Help Service NJROTC Cadets Excel in 2024-2025

Greetings from the Great State of Alaska!

It is that time of year again. Another school year has started and that means that The Cadets of Service Navy Junior ROTC need your help for the 2024-2025 school year.

I am Commander George Tolbert, United States Coast Guard (retired), former Army Ranger with the 2nd Ranger BN, the Senior Naval Science Instructor (SNSI) for the Service Navy JROTC Unit, and the point of contact for this year's GoFundMe campaign.

OUR JROTC MISSION: The mission of Service High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is to empower cadets to continue their education, achieve personal and team goals, and teach them how to become responsible American citizens and future leaders of the nation with honor, courage, and commitment. Our unit is comprised of approximately 100 Cadets from the local area ranging from 14 to 18 years old. They are currently taught various Nautical Science and maritime history subjects. They are engaged in eight teams participating in competitions such as Armed/Unarmed Drill Teams, Color Guard, Academic, Air Rifle, Archery, Drone Education, and Physical Fitness Teams.

AWARDS: Our Service NJROTC Unit has been awarded the Commander, Naval Education, and Training Distinguished Unit and Unit Achievement Awards for 21 years and has been identified as a Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors numerous times. These milestones have made us one of the top units in the nation. Our Drill Teams have qualified for and competed in the State Championships each year. Our hard-working Academic Teams have finished in the top 10% of the over 1500 teams competing nationally in the last 21 years.

SERVICE: We performed 2500 community service hours last year. We instill in the Cadets the responsibility of giving back to the community that has supported them for many years. Each year our school hosts various events, including the State Drill Championship, Air Rifle Meets, Drone competitions, and a college-type academic competition.

YOUR HELP: Though the US Navy does fund the program, very little of that funding is allowed to be fully discretionary. The Cadets must depend solely on fundraising and donations to effectively run a unit of this high caliber and stay competitive at the state and national levels. The Navy provides us with basic uniforms and academic materials. Still, we must pay for additional items: competition fees, travel costs, training/drill equipment, flags, awards, Archery Equipment, Drones, and various other educational items. We keep the number of fundraising activities to only two a year in the early fall to not interfere with the Cadet's academic progress and high school experience. The Cadets understand that many of you will not have the discretionary funds to donate due to individual economic times, however, even a small gift will be greatly appreciated, welcomed, and recognized. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to Service High School NJROTC. Thank you for your time and consideration, as you will invest in the Cadet's future!

If you are donating in the name of a specific Cadet, please add the Cadet's name in the “notes” section so they will get credit.

If you desire to mail in your donation, you may do so by making the check payable to "Service NJROTC" and sending it to:

Service Navy JROTC

5577 Abbott Rd

Anchorage, AK 99507

Please write in the memo section the Cadet's name, if any.

THE LEGAL STUFF: As the representative for the Cadets and the GoFundMe campaign organizer, the funds will periodically be transferred from a GoFundMe account and then deposited into a Service NJROTC account that I will have access to. I will personally withdraw the donations and submit them to the Service High School accounting department, which will deposit the funds into the Service High School JROTC account.

Thank you so much for helping the future leaders of communities, states, and the nation!