NC-021 James Benson Dudley Senior High School AFJROTC

          Dudley’s Junior AFJROTC is the oldest JROTC unit in Guilford County and the second oldest AFJROTC unit in North Carolina. Our unit was established in August 1967. Lt Col Andrew Johnson, the first Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, retired in June 1975. Lt Col William M. Davis III replaced Col. Johnson and served until 1996. Lt Col Ronald Murphy served for one year until 1997 and was replaces by Lt Col Thomas Clarke who served until 1998. The current SASI, Lt Col Wayne Davidson has served since 1998. CMSgt Bell, the first Aerospace Science Instructor, served approximately three years. His replacement was MSgt James Savage, who served until 1991. The present Assistant Aerospace Science Instructor, MSgt Nevada Jarrell replaced MSgt Savage.

          Enrollment during the first four years was above the national average. During the school years 1971-75, enrollment was below the 100 cadet minimum due to desegregation of the Greensboro School System and the unit was placed on probation. School year 1975-76 was the turning point for enrollment, which increased to 126 cadets and has remained above 100 ever since. The ratio of males to females is approximately 50% and black to white is approximately 94% to 6%.

          Our unit has won numerous awards since its beginnings. Maxwell AFB selects the top units yearly, Honor or Meritorious, and Dudley has been well represented. We received the highest award, Honor Unit ten times, for the school years 1970-71, 79-80, 81-82, 82-83, 83-84, 85-86, 86-87, 88-89, 89-90 and 91-92. We received Meritorious Unit ten times, for the school years 1975-76, 76-77, 77-78, 80-81, 84-85, 87-88, 90-91, 92-93, 93-94 and 98-99. In 1981 we were selected by the order of the Daedalians as the Outstanding Junior AFJROTC Unit in North Carolina. From 2000-2006, the award system went through fundamental changes in criteria and metrics. We were awarded the highest award possible in 2008-2009 with The Distinguished Unit Award (DUA) with Merit. Both instructors were also selected as outstanding AFJROTC instructors of the year.

            The Dudley AFJROTC Cadet Corps participates in a wide variety of school and community events and is always well received by the public. Some of our most notable events are supporting the Greensboro Arts Council during their annual fund raiser by participating in City Stage, acting as teachers aides for the Guilford County Saturday Enrichment Program for children in the county, the annual visit to Clapps Nursing Home, acting as pages for several regional and state educational teacher workshops and presenting the Colors at many school, community, and civic functions. We also participate in several parades during the fall.

          The AFJROTC program reaches all levels of our youth from the above average, college bound student to the student learning to become a useful member of society. The majority of our cadets are average students who wish to continue their education or enter the job market after graduation from high school. Several of our former cadets have completed college and with some receiving commissions as officers in various braches of the military services. We have both Air Force and Navy Pilots and others who serve in their career fields. An average of approximately three students enlists in the various branches of the service each year. We are proud of these fine men and women who serve our country in uniform.

           The Mission of AFJROTC is to develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community. Our goals are to instill the values of: citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and sense of accomplishment.

          The AFJROTC program (as are all JROTC programs) is very cost effective for the school system. Cadet uniforms, textbooks, computer hardware and software and other miscellaneous materials are paid directly by AFJROTC at no cost to the school system. Additionally, approximately one-half of the instructor's salary is reimbursed back to the county school system.