Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) recently hosted a week of classes and instruction for new Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) instructors during Instructor Orientation Training (NIOT) on the Port Loma Submarine Base July 17-21.

More than 110 new NJROTC instructors were welcomed to the NSTC family by NJROTC Directorate members and the NSTC Command Master Chief Andrew Hochgraver.

“On behalf of Commander, Naval Service Training Command, Captain Mattingly, I wanted to extend his sincere gratitude for making the choice to continue to serve, and for being with us this week,” Hochgraver told those attending the week.

“Your patriotism and your call to serve reinvigorate the trust of the American people in your communities. You provide an example to everyone you interact with of the societal value of our military. As dedicated veterans committed to the personal and professional development of our youth, you emphasize the development of true citizens and build the future leaders of tomorrow for America to serve and be successful in any profession they choose.”

The annual week is a chance to welcome new instructors and introduce
them to NSTC personnel. During the training they are also presented with tools they can use at their units and high schools around the country.

“We want our instructors to be confident going into the classroom and we want them to understand they are appreciated,” said Paula Sawdy Bowes, NSTC Citizenship Development Program Support.

Hochgraver said he thought the instructors walked away with some “new tools in their pocket, new connections, and most importantly valuable training that will prepare them and their cadets to be successful.”

Retired U. S. Navy Cmdr. Thomas Garcia, NJROTC Area 11 (Southern Calif. and Ariz.) manager said he felt the training was valuable to get new instructors pointed in the right direction and hopefully with the right attitude and mindset.

“It is important to provide a foundation for instructors from the beginning. NIOT is a great opportunity to network with other new instructors and be able to connect with others in the program. Just as a new command provides that first impression of a welcoming environment, NIOT gives instructors that ‘welcome aboard’ and the tools to be successful. My hope for the new instructors is that they find their ‘WHY’ and reason they chose to take on this new career and responsibility of shaping our beliefs in life,” Garcia said.

Both Hochgraver and Bowes called the week a great experience to network, build connections and most importantly receive important training to successfully prepare the newest instructors.

“Your schools, parents, and students need to trust in you, both within and outside the classroom. They need to see the positive impact you can have on their children and their lives. When you get back to your schools I have one charge for you…please thank your school leadership and your cadet’s parents for their trust in you, and then I want you to continue to work every day to earn that trust. We are depending on you,” the command master chief said.

The more than 80,000 Navy Junior ROTC (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) cadets at more than 600 high schools are part of the Navy’s Citizenship program.

They are overseen and supported by NSTC, headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois. The program seeks to instill in participating high school students the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. NJROTC and NNDCC strive to build a strong foundation of citizenship within America’s future leaders.

The NJROTC/NNDCC program is divided into 11 areas. Each area averages between more than 40 to more than 60 high school units. Each unit consists of students, known as cadets in a unit, from freshmen to seniors. They are taught Naval Science curriculum by a retired U. S. Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard officer.

The NSTC commander, Capt. Craig Mattingly, and his staff oversee 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy. This includes Naval ROTC at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command (OTC) on Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, Recruit Training Command (RTC) at Naval Station Great Lakes, and NJROTC/NNDCC.

For more information about NSTC, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/.

For more information on Navy Junior ROTC log on to https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NJROTC/ and https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NJROTC/NNDCC-Program/.