Story by Ainsley Hall
MARTINSBURG — The Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFJROTC) unit in Berkeley County had their regular evaluation on Wednesday. Every three years one of the regional directors visits each county to inspect and evaluate the unit to make sure they are meeting all their requirements. During this event all cadets are required to be present.
Since the AFJROTC receives federal funding, they are evaluated regularly to make sure they are in compliance. Darrin Emerick has been one of the Aerospace Science Instructor with the AFJROTC in Berkeley County for nine years. Throughout that time, he has enjoyed working with teenagers and watching them grow throughout the time they are in the program. He explained how the evaluation works.
“They provide a check list, and the cadets go through, since this is a cadet led program,” Emerick said. “The evaluator then comes with their own independent checklist and makes sure we’re doing everything we are supposed to be doing.”
After organizing themselves, the AFJROTC stood as the evaluator approached each cadet. When each line was done, they were dismissed to sit on the bleachers. Then a group of first- and second-year cadets demonstrated a marching drill at the end. Unit leader and high school student Wyatt Rexrode shared how they started preparing for the evaluation a year earlier. They counted the inventory and made sure everything was in line.
Rexrode first learned about AFJROTC when he was in eighth grade when his middle school had an assembly. He was hooked and knew he wanted to join. He believes it was one of the best decisions he ever made. Since then, Rexrode became the unit leader and has worked hard with the other cadets.
“I enjoy helping other people,” Rexrode said. “It’s one of the driving factors in my life. Looking around the room, I think it’s amazing that we can improve these kids’ lives and teach them all about service before self.”
When it comes to community service, the Berkeley County AFJROTC unit is in the top 5% in the world. Among all the cadets they have 7,000 hours of community service. AFJROTC is just about preparing students to join the military but encourages them to become citizens of character and helps them become the best they can be.