Beavercreek High School Air Force JROTC

The 2024-2025 school year is officially underway. The Booster Club hosted our second annual cookout for 130+ cadets and their families. The afternoon was full of food, fun, and laughter for everyone!

The event gives parents an opportunity to meet Major and Sarge, learn about the program, and volunteer to support the Booster Club. Cadets and parents were able to ask questions about the numerous clubs and teams that we offer and were challenged to get involved and “not do JROTC sitting down!”

A special thanks goes out to Beavercreek Parks and Recreation for allowing us to use Rotary Park as our venue.

It’s that time of year again! What better way to start the new school year than to join us for an afternoon of grilled grub and outdoor fun! This Saturday, August 24, from 11am-2pm, we are hosting our Annual Cookout at Rotary Park. Both cadets and family are encouraged to join! This event is an excellent opportunity for parents to learn about the program and for cadets to get to know each other! Stay as long or as little as your schedule permits. Don’t forget to sign up to ensure your spot!

Beavercreek Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet Caleb Kjar and Cadet Wesley Stephen enjoyed their last day of summer vacation! These two outstanding cadets were each able to successfully solo an airplane! Both cadets were awarded Daedalians Flight 9 Flight Scholarships valued at $5,000. These great scholarships included ground school and flight hours up to solo! Super proud of Caleb and Wesley for the hard work they put in this summer.

How was your summer you ask? Well, two of our Beavercreek Air Force Junior cadets were busy learning to become pilots after being awarded the coveted AFJROTC Flight Academy Scholarships valued at $30,000 each. Cadet Max Madrid attended Bowling Green State University here in Ohio and Cadet Shepherd Simpson attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona with both earning their FAA Private Pilot Certificates! Congratulations to both! We are so proud of you!

Congrats to our Academic Team for finishing #7 of 676 (top 2%) Air Force teams during the Junior 2024 Junior ROTC Academic Bowl! The contest is designed to prepare students for state exit/graduation exams as well as the SAT and ACT. Our team earned a spot in the national finals by finishing among the top 16 schools overall. The team consisted of Shepherd Simpson (unable to attend as he’s pursuing his private pilot license via the Flight Academy), Arianna Ramdatt who did an outstanding job as Team Captain in Shep’s absence, Joel Basanes, Caleb Kjar, and Jaden Stewart.

Learning took place beyond the classroom as the students had an opportunity to experience our nation’s history with visits to the National Mall that included stops at the Smithsonian, Air & Space, National Archives, African American History and Culture Museums, and the Lincoln and World War II Memorials.

Finally, the cadets had the opportunity to meet with senior leadership from Headquarters Junior ROTC and share their experiences in the program.

We were recently notified that our program earned the Distinguished Unit Award for the 2023-2024 school year! This a huge accomplishment for our cadets and well-deserved recognition for all of their hard work. Throughout the year, our cadets participated in 24 service events providing over 2,400 volunteer hours to the local community. Further, our cadets continue to embrace the Air Force’s Core Value of Excellence in All We Do by accumulating over 7,600 Leadership Development Requirement Hours and earning recognition at the national and state levels for our Academic, Drill and Raider Fitness teams.

Last but not least, we want to congratulate our graduating seniors for earning over one million dollars in scholarship opportunities and wish them well as they head off into the next chapter of their lives!

Some highlights from Rafi’s Amigos! From our cadets, a BIG THANK YOU to Mr. Rafi Rodriguez for all your efforts and support of the Greene County Air Force Junior ROTCs!

Highlights of 7th Annual Rafi's Amigos Golf Outing The 7th Annual Rafi's Amigos Golf Outing was held on Friday, May 31st, 2024 at the Beavercreek Golf Club. Presenting Sponsor: White Allen Auto GroupThis high...

Beavercreek AFJROTC Cadets partnered with Fairborn High School AFJROTC and Bellbrook High School AFJROTC Cadets to support the 7th Annual Rafi's Amigos Golf Outing at Beavercreek Golf Club. The golf outing raises money to provide Greene County AFJROTC Cadets scholarship opportunities to participate in Air Camp. Special thanks to Rafi Rodriguez, Rodriguez Financial Strategies LLC, for working so hard to organize this event and all of Rafi's Amigos for participating. Additionally, we would like to thank Garsan Solutions, Beavercreek Pizza Dive, City Barbeque, McAlister’s Deli, and many more for contributing to such a wonderful cause!

Thanks to the City of Beavercreek for allowing us to present the Colors during the recent Memorial Day Ceremony. Our Cadets along with members of VFW Post 8312 and the Boy Scouts were grateful for the opportunity to honor the service men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

It was great to see so many community members and civic organizations on hand to take part in the ceremony. The Beavercreek community always does an outstanding job of celebrating its military heritage and recognizing its Veterans.

