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Health & Fitness

Excellence at Richards (and Purdue)

During his 30 years in the U.S. Navy, and particularly while serving as captain of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, Rear Admiral Dee Mewbourne learned and practiced the elements of leadership and teamwork.   

Responsible for the success of large-scale military operations and the safety of the thousands in his command, he’d need to have a keen understanding of managerial excellence.    

So when he started as national director of the U.S. Navy’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program last year, he chose for his first site visit a unit that exemplified such ideals.  

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“America’s in great hands,” he told the JROTC students at Richards High School.  “This is the first school I’ve visited since I took control.  I could not have made a better choice for a first site visit.”

Recently, Bulldog Company received another reminder that it ranks with the nation's best. Academically, athletically, in drill competitions, and most importantly in the character and camaraderie we see every day, Bulldog Company stands alone.

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Kathleen Spyrnal offers one of many examples of students who have grown from their experiences in JROTC. Today an ROTC cadet on scholarship at Purdue University, she returned to Richards recently to talk with our students.

We sat down with her for a few minutes to ask about her experiences in Bulldog Company, her fondest memories, and to talk a little about JROTC program directors CDR (ret.) Doug Groters and CPO (ret.) Dennis Reynolds.

It's just a couple of minutes, but we're confident this video will make your day.

Download the movie

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