This past Saturday, Gulf Breeze Airforce JROTC took the long trip up to Melbourne, Florida for a drill competition. All the drill teams consisting of the color guard, armed, and unarmed teams. Within these teams there are the armed and unarmed regulation and exhibition. These teams competed and out of 17 competing schools, Gulf Breeze placed three separate times with the armed exhibition platoon and squad achieving 1st place, and armed exhibition tandem achieving 3rd place.

   JROTC officer Nick Irby says the armed team has been practicing since the beginning of the year, however they did not get into a routine of practicing until they got their SOP (standard operation procedures) for the drill meet around two months ago. He mentioned that after they acquired their SOP, they started training cadets for the drill meet and trying to see who was best fit for competing. After they carefully selected their cadets, the armed team practiced four different routines. The four routines were split evenly between the armed exhibition and platoon. Nick also mentioned that they had to meet one morning to plot their positions and the different maneuvers they would execute. They dialed down the next two weeks before the meet by scheduling after school practices which cadets were expected to attend. In Nick’s word, “it was a lot of blood…sweat and tears.” The armed team did practice hard though as they did come home with two first places.

   Caden Gutshall on behalf of the color guard mentioned that besides the timing, color guard does not require as much practicing as the other teams. However, that is not saying they did nothing. Color guard practiced marching in different formations whilst presenting the colors, and it was different from what it was during football games and pep rallies where they just marched up and presented.

   Last bur certainly not least, Dory Ruben speaking on behalf of the unarmed team. The unarmed team is a drill team like the armed team however they did not have rifles as part of their routine. The routine itself has a certain step limit just like the other two, and since they do not yield equipment, they must make all the noise with their hands by doing different slaps and arm movements. On more thing that she added was the exhibition had more freedom when it came to their routine, and they had more steps as well.

   With all the time and effort they put into their routine, it is no surprise to see how well Gulf Breeze JROTC performed in Melbourne.