CRUSADER BATTALION JROTC NEWLETTER - Saint Louis School
CRUSADER BATTALION JROTC NEWLETTER - Saint Louis School
CRUSADER BATTALION JROTC NEWLETTER - Saint Louis School
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<strong>CRUSADER</strong> <strong>BATTALION</strong> NEWSLETTER<br />
SPRING 2010 EDITION<br />
THE <strong>BATTALION</strong> SALUTES OUR GRADUATING SENIORS<br />
MAHALO FOR SERVING IN THE <strong>BATTALION</strong>!<br />
Dee Fernan L. Soliman<br />
Battalion Commander<br />
“…<strong>JROTC</strong> developed me into a leader of morals…”<br />
Alfred Prado, III<br />
Battalion Executive Officer<br />
“…Life is a succession of moments, to live each one is<br />
to succeed…”<br />
Landon Honeychurch<br />
Alpha Company Commander<br />
Ranger Commander<br />
“…Be useful not useless…”<br />
Trey Donohue<br />
Delta Company Commander<br />
“…I’m glad that I took <strong>JROTC</strong> seriously. I developed<br />
as a leader and as a whole person...”
SAINT LOUIS LEADERSHIP CAMP 2010<br />
Written by C/1LT Gabriel Balais,<br />
C/SFC Eric Agluba, C/SFC Chris<br />
Angle, and C/SSGT Trevor Cooper.<br />
RSP soldiers during the PT (physical<br />
training) phase of the day<br />
Group picture of our cadets at Bellows<br />
National Guard Training Facility<br />
Twenty two cadets from the <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong><br />
<strong>JROTC</strong> Program completed their first<br />
phase of the Basic Cadet Leadership<br />
Challenge (BCLC). For the second<br />
consecutive year we had the privilege of<br />
training at the Hawaii Army National<br />
Guard (HIARNG) training facility at<br />
Bellows Air Force Base in Waimanalo.<br />
SFC Henry Pilanca Jr., SLS Class of ’90<br />
coordinated the weekend training with<br />
the HIARNG. Within these two days, we<br />
had classroom instruction, night classes,<br />
and hands on activities. There were four<br />
events we would like to highlight.<br />
Have you ever been in a recruit’s shoes<br />
before? Have you ever stood in<br />
formation with a group of recruits and<br />
soldiers? Soldiers always start off their<br />
training day by doing Physical Training<br />
(PT). The first event we would like to<br />
highlight is having the opportunity to<br />
stand in a formation and do PT with the<br />
Recruit Sustain Program (RSP) soldiers<br />
and be led by a HIARNG Drill Sergeant.<br />
Under the command of a Drill Sergeant,<br />
we did various exercises to get our<br />
cardio going and our muscles working.<br />
The Drill Sergeant also taught us how to<br />
reply to every movement we make, such<br />
as “snap” when we got into the position<br />
of attention, and “freeze” to get into the<br />
position of at-ease. This gave us a sense<br />
of what it is like to be in a formation<br />
with a group of soldiers and how they<br />
conduct themselves.<br />
“As a recruit, I never knew what <strong>JROTC</strong> could offer me. Looking back, I am glad that I<br />
decided to go forward with the recruitment. From a follower with simple ideals, <strong>JROTC</strong><br />
developed me into a leader of moral. I am full of confidence and will never settle for<br />
something less than what I perceive as perfection. I will be proud to be called a graduate and<br />
alumnus of <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong>. I am proud to have led the Crusader Battalion through the<br />
2009 -2010 school year and our latest 210 Cadet Formal Inspection. May we never lose the<br />
yellow star that is the legacy of the leadership before us.”<br />
~Dee Fernan Lazo Soliman, Class of 2010
SAINT LOUIS LEADERSHIP CAMP 2010<br />
Shown above is an IGS (Inter-active Gaming<br />
System) rifle and assault vest.<br />
The second event we would like to<br />
highlight was having the opportunity to<br />
use the Inter-Active Gaming System<br />
(IGS). The most highly recognized cadet<br />
who showed his true leadership potential<br />
through the IGS training was C/SGT<br />
Joshua Soon, who used his effective<br />
communication skills to lead his team<br />
and accomplish the mission: taking out<br />
the Opposing Force (OPFOR) operative,<br />
SFC Henry Pilanca. It placed the cadets<br />
into a virtual game and gave the feeling<br />
of actually being there in person. Think<br />
of IGS as the game, Call of Duty, but it<br />
is actually a simulation of what leading a<br />
team is like. This is where our leadership<br />
came out. Through commands, they<br />
placed themselves effectively and<br />
strategically to flank SFC Pilanca during<br />
the IGS training.<br />
C/SGT Joshua Soon successfully swings on<br />
top the elevated log on the obstacle course.<br />
