NEW CONTEST

Congratulations to Cadet A. J. Geagley for his input "Fuji worker, gut wagon lurker, sixteen" which was selected as the winning entry. 

Since no one, not one, not man nor beast, submitted an example of three minute fiction, I am now offering the same prize for an even easier:  this contest requires an autobiography of exactly six words. Here are a couple of examples:

After Harvard, had baby with crackhead.


- Robin Templeton

70 years, few tears, hairy ears.

- Bill Querengesser

 I'm not recommending having a baby with a crackhead, nor am I endorsing hairy ears, but get with it.  Entries should be submitted to CDR Wall.  Ensure your name is clearly included. This contest will close at 0730 Monday, 2 April.  The prize will be $25.00.  Good luck.

Although the cat is not 70 years old, it does have hairy ears--presumably a bad thing.

COMMUNITY GARDENS

On Saturday, 24 March our cadets helped build a community garden.  Spring, as they say, has sprung in Middletown.

Roberto checks the want ads.

Roberto found a good deal, now everyone checks the want ads! (Except Marlena, who is apparently confused.)





THE DAY THEY H-BOMBED LOS ANGELES

Unfortunately the three minute fiction challenge is closed. 

First there were 70, but before that there were 599.  Figure it out!

WISNER AVENUE CLEAN UP

On Sunday, 18 March, MHS NJROTC cadets cleaned up our adopted road, Wisner Avenue, which is now a little slice of paradise.  Thanks to all who helped make Middletown better.



Cadets clean the corner of Wisner and Carpenter.




"Hey guys!  Cool--I found a bottle!"




The minnow prepares to pounce.




"No, watch carefully this time--it works like this..."




All this and a bag of garbage, too!



TAKING OFF THE PACK

"Retired on Active Duty" (ROAD), "On the ROAD Program," "taking off the pack," and, my favorite, "FIGMO" ("F***, I got my orders!") are all terms used in the military to describe someone who stops putting out their best efforts as they approach transfer or retirement.  None of these terms reflect well on the individual to whom they refer. 

I mention this here because as the weather turns warm and summer draws near there will inevitably be a number of you who roll over and quit trying.  It is very hard to rebuild a good reputation once you have earned a bad one.  Be careful!

ANNUAL BILLET SELECTION PROCESS ANNOUNCED

Our annual billet selection process has been announced. Interested in applying for a leadership billet next year?  Visit the following link for details:  https://sites.google.com/site/middletownnynjrotc/billet-selection.

Caution:  Selectees must be ready to devote a substantial amount of time and effort to the unit and must have demonstrated potential for leadership.  Think about possible conflicts with other activities, academic requirements, and your life outside of high school--job, social life, etc. 

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

I have been informed (repeatedly) that it will soon be Tiffany's birthday.  I don't care so much about that, but it does serve to remind one that the end of the school year, and for seniors the end of high school, is right around the corner.  Here are a few things to consider:

• If you are a freshman, ask yourself if you did everything you needed to do freshman year.  Are you prepared to capitalize on the rest of your high school opportunity?  Freshman year is tough.  If you did not do as well as you hoped, recommit yourself and work harder next year--there is still time.
• If you are a sophomore, ask yourself if you are ready to move into junior year and springboard yourself to a successful life after high school.  If not, it is time for what we call in the Navy a serious mid-course correction.  There is still time, but not so much.  You are now half way through high school and you have less of an opportunity to improve your average.  Get hot.  If you want to go to start at a four year college after graduation, you should be studying for the SAT test now.  You should be thinking about what you would like to do for a living.  To many people say they want to be an astronaut, but that they are going to take a year or two off to start a band first.  There's a saying I like:  "A goal without a plan is but a dream."  I'd add that the plan has to be a good one.  You don't get to be a doctor,  astronaut, or successful business owner without a good plan.  Without a plan you can't even pay the bills. 
• If you are a junior, ask yourself if you are really on track to becoming an independent adult.  Have you thought honestly about what you will do after high school?  Do you have a realistic plan? If so, does it need to be updated?  If you don't have a plan, make one!  If you are planning on going to college, you should have taken the SATs.  You should be at least starting the process of selecting a college.  Have you decided what is important to you college-wise?  If you are thinking of the military, you should be in contact with a recruiter. 
• If you are a senior, ask yourself if you are still on track--is your plan working?  By now, you ought to have things pretty well locked down.  If you don't have a firm idea of what you will be doing when the merry go-round stops, you need to get really serious.
• If you will be in the NJROTC program next year, be thinking about what you would like to do.  We will shortly announce the billet selection process.  If you are applying for a billet next year, be prepared to work--several people have been removed from billets this year.  If you are applying for a senior billet, be honest with yourself and ask if you really rate it.  This isn't a question of being a better cadet than your classmates, it is a question of meeting the requirements of the billet.  A staff billet is not a reward, it is an opportunity.

