Southern West Virginia News

Congresswoman Carol Miller of West Virginia has written a letter to Secretary Frank Kendall of the United States Air Force expressing her concern over the deactivation of the Cabell Midland High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFJROTC) program. In the letter, Miller requests that the Air Force allow the Cabell AFJROTC program to remain active on probation for another year while recruitment changes are being implemented.

Miller highlights the importance of the AFJROTC program, stating that it provides invaluable leadership and civic education for high school students across the country. She also notes that the program serves as a practical solution to the recruitment crisis that is putting national security at risk.

The deactivation of the Cabell AFJROTC program is a result of the school consistently having only 60 students enrolled, which falls below the statutory threshold of 100 students. However, Miller believes that the decision to deactivate the program was premature, considering the impact of COVID-19 on enrollment and the recent implementation of recruitment plans.

The school officials at Cabell Midland have developed a concrete plan to increase enrollment, including outreach to middle school students. Additionally, the Air Force is making significant alterations to the JROTC program to boost enrollment. However, these efforts were not given enough time to show results before the decision to resume probations and deactivate the program was made.

Miller argues that the deactivation of the Cabell AFJROTC program not only disadvantages the community, but it also does not provide substantial budgetary relief to the Air Force. She emphasizes the program's achievements, such as producing a Yeager scholar, securing ROTC scholarships, and witnessing students obtaining pilot's licenses. In 2023, all program graduates either entered the workforce or enrolled in college.

In light of these concerns, Miller respectfully requests that the Air Force allows the Cabell AFJROTC program to remain active on probation for another year. She believes that expanding the JROTC program and providing support to current programs aligns with the betterment of the community, Congressional intentions, and addressing the recruitment crisis.

Miller looks forward to working with Secretary Kendall's office to resolve this issue and provide further support for all AFJROTC programs.