The third event we would like to<br />
highlight was the opportunity of being<br />
the first group to use the newly-built<br />
HIARNG obstacle course. During this<br />
event, cadets Michael Camacho and Kurt<br />
Vegas worked as a team to take first<br />
place. Not only did they have the best<br />
time, but they were able to motivate and<br />
push each other to move with a purpose<br />
and finish the obstacle course.<br />
The purpose of the obstacle course was<br />
to test our physical abilities, limits, and<br />
our leadership. As much of a<br />
competition it was, each cadet had the<br />
opportunity to physically work together<br />
in teams and encourage and motivate<br />
other cadets to persevere and finish.<br />
“<strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> has given me the tools and the knowledge to succeed. The brotherhood here is<br />
unique to our school and has given me the support I need to strive for my dreams. The<br />
<strong>JROTC</strong> program has developed me into a well-disciplined leader, ready to go out into the<br />
world and make a difference.”<br />
~Alfred Prado, III, Class of 2010
SAINT LOUIS LEADERSHIP CAMP 2010<br />
SSG Aitaro teaches the <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> Cadets a<br />
class about IV injection.<br />
The last event we would like to highlight<br />
was listening to “words of wisdom” and<br />
life stories from our guest speakers who<br />
were subject matter experts (SME).<br />
SFC Pilanca asked three RSP HIARNG<br />
soldiers, who were alumnus of <strong>Saint</strong><br />
<strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong>, to talk to us about their<br />
experiences. Each of them shared their<br />
own life stories on why they joined the<br />
HIARNG and how <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
has prepared them for life. The three<br />
RSP soldiers, just like COL Nomura told<br />
us, “to take school and education<br />
seriously.” At the end of their talk, we<br />
sang the Alma Mater with our fellow<br />
<strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> brothers that are serving our<br />
country; this reflected an act of <strong>Saint</strong><br />
<strong>Louis</strong> Brotherhood and what they have<br />
learned from <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong>. In<br />
appreciation for their life stories, each<br />
cadet lined up one-by-one to shake our<br />
fellow brother’s hands and thanked them<br />
for their service and time.<br />
SSG Aitaro shows the <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> cadets<br />
how to stick SFC Pilanca with IV.<br />
Later that night, we had SSG Aitaro, a<br />
U.S. Army Medic and father of C/SGT<br />
Nalu Aitaro, conduct a class on<br />
evaluating a casualty and how to treat<br />
wounds. Through this class, we learned<br />
life saving skills that could potentially<br />
prevent a fatality.<br />
To the cadets, the Basic Cadet<br />
Leadership Course was a good and<br />
memorable experience. Each cadet had a<br />
sense of what it means to train like a<br />
soldier and to know what a RSP soldier<br />
is expected to know before they depart<br />
for basic training.<br />
Mahalo to SFC Henry Pilanca and his<br />
HIARNG team, whom without the<br />
Leadership Camp wouldn’t have been<br />
possible.<br />
“The past four years really did fly by and I am proud of every single moment. I still<br />
remember sitting in First Sergeant’s class as a freshman and wondering what <strong>JROTC</strong> was all<br />
about. <strong>JROTC</strong> doesn’t teach us about war or how to fight; it teaches us to be leaders. As<br />
<strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> Gentlemen we should all learn to be leaders. A leader is someone who is willing<br />
to be unique and different, instead of doing what is popular, a leader does what is right, and<br />
<strong>JROTC</strong> helps develop that quality within you. My four years in <strong>JROTC</strong> has helped me with<br />
my future plans and has opened my eyes to the opportunities in the military; thus, it is the<br />
reason to attend the New Mexico Military Institution (NMMI) upon graduation. As a parting<br />
message to the underclassmen; take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.<br />
Keep high school fun and do whatever interests you because high school may be the only<br />
time you will have a chance to do it.”<br />
~Trey Donohue, Class of 2010
SAINT LOUIS PARADE AND DRILL TEAM 2010<br />
GOVERNORS PARADE<br />
On Thursday, 1 April 2010, thirty of the<br />
best <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> cadet marchers,<br />
commanded by Cadet Lieutenant<br />
