There are many people in this community who do things every day to make a difference, to make the place better than it was the day before. Five years ago when I came to this community I met a number of people who had a similar vision to make the community a better place and in this case to give students another choice to become successful, to find a niche.
Ed Aylesworth introduced me to then high school Principal Bob Penny. Mr. Penny was very familiar with the program that I was asking to be considered for the Arlington School District. Junior Reserve Officer Training or JROTC. Mr. Penny knew first hand the impact that JROTC has on students and the community as a whole from his time in Burlington with the Navy JROTC program.
Mr. Penny told me that in order for JROTC to succeed there needed to be broad support from all across the community including the students, teachers, parents, businesses and the community in general. Over the years that support was obtained as the community learned about the benefits of what JROTC had to offer.
With the support of Arlingtons current high school Principal, Kurt Criscione, students, parents, teachers, school board, business leaders and with the teaching team of Major Mark Blue and Master Sergeant Alvin Moore the Air Force JROTC program has become a reality in this community.
There are a number of people I would like to thank for supporting this concept over the last five years and for making a difference in their community including my wife, Rev. Deena Jones, Ed Aylesworth, Mark Green, Mike Addington, Chris Higbee, Karen Keith, Dorothy Edwards, Radley Fietkau, Brett Sarver, Vanessa McClure, Bob Penny, Jason Jurca, Barbara Tolbert, Rob Putnam, Lynn Stone, Dale Carman, Wendy Pattermann, Yolanda Larson, Alan Boatman, Col. Holly Bucannan, Police Chief John Gray, George Boulton, Linda Byrnes, the ASD School Board, and special thanks to the late Michael Crowell of the Mission Aviation Training Academy and many others who make a difference every day. Congratulations Arlington.
MSgt. Chris Jones, USAF Ret
Arlington