service. (See
picture)
Community service
plays a big role in JROTC, for it benefits our
community and can motivate others to help
out those who are in need. Different events for
community service are written on the board in
1SG Watts’ room with positions to help out in
such events. There are many opportunities
given out to receive volunteer hours. All cadets
are welcome to sign up in order to receive
these volunteer hours and earn their
community service ribbon. Not only do cadets
earn awards but they’re also working together
to accomplish the goal by using their
communication skills that they have
progressed.
The recent one that happened was
volunteering on helping out with the Lake Otis
Fall Carnival, where students, or even former
students of Lake Otis, attend to participate in
games and a haunted house to win candy. It
was a Thursday evening when JROTC cadets
arrived to Lake Otis Elementary to help set up
the carnival and discussed what needs had to
be filled. Once the carnival begun, people
started to crowd the school allowing the
cadets to work their magic on helping out.
Positions included maintaining enough amount
of candy for prizes, making sure everyone
understood how the games are to be played,
and keeping things functioned.
Performing these important tasks can give
great value to the cadets. It also gives cadets
the chance to use their communication skills.
All in all, JROTC likes to involve lots of tasks that
can give cadets the opportunity to show off
what they’ve got, and community service is
one of the many good ways to prove it.
1|P age
Thunderbird Trumpet
An Alumni’s Article
What can JROTC do for you? JROTC’s mission is to motivate people to become
better citizens, and as a former cadet, I can say it does accomplish that mission. In the fall
of 2013 I began my JROTC journey at East High School. I originally had no intentions in
continuing after my first semester but I was inspired by one of my fellow cadets who had
begun climbing the chain of command. After my LET one year I had earned the position of
Squad leader and decided that I had wanted to keep climbing the chain and earn a higher
rank and position.
My original plan to begin climbing the chain was to start participating in flag detail and
saber team. I had believed that doing this all would make me begin to be noticed in the
battalion as someone who was willing to work hard for a position.
My junior year had come along and I had worked my way up the chain one step
further and earned the position of Platoon Sergeant. I made it my goal to be the most
motivational platoon sergeant I could and help the battalion. I realized that I needed to
improve my drill skills and commanding skills. I decided to join the drill team, which
taught me the discipline I needed to be a good Platoon Sergeant. I really was beginning to
be noticed in the battalion when the current S5 and 1SG Watts gave me the opportunity to
be an Assistant S5. As the assistant S5 I began learning how to write articles and take
photos for the battalion.
My senior year had finally come by and I had become a Platoon Leader with two
goals in mind: Set the standard of what a good platoon is, and help the battalion as much as
I can. I began holding weekly meetings with all of my squad leaders and doing extra drill
practices when we could. I also had more than enough credits to graduate so I had some
free classes to be a Teacher Aide for JROTC. At the end of the first quarter I was notified
that because of all my hard work I would be relieved of my duties as Platoon Leader and
taking the position of S5. When I became S5 I spent most of my time in the staff room but
still found the time to participate in armed drill team, color guard, and community service
events. I had finally accomplished my goal of climbing the chain and helping the battalion.
After I had graduated, I realized that I had gained so many skills from helping the
battalion of which included an extensive knowledge of Microsoft word and how to use a
camera. I used those skills and put them on a resume and asked for references from all
three of the instructors and began the job search while in UAA. I spent some time working
for the Northern Light Newspaper at UAA as an editor. I am also now using these skills I
have learned from the Thunderbird Battalion in my new Job as a Lifetouch photographer.
When I went in for my interview, they recognized my name and the instructors name and
hired me on the spot. I learned these skills from JROTC without realizing how much it had
done for me. Let the program make you a better citizen, you won’t realize all that you have
learned until you’re ready to use it.
-Dakota Frazier
2|P age
Thunderbird Trumpet
Commanders and Staff of the Battalion
Commanders
Staff
Commanders and Staff of the Battalion
Battalion Commander (BC)
Cadet Major James Royals
Battalion Executive Officer (XO)
Cadet Major Myryll Fradeza
Battalion Command Sergeant Major (CSM)
Cadet Command Sergeant Major Gabriel Collins
Administrative Officer (S1)
Cadet Private First Class Kayla Smith
Alpha Company Commander (ACO)
Cadet Second Lieutenant Niya Vance
Security Information Officer (S2)
Cadet Second Lieutenant Audrey Davis
Alpha Company First Sergeant
Cadet First Sergeant Ozzy Sopcak
Training & Operations Officer (S3)
Cadet Captain Julian Rivera-Brown
Bravo Company Commander (BCO)
Cadet Second Lieutenant David Henningsen
Logistics & Supply Officer (S4)
Cadet First Lieutenant Allison Klebs
Bravo Company First Sergeant
Cadet First Sergeant Althea Velasco
Special Projects & Public Affairs Officer (S5)
Cadet Master Sergeant Cherish Pu’u
Webs & Presentation Designs Officer (S6)
Cadet Sergeant Dwayne Nicholls
Funding Resources Officer (S7)
Cadet Sergeant First Class Katherine Barazi
The Cadet Creed
I am an Army Junior ROTC Cadet.
I will always conduct myself to bring credit to my family, country,
school, and the Corps of Cadets.
I am loyal and patriotic. I am the future of the United States of
America.
I do not lie, cheat, or steal and will always be accountable for my
actions and deeds.
I will always practice good citizenship and patriotism.
I will work hard to strengthen my mind and my body.
I will seek the mantle of leadership and stand prepared to uphold
the Constitution and the American way of life.
May God grant me the strength to always live by this creed.
3|P age