The PHS NJROTC program has as its goal the fostering of leadership skills. One of the best of many ways of developing these leadership skills is participation in the drill team. PHS has two teams that function as two halves of the same team. Both have success and victory as their goal.
Our drill team travels to other schools and even schools in other states to compete, in preparation for the national drill team competition in Daytona Beach Florida. For years cadets have been working, practicing and drilling to become the best they can be. Senior Anthony Melicia, the head commander and the commander of armed basic regulation drill, has been working towards this year since he was a freshman. “My goal for the drill team is to become the elite drill team of New Jersey, and be at least, in the top three in the nation,” said Anthony. After graduation Anthony plans on joining the Marine Corps. He will certainly make our country as proud of him as a marine, as PHS is of him as a commander.
The commander of the armed exhibition drill team is senior Leonardo Martinez, who is also in his fourth year of ROTC. Of his goals for his command this year he said, “My goals for the drill team are simple. They are to be the best drill team in the United States.” He added that this can be done and that the team is working hard to achieve this goal. After PHS (and leading the drill team to the top) Leonardo plans on trying to be a Navy Seal. PHS wishes him all the best.
Mia Galan is the unarmed basic regulation team. Even though she is a senior, she has only been on the team for two years. She will put her leadership skills to work outside the various branches of the military, but she will definitely use them in leading her drill team “to known nationally as an elite team.”
Finally, Senior Lizbeth Balthasar is commander of the unarmed exhibition team. She too has been on the drill team for two years. Drilling hard to make “unarmed first in the nation” will be tough, but Lizbeth will be working hard after graduation, when she joins the United States Army.
Advising the drill team for 18 years takes a lot of patience, and time, and drive, but Petty Officer is up to the task. Drill team is a labor of love for him and his pride in his cadets shows, even when he is just talking about them. “I chose Mia Galan for the commander of unarmed because she is like a little bulldog. She has the attitude to get the job done,” he said. As far as goals for the PHS drill team this year P.O. Nuyen said, “I want the drill team to beat Linden, Southold, Riverhead, P.C.T.I. and take the National Championship.” With the right commanders in place and the hard working cadets practicing every day, these goals can attained. Good luck to the PHS NJROTC drill teams!
— Assata Alston