Colonel Dee Soliman, participated in<br />
this year’s Governor’s Parade held at<br />
Fort Shafter. Prior to the parade, our<br />
cadets had spent long hours after school<br />
rehearsing for the event. During the<br />
course of the parade, there was an<br />
inspection conducted by Lieutenant<br />
Governor Duke Aiona, who was<br />
escorted on an Army Humvee. Once the<br />
inspection was done, the Cadet<br />
Commander of Troops, gave the mass<br />
order of right face. From there, the<br />
parade began moving along. Our cadets<br />
marched with over 23 other battalions in<br />
front of honorees and special guests to<br />
be presented in front of. After the<br />
parade, there was an awards assembly<br />
for all of the distinguished commanders<br />
of each school. It gave our cadets the<br />
opportunity to see other <strong>JROTC</strong><br />
Battalions participating in this mass<br />
parade. Through it all, our cadets were<br />
able to show our <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> Pride in<br />
front of everyone.<br />
KINGS GUARD<br />
COMPETITION<br />
Chris Ugale SLS ‘08, Gabriel Balais, BumJin<br />
Lee, Chris Angle, Camden Tokunaga, and<br />
Creighton Higa.<br />
On Saturday, 17 April 2010, four<br />
members of our color guard detachment<br />
competed in the 2010 King’s Guard<br />
Competition held at Kalaeloa, Kapolei.<br />
Cadets from all over the State of Hawaii<br />
trained year long for this last<br />
competition of the year. Through the<br />
instruction of Chris Ugale <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong><br />
Class of ’08, our Color Guard<br />
Detachment, which included C/SGT<br />
Bum Jin Lee, C/CPT Gabriel Balais, and<br />
Color Guard Commander C/CPT<br />
Camden Tokunaga, took second place in<br />
the Kings Guard Color Guard<br />
Competition.<br />
CONGRADULATIONS TO OUR<br />
SAINT LOUIS COLOR GUARD!<br />
Cadet Captain’s Trey Donohue and<br />
London Honeychurch leads the Battalion<br />
at this year’s Governor’s Parade
WAIANAE ADVENTURE CHALLENGE 2010<br />
Members of the Ranger Platoon at WAC:<br />
Jordan Barlan, Chris Angle, Landan<br />
Honeychurch, Trevor Cooper, Jonah Seui, and<br />
Eric Agluba.<br />
On the weekend of 23 April to 25 April,<br />
the ranger team participated in the 2010<br />
Waianae Adventure Challenge (WAC).<br />
The Waianae competition is always<br />
considered “The Super Bowl” of all<br />
ranger challenges. This is because all of<br />
the <strong>JROTC</strong> programs across the state of<br />
Hawaii all converge to one location, the<br />
city of Waianae. <strong>School</strong>s as far as Hilo,<br />
Kauai, and Baldwin came, in order to<br />
compete. Members from the Youth<br />
Challenge Academy also competed. For<br />
two days, four of the best <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong><br />
Rangers were sent to compete in this<br />
year’s competition. Under the command<br />
of the Ranger Commander, Cadet<br />
Landon Honeychurch, a team was<br />
formed through the previous challenge<br />
held at <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong>, the <strong>Saint</strong><br />
<strong>Louis</strong> Ultimate Challenge. The cadets<br />
under his command were Cadet Staff<br />
Sergeant Trevor Cooper, Cadet Sergeant<br />
First Class Chris Angle, and Cadet<br />
Sergeant Jonah Seui. The events at<br />
Waianae were held on a two day phase:<br />
the water challenge and the land<br />
challenge.<br />
First mass formation at WAC<br />
On day one, about 0845hrs, cadets from<br />
all over the state of Hawaii formed a<br />
mass formation, which then began the<br />
opening ceremony for the Waianae<br />
Challenge. Once the opening ceremony<br />
was concluded, our cadets faced several<br />
obstacle courses. The first station was<br />
the water crossing. Here, the cadets had<br />
to cross a canal while traveling through a<br />
running stream of water. Upon<br />
completion, our cadets ran about 0.75<br />
miles across the shoreline to the next<br />
station, the water challenge. Here our<br />
cadets had to swim around a jetty,<br />
roughly 50 yards long. From there,<br />
cadets had to paddle board around a<br />
buoy and back to shore, where they had<br />
to jump into a canoe and paddle about<br />
250 yards, which upon completion,<br />
ended that station. The third station was<br />
the rope bridge, where cadets had to<br />
construct a single line bridge over a<br />
running stream of water with the fastest<br />
time and the least penalties. The last<br />
event of the day was the Physical Fitness<br />
Test, which consisted of Push Ups, Sit<br />
Ups, 200 yard dash, and standing long<br />
jump.
