The Gulf Breeze High School AFJROTC has had a beginning and successful start to the
new year. Competing in the first-ever Fort Walton Beach High School AFJROTC drill meet at
Hurlburt Field AFB on Feb. 10th, 2024, the unit and its months of hard work and practice
have returned victorious, winning numerous titles and awards. With Superintendent, Dr. Karen Barber, and Principal Barker in attendance, the Gulf Breeze AFJROTC competed in multiple drill events, receiving trophies in most events.

Beginning preparation in the late fall months, the Detachment and its cadets have spent
countless hours and days waking up in the chilly mornings of Gulf Breeze to practice their
routines. With the unit’s long and impressive history in competitive drill, cadets have worked
hard to perform and perfect this year’s drill season, while also teaching a large portion of
underclassmen and new students the techniques of different techniques. After a long season of preparation through drill practices, parades, pep rallies, and performances, including the Fine Arts Festival, Detachment FL-932 is proving its talent and hard work ethic. Competing and performing during the Fort Walton Beach High School 2024 Drill Competition, Gulf Breeze’s cadets have won titles in the following events: 1st Place Color Guard Regulation, 1st Place Armed Exhibition, 2nd Place Color Guard Specialty, 2nd Place Armed Regulation, 2nd Place Athletics Team, 3rd Place Unarmed Regulation, 3rd Place AS-100 Drill Team, 3rd Place Color Specialty.

Aliya Hurtado, Gulf Breeze senior and 4th year participating in the program, commanded and led her team to receive the 1st Place Color Guard Regulation title, commenting: “The entire event was awesome! Having the opportunity to perform in a hangar in Hurlburt Field was very cool, I was in awe of the aircraft and different schools that filled the venue.

Performing and winning the 1st place title was amazing as you got to see the hard work that the team and I did finally pay off. Out of all the drill meets I have attended; this was the best and most beautiful.” After the successful run in Fort Walton, the Gulf Breeze High School AFJROTC is headed to Daytona Beach, FL to compete in the Air Force Association Florida Championship AFJROTC Drill Meet on March 2nd, 2024. At this prestigious state-wide event, cadets will face a harder level of competition, continuing to prepare and perfect their routines to bring back even more titles at this upcoming event. With months of hard work and perfection in competitive drills, the Gulf Breeze AFJROTC and its drill teams are on a path to success, sending its best “drillers” to compete and continue to enjoy the program and the activities within it.