Congratulations are in order for Cadet Henry Taylor. A proud member of our Beavercreek High School Air Force Junior ROTC, Henry has earned and been awarded the Lewis A. Jackson Aviation Scholarship. An active member in our Aviation Pathway Program, Cadet Taylor is part of our Aircraft Simulator Club, Aircraft Modeling Club, and Model Rocketry Club. This $1,500 scholarship will help Henry toward earning a Private Pilot Certificate. Congratulations Henry!

Our Beavercreek High School AFJROTC Cadets were proud to Present The Colors at this year’s Beavercreek High School Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, 18 May. Our Beavercreek AFJROTC Honor Guard was led by our unit’s Operations Commander Cadet Logan Koester. Joining him in the 5-person detail included OH-20182 Group Commander Cadet Victoria Contreras, Deputy Group Commander Cadet Isabella Soliz, Logistics Commander Cadet Isabelle Cline, and Raider Team Commander Cadet Keaton Prins. Great job cadets and best wishes to all graduating seniors!

Our Beavercreek Air Force Junior ROTC Honor Guard had the privilege to Present The Colors at the Dayton Dragons game last week. Not only that, the Beavercreek High School Choir was amazing singing a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. What a great way to finish off another excellent school year!

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” — Tony Robbins

Led by Team Commanders Ricky Contreras, Anna Redenbaugh, and Isaiah Segovia, the Bombers Drill Team won back-to-back State Championships after winning first place in 4 of 5 local drill meets.

We were crowned Air Force Nationals Champions in both the Armed and Unarmed Division. We won in impressive fashion earning a first-place finish in 7 of 8 events.

We also competed in the National High School Drill Team Championships and placed in the top third overall during the all-service competition.

Finally, we appreciate our senior’s dedication and leadership throughout the season.
We couldn’t have done it without them. Best of luck in your future endeavors!

Planes, trains, and automobiles were the modes of transportation as the Drill Team wrapped up an action-packed trip to compete in the National High School Drill Team held in Daytona Beach, Florida. The competition is the oldest, largest and finest drill & ceremony competition for JROTC Cadets. This year’s event featured the “best of the best” teams in three separate divisions from all over the country and as far away as Hawaii!

The Bombers represented Ohio well as they faced intense scrutiny from trained Drill Instructors, Military Training Instructors, and Drill Team Alumni Riley Gingrich and Tristen Masse. 😊 The Armed Team finished #6 of 21 overall earning a 2nd place finish in the Color Guard event. The Unarmed Team finished #7 of 24 teams overall and earned a 1st place finish in the Inspection event. The top third results by both teams exceeded our expectations as first-time participants.

After practicing on the beach in the hot sun, the team wrapped up the trip with a visit to Universal Studios Amusement Park to celebrate their hard work!

What a fun-filled Saturday! Our outstanding Beavercreek AFJROTC cadets kicked the weekend off this morning with a “Patriot Flag Run” down North Fairfield Road! We started at Chili’s but where did we run you ask? Why straight to Dunkin’ for our last Sippin’ with Sarge of the school year! A cup of coffee, a donut, and Sarge always makes for a good time! We then joined forces with the Greene Optimists Club to prepare over 600 American flags for this year’s Avenue of Flags program! The Greene Optimists also presented our very own Cadet Ricky Contreras with a $2,000 scholarship check for his over 250 hours of selfless service and volunteerism to our local Beavercreek community! What a great day!

Beavercreek Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet Logan McKinney and Cadet Morgan Touchette have been selected to attend Air Camp at the University of Dayton June 18-21, 2024. This $750 scholarship funded through Rodriguez Financial LLC provides students with a variety of opportunities to learn about aviation and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in aeronautics.

Beavercreek Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet Caleb Kjar and Cadet Wesley Stephen were each recently awarded Daedalians Flight 9 Flight Scholarships valued at $5,000. These great scholarships include ground school and flight hours up to soloing an aircraft this summer! Super proud of these outstanding cadets and the hard work they’re putting in to become their best selves.

Our Beavercreek AFJROTC cadets had the opportunity to present The Colors at last night’s Varsity Boys LaCrosse game versus Oakwood. It’s an honor and a privilege to represent those who’ve served our great nation.

We are pleased to announce that five of our Beavercreek AFJROTC cadets have been selected to attend the 2024 American Legion Buckeye Boys State program June 9-16, 2024 at the Miami University of Ohio. Cadets Lucas Campbell, Jacob Radford, Yunus Ghalib, Zachary Galpin, and Keaton Prins will be joining a thousand other junior boys from around the state! Established in 1936, Buckeye Boys State is an 8-day hands-on experience in the operation of the democratic form of government using a non-partisan objective education approach. Congratulations cadets!