What else is going on:

• Annual Inspection 3 April.
• Orientation trip to DC 12-15 April.
• Military Ball 4 May.
• Area Championship 12 May.
• Awards ceremony and change of command 31 May.

We will also have an end of year challenge open to those who have qualified  There will be a cash prize.  The details are yet to be determined, but so far the following cadets have qualified for the competition:  Cadets Ferguson, Esquivel, Barone, Fitzgerald, and Lloyd.  If you have successfully answered a couple of my previous challenges and feel that you should be on this list, let me know. 

INTERNET SCAVENGER HUNT

We will be fielding two teams in Thomas R. Proctor High School's Internet scavenger hunt.  Each team will consist of five cadets.  There will be 40 questions based on a significant historical event which can be answered using Internet resources.  The team will have 50 minutes; only one computer may be used--no multiple computers, tablets, or smart phones. There will be trophies for the top three teams of all that compete. 

Don't forget the three minute fiction contest.  Inputs are due Monday. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO PO3 SELECTEES

Congratulations to our first three selectees for advancement to the rank of Cadet Petty Officer Third Class...and the selectees are:  Cadets Derek Fitzgerald, Shavon Lloyd, and Amanda Vasquez.

Well Done!

There are still many NS1 cadets who have not promoted to either cadet seaman apprentice or cadet seaman. If you are interested in advancing, ask a classmate who has about what is required.  Good luck.  

THE DAY THEY H-BOMBED LOS ANGELES

Congratulations to Cadet Ferguson for correctly answering the previous challenge.  Cadet Ferguson determined that there is a 33% percent chance that the second child is a female.  Good job--that's three for three for Ferguson. 

Time for a new contest--this one is "Three Minute Fiction"; it is a creative writing challenge based on a popular radio contest.  Here's the deal:  each contestant will write a short work of fiction--no less than 550 words and no more than 600 words.   (About the amount that could easily be read aloud in three minutes. "Three Minute Fiction," get it?).  Each entry must include the phrase below.  The most interesting input wins $10, the second best gets a free soda.  All entries must be submitted by 0730 19 March.  Entries must be neat, grammatically correct, and double-spaced.  If typed, they must be 12 pitch.  The phrase is:

"The job was done.  They turned out the lights, closed the door, and went home."

Good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Cadets Jessica Glickman and Lanae Rutland, both juniors, both of whom were invited to apply for membership in the National Honor Society.  The National Honor Society (NHS) and the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) are the nation's premier organizations recognizing outstanding middle level and high school students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. NHS and NJHS are proudly sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). The NASSP-the preeminent organization and national voice for middle level and high school leaders-also sponsors the National Association of Student Councils (NASC), which promotes and provides leadership development opportunities to prepare and empower students to serve their schools and communities.

BZ to Jessica and Lanae!

ANNUAL INSPECTION

Heads up!  Our annual inspection has been rescheduled again to avoid conflicting with quarterly testing.  The inspection will now be held on Tuesday, 3 April.  Stay tuned for news as it happens.

NEW CHALLENGE

Here's a new cadet challenge.  The last two challenges, both pretty tough, were solved by Cadet Ferguson.  This one is fairly simple math--good luck.  Here it is: 

A couple has two children, one of whom is a girl. What is the probability that the other is also a girl? (You may safely assume that the genetic probability of having a baby of either sex is 50%.)

The credited response will include a correct statement as well as a short explanation.  Absolutely no guessing!

Good luck!

Hint:

Two Girls, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1892

TRICKY TRAY AND SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

If you weren't there, and too many of you weren't, we held our long-awaited Trick Tray on Friday, 9 March at Maple Hill Elementary School.  The event went very well and raised over $4,000 which will be used to defray the cost of future events such as the orientation trip and the military ball.  On Sunday, 11 March, we sent a color guard and small marching detail to the annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Goshen, NY.  It was a beautiful day for a parade and participants came from all over the northeast. 



We filled five and a half rows of tables with prizes.




Pictured:  Those who were there.
Missing:  Those who were not there.  Where were you?



CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations to Cadet Ferguson who correctly identified the animal in the gym as a lizard, as in "traveling lizard line."  A lizard line is a line that is used to create a fairlead (a bend) in another line.  I couldn't find a picture of a lizard line (other than the one previously shown), so here's a line picture of a lizard instead:

CAUGHT ON FILM!

Here is the evil "animal about the ship" that lurks in the gym:

From a safe distance.



A close-up.

 Name it if you can.  Guesses will not be accepted.

STOP THE PRESSES!!!

Congratulations to Cadet Robert Ferguson who found my penny.  It was hidden underneath the wooden anchor chain in the NJROTC classroom.

Good job! 

WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT



Get well quick 'cause sick fish don't prosper!



ANIMALS ABOUT THE GYM, CONT'D.

No, it not a bear.  Nor is it a flounder plate or monkey of any sort. 

For reference:

This is a flounder plate.



So is this.





This too.