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The Mountain Home High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps unit has been selected to march in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., on July 4, part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Now they have to figure out how to get there.
The unit needs to raise approximately $56,000 to cover travel, lodging and expenses for the trip, and cadets and staff have been knocking on doors across the community looking for help. Mayor Hillrey Adams announced the selection at last week’s Mountain Home City Council meeting, telling council members the program has fundraising events in the works and is seeking donations from local businesses and individuals.
“Quite an opportunity for those kids to get to go up there and do that,” Adams said.
The July 4 celebration in Washington is expected to be one of the largest in the city’s history. The National Mall will host a larger-than-ever Fourth of July celebration featuring a historical reenactment of the Declaration of Independence, musical performers and a parade, all culminating in a fireworks show. The parade will be streamed live online and televised to more than 100 million homes across the United States on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW stations, along with broadcasts to every military installation and Navy ship at sea on American Forces Network.
For the Mountain Home cadets, marching in a nationally televised parade on the country’s 250th birthday would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Community members who want to learn more about the NJROTC program will have a chance next week. The unit is holding its Annual Area Manager’s Inspection on Thursday, March 5, and the public is invited to attend.
The inspection is a formal evaluation conducted by the NJROTC Area Manager, who assesses the unit’s military bearing, uniform appearance and overall operational readiness. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. at the Dunbar Auditorium on the Mountain Home High School campus, 500 Bomber Blvd.
At 9 a.m., the cadet staff will deliver a briefing covering the unit’s goals, community service achievements and academic progress over the past year. Following the briefing, cadets will move to the main gymnasium for a formal personnel inspection and Pass-in-Review, a military tradition in which the unit marches past the reviewing officer.
The event is free. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure seating in the auditorium.
Those interested in supporting the unit’s trip to Washington can contact the Mountain Home High School NJROTC program for information on upcoming fundraising events and how to donate.
