Army presence in what is now Yuma County dates back to the 1840s.

But until now, the community didn’t have an Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program.

That changes on Aug. 1, when the first Army JROTC program at Yuma High School begins for more than 100 cadets.

The program’s senior military instructor is James Branch, a retired major who served at YPG’s Free Fall School (MFFS) from 2011 to 2013, first as an executive and then as a commander. He had trained as a student on the school’s foundation course in 2009.

“I still feel nostalgic,” said Branch of MFFS. “This is one of the most amazing and rewarding jobs in the world.”

At the end of his 22-year Army career, which included multiple deployments during the Global War on Terror, Branch and his family settled in Yuma. He worked in the private sector for several years before taking his current position.

“I saw the job posting and thought it would be a great way to continue serving. I am serious about working with kids and coaching basketball and flag football, and I love teaching and helping kids grow into great people.” “I found it really fun to do,” he said. Adults. ”

Yuma High School’s Army JROTC program promises to be a rigorous elective that requires cadets to maintain a respectable grade point average across all classes in order to participate in the program’s extracurricular activities. From air rifle and drill teams to academic and physical fitness competitions, maintaining good grades allows cadets to travel throughout Arizona and compete against opponents from other high schools.

Successful completion of the three- to four-year program allows cadets to enter the Army as Privates First Class (E3), but students who do not intend to join the military when they reach adulthood can still participate in the program. Branch emphasizes that there are many benefits to be had. .

“JROTC is not a recruiting tool for the Army or the Department of Defense. Some cadets join the military, but others, with discipline and training, go on to achieve great success in college and the civilian world. ” he said. They learn leadership in the program. ”

Once the program matures, senior cadets will be organized into battalion staffs, similar to the Army, and will run the program primarily under the supervision and guidance of instructors. Because all cadets are new at the beginning of the program, the course is largely instructor-led.

“The biggest hurdle will be getting new cadets into the program and understanding the culture and discipline associated with JROTC.As the program progresses and cadets enter their second, third and fourth years, As we come back for the year, we’ll have students there to help build the culture and guide the freshmen and sophomores in the right direction.”

Branch said the cadets will participate in various local ceremonies and other community service once the program begins, which he believes will lead to even more support and participation.

“Army JROTC is a very good program that you can see when you see it in action,” Branch said. “Once the cadets are out in the community, more students will become involved in the program.”