JROTC PROGRAM GIVES STUDENTS TOOLS TO SUCCEED
POST-TRIBUNE
BY: ANTHONY THIGPEN

“No child left behind” is an academic motto borrowed from the military's “no soldier left behind.”

Now, the Gary JROTC Department plans to defend its military slogan by leading cadets to academic success.

And there's a new commander in the ranks who says he's committed to making sure JROTC participants succeed.

In order to achieve his goal, changes had to be made.

Military cadet command policies indicate that active duty personnel cannot hold the position of director of army instructions. But active duty Col. Richard Ligon was granted a waiver.

The Gary native is the first black colonel and brigade commander in the Indiana Army National Guard.

With 33 years of military experience, Ligon climbed through the ranks from an enlisted private to a non-commissioned first sergeant.

Now, the commissioned colonel commands more than 1,500 soldiers at various military bases throughout Northwest Indiana and Gary's JROTC program.

“Our plan is to help students complete high school, pass the ISTEP, and pursue careers,” Ligon said. “And we have instructors who are going to make it happen!”

The JROTC curriculum includes subjects like American history, leadership labs, geography, Earth science, map reading and much more, he says.

In addition, Ligon is using his connections and influence to establish hands-on relationships between JROTC cadets and active duty personnel.

“We're planning field trips to Great Lakes Naval Base and Fort Wayne Air Base,” he said. “We also plan to take a unit from Gary to the summer military camp in Atterbury.”

The target is not centered on gaining teenage military enlistees, he explained.

Instead, military instructors are standing in the gap for absent parents, missing mentors and limited tutors and are strategically combating economic pitfalls.

The Gary Pop Warner football coach says his vision is to prepare kids for a brighter future. But Ligon, who currently has a son in Iraq, has definite feelings about youth going into combat.

“We're already at war in our urban communities,” he said. “Our kids (are dying) with the violence in the streets of Gary.

“And if the military reinstates the draft, our kids can go to war anyway.”

But, the Froebel High School graduate, who earned a sociology degree at Kentucky State University, is not a military recruiter.

In fact, Ligon said this year will mark the beginning of a JROTC Career Fair to help provide students with exposure to various, non-military jobs.

Also, the commanding officer has gained approval and finances to spearhead a ROTC program at Indiana University Northwest.

The free ROTC college program will pay students' tuitions, books and provide monthly stipends. Applications are currently circulating at IUN for the expected January launch date.

Since Col. Robert Wilhelm's 2001 retirement, JROTC has been without needed leadership, military property custodian Sgt. Leo Carter said.

JROTC secretary Dorothy Burnett agreed: “The body is only as good as the head.”

Burnett and Carter said, Ligon's leadership will strengthen morale.

“The program couldn't just run itself,” Carter said.

Instructor Sgt. 1st Class Willie Ford said, “Having a director gives the JROTC program one strong voice.”

And Ligon is in command.