JROTC program for Fayette County high school

students may be a long time in coming, according

to Dr. John DeCotis, Fayette County school

superintendent.

The

Fayette County School District is currently

number 230 on the U.S. Department of Defense list

for districts wanting Junior Reserve Officer

Training Corps programs.

DeCotis'

recommendation to hire a part-time consultant to

jump-start the program was delayed until the

board's Sept. 20 meeting. Board members Woody

Shelnutt and Connie Hale said they thought free

help could be found through Fort McPherson, or

one of the district legislators' offices. "I

don't see how a lobbyist can help us jump 230

spaces... I resent paying someone to do that kind

of work," Hale said. "We pay people in

[Washington] D.C. to do this," Shelnutt

added.

"We

felt we needed someone knowledgeable about the

program," said DeCotis. "They

[government] don't give it to you all spelled

out."

Officials

in the Clayton County ROTC hav avised Fayette

officials that hiring a consultant is "the

best way to go," added DeCotis. "They

won't start funding until we physically set up

the program. It's a Catch 22. That's why it's

taken so long to do this."

Hale

has supported starting an ROTC program since

1988. DeCotis anticipates at least two years

before a JROTC program could be activated.

Board

member Greg Powers said he is in favor of hiring

someone to make the phone calls and "hound

the offices" until some progress is made.

Board member Mickey Littlefield said he had tried

to make contacts in Washington to no avail.

"We're

having a hard time getting answers. We're just

going round and round, but I respectfully

withdraw my recommendation," DeCotis said.

Coweta

County is in its seventh year of its JROTC

program, which is administered by retired Marine

Col. J.L. Ingram at East Coweta High School. He

called the JROTC a "leadership education

program" that enjoys "excellent support

from the school."

Ingram

was quick to emphasize that JROTC is not a

recruiting tool, but noted, "We do have a

high percentage of seniors that stay in. Maybe 15

to 20 percent." Ingram said the program also

graduates at least "one talented kid"

each year who is appointed to the Naval Academy

or West Point.

"Our

objective is to make them familiar with career

opportunities," Ingram said. His partner in

the program is retired MSgt. John Skinner, who

also serves as assistant athletic director of the

school and coaches the rifle team.

Cost

of the ROTC program is funded through the U.S.

Marine Corps., and covers the students' uniforms

and equipment. The school system provides the

necessary space, and a portion of Skinner's and

Ingram's salaries.

Block

scheduling allows JROTC to mix its classes easily

into the students' schedules. "We're an

integral part of the school," Ingram said.

The curriculum includes Monday and Tuesday

classes on everything from naval war strategy to

personal hygiene, and drill on Wednesday, the one

day of the week all JROTC members are in uniform.

Extracurricular

activities may include riflery, using Olympic

pellet rifles funded by the Marine Corps.

Ingram

calls his approach to JROTC candidates

"nurturing" and the classrooms

"family type environments." The typical

JROTC participant, according to Ingram, has an

SAT score around 1,100, is physically fit and is

uncertain about attending college. "Some are

late bloomers," he added.

Timing

was everything for Ingram and East Coweta teaming

up to start the JROTC program in 1993. "The

program itself got a big boost in the government

from Gen. Colin Powell," Ingram said,

recalling the time when a lot of money was made

available to military programs. Ingram was just

retiring from active duty when he learned through

the Marine pipeline that an ROTC opening was

coming up in Newnan, and he jumped on it.

"It's

a great job," he said. He feels the program

has a positive effect on its participants and

gives them a "fresh view" in place of

negativity. "We want to influence them

toward the positive," he said.

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