The world in 1967 was very different from the one we know today.
An unpopular war in Vietnam that drafted men to fight was turning a younger generation of Americans against military service. A young Navy Lieutenant named John McCain was shot down in a mission over Vietnam and started his long capture and torture as a Prisoner of War.
The social culture of America was shifting, too. Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African-American on the U.S. Supreme Court. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message of nonviolent protest gained ground promoting equality and peace. Earlier in the year, a new annual tradition started as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35 to 10 in Super Bowl I.
On October 27, thousands of people marched in a protest against the Vietnam war at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. On that same day here in the Port of New Orleans, on the flight deck of the USS Lexington, the Chief of Naval Operations commissioned the St. Aloysius High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, (NJROTC).
The program survived the test of time, national upheaval and the merger of two schools to form Brother Martin High School. This school year, the NJROTC turned 50 years old and previous members were recognized during the Brother Martin Homecoming celebrations last month.
In 1967, the program was designed to teach self-discipline and patriotism to students through the examples of senior military members. The Navy funded and supported the program. At the time, every student was a member of the St. Aloysius NJROTC.
The program would change two years later after the merger of St. Aloysius and Cor Jesu, but despite the uncertainty, it was destined to grow and shape the formation of the newly-formed Brother Martin. Today, it holds the honor of being one of the oldest units since NJROTC was established by Congress in 1964.
“The NJROTC plays a very important role in the mission of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart,” said Naval Science Instructor, retired Chief Petty Officer Terry Necaise. “From the very first day I stepped on this campus I felt as if I belonged here and over the years I have had the pleasure of getting to mentor to some of today’s military leaders as well as community leaders. In my 22 years the unit hasn’t changed much. I guess the biggest change was when we changed over from the “Salt and Pepper” uniforms to the new “Navy Service Uniform” in the 2010 school year.”
Major Amick, Commander Nolan, Gerald Buchert ’68 SA,William Madary ’68 CJ, and Chief Necaise at Homecoming game.
The unit celebrated the 50th year by kicking off a performance by the armed drill team at the pregame show. Eleven Cadets performed part of the exhibition routine, throwing rifles and amazing the crowd at the precision and hard work exemplifying the program. At the beginning of the game, the Color Guard marched on the Colors to present at the playing of the National Anthem by the Crusader Marching Band. Current and former instructors had the privilege of walking to the field with members of the class of 1968 who were members of both the football team and the NJROTC program. The honorary captain, Cadet Commander Gerald Buchert ’68 SA, tossed the special 50 year anniversary Brother Martin NJROTC coin. After an exciting victory over Holy Cross, the NJROTC reunion met at Lakeview Harbor to share memories and browse the historical photo albums from those first few years.
The unit at Brother Martin went through significant changes over the years. When they were commissioned in 1967 aboard the USS Lexington in New Orleans, membership was mandatory for all students at the high school. They wore what is known as the salt and pepper uniform, a white NJROTC shirt with black pants. Today, the uniform may have changed, but the goals remain the same.
One of those students was Buchert, who at the time was a 1968 alumni at St. Aloysius.
“NJROTC taught me a lot in my life. The values, and really reinforced what my parents taught me,” said Buchert, who was at the Homecoming game and was part of the coin toss. “Today, what I see, is that the kids have changed a lot, but the program has not. And it’s nice that it’s still here.”
Cadets in 1970
The NJROTC is an all volunteer, co-curricular program that develops leadership and citizenship in high school students through the example of military leaders. They study military history, government, the role of the military in society and how their academic studies apply to real life in the nautical sciences.
That aspect helped Corey Winters ’06, who participated in NJROTC only to find himself commissioned in 2010 to the Marine Corps’ 18th Battalion.
“Growing up I thought I was going to be a radiologist,” said Winters who was at the Homecoming game. “Instead, I joined the Marines. But it was NJROTC that taught me to have focus, and to learn to be a part of something greater than myself.”
The Brother Martin unit continues to be in the top 30 percent of schools nationwide. For the past three years, a Junior Cadet won the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement given to only 22 Cadets nationwide out of Cadets from almost 600 schools. The Brother Martin NJROTC program won top honors of Naval Honor Unit, Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors and Bravo Zulu for more than 30 years.
But the real development of students is through practical applications, leadership positions, activities and community service. They learn drills, challenge other teams in cyber competitions, travel to visit important military and museum sites and compete in drill, academic, athletic and air rifle competitions. They present the Colors are football games, reenactments and community events.
Cadets at WWII Museum during the summer of 2017.
Perhaps the most important part of NJROTC membership is the work the Cadets do as volunteers in the community.
This summer, they volunteered over 400 hours at various organizations including charity events, Second Harvest food bank and presentation of the Colors for military veterans at the World War II museum.
One of the longest-serving instructors of Brother Martin’s unit is retired Marine Corps Major Les Amick. Tall, lean and still wearing his hair military-short, Amick speaks of values like tradition, moral compass, loyalty.
“This unit has changed but not so much,” said Amick, who in all served Brother Martin for 24 years. “They have done a good job of maintaining the standards and we see good, hard-working, courteous kids. I see this program as having a huge impact on the maturity of these young men to have value, respect tradition and value others. That’s plenty.”
One of Major Amick’s students followed in his footsteps. “It is such an honor to be back here as the Senior Naval Science Instructor,” said retired Navy Commander Bruce Nolan ’90. “As a student at Brother Martin, I learned the value of citizenship from both the school and the NJROTC. The two complement each other and I really found my calling. The instructors and the school made a huge impression on me and helped to shape my view of my place in the world.”
— Submitted by Brother Martin student Cadet Keelan Didier, Class of 2019
Chief Necaise, David Trepagnier ’14 , and Major Amick at the 2014 Change of Command Ceremony.
