This is totally off topic from the norm, but is it typical to have a ton of drama within the unit? From the booster trying to control the Commanders to the kids whining about being talked "sternly" to. Holy cow. It's getting worse than travel ball
That kind of drama makes for a bad unit. DS is a sophomore in the current defending NJROTC National Champion in academic, athletic and drill competition at Pensacola. So I can tell you how a model unit should run. The cadets should run the unit under strict guidance from the naval science instructors. We have three. A LCDR (aviator) and two Senior Chiefs. We have approx. 250 cadets. The naval science instructors appoint the cadet staff from among the senior cadets who work the hardest and show leadership potential. The upperclassmen teach the underclassmen. Our parent volunteers participate, as required, and at the pleasure of the naval science instructors to serve the unit. We drive, cook, and serve as chaperone's on out of town trips.
Parents should have no input into the running of the unit. Stay in the background!! The cadets are there to learn leadership under the guidance of the naval science instructors - - particularly the senior chiefs who have proven themselves in 20 plus years of leading and developing young people. Even if a parent has significant military experience, they should stay to the sidelines and only offer their experience if and when asked for by the naval science instructors. They are in charge. Ours are great. If some are not, I would suggest speaking to them privately first. If that doesn't work, remember, half of their salaries are paid by the school district. Go to the principal and discuss the problem. But unlike travel ball, where the coaches are being paid by the parents, the naval science instructors are being paid by the school district and the Navy. They are not beholding to the parents. They should have no problem putting a parent in his or her place if they are butting in too much.
As far as the kids whining about being talked to sternly, they would not be spoken to that way if they were performing as instructed. And, if they ever want to serve in the military, they had better get used to being talked to that way all the time, as well as getting their heads shaved before drill competitions, etc. Remember, the military is not for everyone. NJROTC is a good way to find out if it is for you. The kids - - like my older DS -- who find out it is
not for them, drop out after the first or second year. That is o.k.. Again, the military is not for everyone.