WAIANAE ADVENTURE CHALLENGE 2010<br />
When the day came to an end, our team<br />
was able to enjoy the beach and take<br />
some time for rest and relaxation. At<br />
about 1630hrs, the Challenge took a<br />
little twist, and inserted the Tug-o-War<br />
competition which was held on the<br />
beach head. The Tug-o-war challenge<br />
allowed cadets to test their upper-body<br />
strengths against other schools. In the<br />
end, the Leilehua Battalion took first<br />
place in both the male and female<br />
categories.<br />
The 250 meter dash in the Physical Fitness Test<br />
The tug of war challenge at Waianae Beach.<br />
On day two, cadets departed the rest<br />
camp and moved more inland towards<br />
the mountains. From there, cadets<br />
participated in the last two events, the<br />
obstacle course and the 1.8 mile<br />
mountain run and rappel up the<br />
mountains in Waianae.<br />
Through it all, our cadets persevered,<br />
and received 2 nd place for the mountain<br />
run/rappel and 3 rd place for the obstacle<br />
course in the male division.<br />
Cadets paddled to a set buoy and back to shore<br />
in the paddling event<br />
Trevor Cooper commando crawls across the<br />
rope bridge in the obstacle course challenge.<br />
“Throughout my time here at <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong>, I have obtained many traits and skills which I will use<br />
throughout my life. <strong>JROTC</strong> has helped me tremendously through high school. Fortunately, <strong>Saint</strong><br />
<strong>Louis</strong> has the best Battalion in the state, making my knowledge, skills and mentality among the<br />
best as well. Within the <strong>JROTC</strong> program, there is an elite group of individuals known as Rangers.<br />
Their courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care for equipment shall set the example<br />
for others to follow. As the commander of the 2010 Rangers, I have displayed to the best of my<br />
ability leadership and efforts to conduct the team as cohesively as possible. In return, I have been<br />
given the heightened sense of pride and leadership from those I lead. I am proud to say that I am a<br />
product of not only <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Louis</strong> <strong>School</strong>, but also the product of <strong>JROTC</strong>.”<br />
~Landon Honeychurch, Class of 2010
BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM!<br />
JOIN A <strong>JROTC</strong> SPECIAL<br />
TEAM TODAY!<br />
Be part of one of the following special teams<br />
to take the <strong>JROTC</strong> experience to the next<br />
level:<br />
Rifle Team<br />
• Train to concentrate your mental<br />
abilities and discipline.<br />
• Shoot sporter rifles, precision rifles,<br />
and .22 rifles.<br />
• Earn the privilege to wear the gold<br />
rifle team cord and a chance to earn<br />
rifle team exclusive awards.<br />
• Rangers<br />
• Rifle Team<br />
• Color Guard • Compete against other schools in<br />
• Drill Team<br />
the ILH<br />
Rangers • Prerequisites: Learn the Citizens<br />
Marksman Training and Safety and<br />
maintain 2.0 GPA minimum.<br />
• Learn advanced skills such as rope<br />
bridging, rappelling, land<br />
navigation, physical fitness and how<br />
to construct poncho rafts.<br />
• Develop your leadership skills as<br />
you lead your squad to completing<br />
the objective.<br />
• Earn the privilege to wear the black<br />
ranger cord, the gray beret, a<br />
chance to earn ranger-exclusive<br />
awards and the ranger tab<br />
• Test your leadership abilities as you<br />
and your team navigate through<br />
obstacles to reach your next<br />
objective.<br />
• Benefits include your own standard<br />
issue Army combat uniform,<br />
camping gear, a <strong>JROTC</strong> locker in<br />
the Battalion, and access into the<br />
armory for training.<br />
• Camp at locations such as the East<br />
Range (Wahiawa), Schofield<br />
Barracks, and Waianae.<br />
• Compete against other schools<br />
throughout the state in physical<br />
challenges.<br />
• Prerequisites: Memorize the Ranger<br />
Creed, 65 push-ups in 2 minutes, 68<br />
sit-ups in 2 minutes, 10 pull ups, 5<br />
mile ruck-sack run in one hour and<br />
fifteen minutes or less, mile run in 7<br />
minutes and 15 seconds or less, and<br />
pass the ranger knots test (correctly<br />
tie all 12 knots to pass).<br />
Color Guard<br />
• Represent our school colors by<br />
performing at mass and special<br />
events.<br />
• Compete against other Color Guard<br />
Detachments throughout the Pacific.<br />
• Earn the privilege to wear the blue<br />
beret, color guard tab, chance to<br />
gain color guard-exclusive and the<br />
white color guard cord.<br />
• Prerequisites: Must be highly<br />
dedicated and attend all color guard<br />
practices.<br />
Drill Team<br />
• Compete against other schools<br />
through exhibitions and<br />
competitions<br />
• Learn how to do a series of<br />
movements and skills with a rifle<br />
• Earn the privilege to wear the drill<br />
team tab and the red drill team<br />
cord.<br />
• Prerequisites: Be coordinated to<br />
handle and understand the<br />
concepts/theory that makes the Rifle<br />
movement what they are.<br />
Any questions? Please see 1SG Akuna or<br />
the commander for each respective special<br />
team for more information.<br />
TAKE <strong>JROTC</strong> TO THE<br />
NEXT LEVEL OF<br />
LEADERSHIP!