Beavercreek AFJROTC 3rd year cadets Grace Bryan and Isabelle Cline have been selected to attend the 2024 Buckeye Girls State from June 9-15, 2024 at Bowling Green State University! Sponsored by the Beavercreek American Legion Post 763 Auxiliary, Buckeye Girls State is a week-long program designed to educate Ohio’s young women in the duties, privileges, rights, and responsibilities of good citizenship. Grace and Isabelle will join hundreds of other girls from around Ohio in a hands-on learning experience of city, county, and state government.

Interested in developing citizens of character? We're hiring! Some recent changes in legislation are providing more opportunities for Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, DAF retirees, and some United States Air Force/United States Space Force veterans to get into the classroom.

Grounded in service core values, AFJROTC is taught at over 830 high schools worldwide with more than 85,000 students enrolled.

AFJROTC instructors are the leading edge of creating citizens and leaders of character, inspiring America’s youth through integrity, service, and excellence and providing students with opportunities to serve their communities and the nation.

Our Beavercreek AFJROTC cadets joined Stebbins High School AFJROTC today for the Bataan Death March Memorial Hike. Our 14-mile hike around Caesar Creek was designed to honor the 76,000 Filipino and American POWs forced to march 65 miles by the Japanese through the Philippines during World War II. The POWs were forced to march through brutal conditions and treatment without adequate provisions and medical care. The Bataan Death March leaves a devastating legacy serving as a reminder for our cadets and all of us of the sacrifice our military members have made in the defense of freedom. Special thanks to the Air and Space Forces Association and parents for providing snacks for today’s event.

We are pleased to announce that Beavercreek High School AFJROTC cadets Maximus Madrid and Shepherd Simpson have been awarded the coveted AFJROTC Flight Academy Scholarship! Valued at $30,000 each, this competitive scholarship covers transportation, room and board, academics, and flight hours required to potentially earn their Private Pilot Certificate. Cadet Madrid will be attending Bowling Green State University, OH while Cadet Simpson will be off to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ! Congratulations Max and Shep!

What a day! Started off with the Sippin’ with Sarge Coffee Club before school and then we took 30 of our cadets to WPAFB for a flight on the C-17 Globemaster! We then wrapped up the day with a little bowling at the Kittyhawk Lanes! A big thank you to the Airmen of the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 88th Operations Group, and the 711th Human Performance Wing for including us in your training! But most of all, SPECIAL THANKS to Cadet Colonel Ricky Contreras for setting this up! It’s a lifetime memory for our cadets and one that won’t be forgotten! Ricky, we already have you scheduled for the next one!

What to do on such a beautiful day? I know! Let’s go flying! Our very own Cadet Max Madrid did just that this afternoon all by HIMSELF! That’s right, Max soloed today at the Greene County Airport! Congratulations!

Congratulations—The Bombers Drill Team Crowned Air Force JROTC National Champions! Teams from across the nation and as far away as Germany gathered at the Nutter Center to compete during the 2024 Air Force Junior ROTC Drill Nationals. It’s a first-class event that allows cadets to showcase their skills against other programs.

The B-1 Bombers repeated as Armed Division Champions as they swept the first-place spot in all four categories.
Color Guard #1 of 18
Exhibition #1 of 11
Inspection #1 of 14
Regulation Drill #1 of 15

The B-2 Bombers had an equally impressive showing in the Unarmed Division by placing first in three of four categories.
Color Guard #1 of 20
Exhibition #3 of 12
Inspection #1 of 17
Regulation Drill #1 of 19

AFJROTC’s mission is to “develop citizens of character.” Drill is one of the many co-curricular activities that help grow our students outside the classroom. It emphasizes integrity, discipline, work ethic and grit to help prepare them for life after high school. Our students have truly embraced the mission and have bright futures ahead of them!

Never a dull moment in the Beavercreek High School Air Force Junior ROTC! Cadets Friedmann, Gent, Eng, and Jaramillo competed in the Miami Valley Orienteering Club Junior Championship Meet today finishing the Orange Course in just 1 hour and 15 minutes! Excellent work gentlemen!

Ahh … nothing better than the fresh smell of coffee in the morning! A little coffee house music, donuts, and even a game of Uno made for another great Sippin’ with Sarge! Love the comaraderie amongst our cadets! Doesn’t get much better than that!

Teaching teachers? That’s just what our cadets did today after school! Ten teachers from BHS and Ferguson Hall were taught to fly the new AFJROTC simulators! Cadets Ricky Contreras, Shepherd Simpson, and Caleb Kjar did a great job! We’ve been informed the cadets will be sending out some progress reports though to teacher’s parents who crashed! Oh how the tables have turned …