Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined bipartisan legislation, the Preserving JROTC Programs Act, which would reduce the statutory enrollment requirement for U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) programs from 100 to 50 students to prevent programs from shuttering. This bill will directly benefit Idaho schools with JROTC programs, one of which is currently on probationary status due to enrollment numbers.
“Recruitment for the armed services benefits from preserving our local JROTC programs,” Crapo said. “The various JROTC programs across the state teach leadership, critical thinking, citizenship, and physical fitness in a real-world training environment. By lowering the enrollment requirement, this bill preserves the service of Idaho’s JROTC programs in small schools or small communities that can continue to benefit from the curricula.”
“A strong military starts with strong values,” said Risch. “JROTC is vital to instilling the values of service and leadership and inspiring the next generation to serve our country. Preserving JROTC and reducing barriers for schools to access these programs will strengthen our nation’s defenses.”
With the U.S. military facing a historic recruiting crisis, JROTC plays an increasingly important role in instilling values of service and civic participation in young people. According to U.S. Army enlistment data from Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-2021, 44 percent of Regular Army enlistments came from schools with a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) JROTC program. Of these, 21 percent came from schools with an Army JROTC program. According to the U.S. Air Force, approximately 22 percent of students graduating high school with Air Force JROTC experience choose to pursue active-duty Air Force service.
