Major (Ret.) John Napoli, Jr.
Senior Army Instructor
"Time To Get With It"
First let me say, "Welcome" to all the new cadets of the WOLF Battalion. It is a pleasure having you as part of the TEAM! And as I look around at the one hundred plus trophies, think about all the scholarship monies graduating cadets have earned, which all symbolize cadet excellence, the WOLF Battalion has come a long way! But guess what? We have a long way to go. This year will again prove to be particularly demanding. With the Department of the Army Assistance Visit Inspection on 02 Dec 09, our focus will be on getting you through the inspection and retaining the Honor Unit with Distinction this battalion has held since 2001-2002. It is a team effort; everyone has to prepare individually as well as a team. Make sure you do ALL you can to prepare individually, and the TEAM will do well.
A hearty congratulation goes to Cadets Sierra Barber and Lourdes Vasquez, as they were the top graduates of the Noncommissioned Officer School and Officer Candidate School in August. You have proven your mettle as leaders in the WOLF Battalion.
I am especially proud of our summer attendees at Boy's and Girl's States: Alex Sniffen, Christopher Dawson, Christopher Gordon, Giovanna Di Giorno, Tempestt Carter, and Julie DeSousa. What an honor it was to have been chosen to attend! It is an experience that helps them in their quest for scholarships, future college selections, and an experience they will cherish forever. Stop and ask these quality cadets what it was all about. It is an experience few cadets will achieve but an experience all cadets should strive for.
I whole-heartedly recommend each and every cadet get into the knowledge packet and Cadet Reference Book you were provided at the beginning of the year. For this battalion to be successful, each and every cadet must be 100% at all times. One of the leadership traits a cadet must exhibit at all times is the trait of "knowledge." Neither 1SG Ford nor I can learn the material for you. "Time to Get With It!"
I commend all of you who are wearing your uniform “with pride” all day on designated uniform days. For those of you who are not wearing the uniform properly all day you need to rethink being in JROTC. In the beginning of the year you all signed the WOLF Battalion Uniform Policy.
You need to read what you signed. You all agreed to wear your uniform the entire day and maintain a non-fad, acceptable haircut. 1SG Ford and I expect you to live up to the agreement you signed. If you cannot fulfill this elemental requirement, if you do not have pride and conviction in your program, the WOLF Battalion, your country, I invite you to leave the JROTC program. No hard feelings; turn in your uniform. We do not need you and you do not need us. It took blood, sweat, and tears for you to have the right to wear the uniform we issue you. If you do not understand that, just ask 1SG Ford or myself; we'll explain it to you.
Last year we had three cadets receive four-year ROTC Scholarships and one was accepted to and is attending the Air Force Academy. Additionally, we had several cadets receive other smaller scholarships. That leads me to my last point for the freshmen and sophomores. If your desire is to attend an academy or earn a four-year scholarship, grade point average, SAT/ACT scores, and involvement/participation are what it is all about. I cannot stress enough: your grade point started at the beginning of this year. You do not have time to wait. You must do your very best in each and every class, during both your freshman and sophomore years. You cannot afford to wait until your junior year to get your grades up. Do it now and give yourself a chance at a scholarship in your senior year!
Before I close let me say that you all looked great at the Commission/Promotion Ceremony. Congratulations to all the cadet officers and NCOs. And too, congratulations go to the teams that competed at Denton Drill Meet this past weekend. The first drill meet is always a learning experience. Remember, practice makes perfect. And let me say congratulations to Charles D. Gordon for earning the title JROTC Officer of the Quarter, 1st Quarter 2009 – 2010. Besides the title, he was awarded the Leadership Medal.
School Year 200--2010 has been and will continue being a fun and exciting year. Get involved in your school, your church, the WOLF Battalion, your community. Make the most of your high school years, and "Get With It!"
First Sergeant Ford
Army Instructor
I would like to welcome all of the new members of the mighty Wolf Battalion. We almost had more new cadets this year than we had in our whole battalion in 1999. You have a great tradition to carry on.
I would like to address a few things that I see as a trend; Uniforms, commitment, and academics.
Uniforms: At the end of last school year I had to destroy numerous AG 415 short sleeve shirts, because of being dirty. Some of them had not been washed since they were issued to them nine months earlier. Your shirt needs to be washed every week and use some kind of stain remover on the collar. After you take it out of the dryer, then press it with a low temperature setting iron. For a drill meet the entire uniform should be clean before you show up for the meet. Remember, the trousers or jacket dry cleaned, the shirt is wash and wear. Clean your shoes with a damp paper towel and don’t forget around the edges
We wear our uniform once a week and we wear it proudly. If you stuff it in your locker it will look like garbage!
Commitment: If you say you are going to carry out something then complete the task. Do not wait until the last minute to notify someone that you cannot accomplish the mission. YOUR WORD IS YOU BOND!
Academics: This is the beginning of the second 6 weeks, and you should be settled into a groove by now. You know what your teachers expect; you know their grading procedures, so get with the program. Remember freshman that you are starting to work on your after high school career.
After academics is the Corp of Cadets?
On Time On Target
CADET Major: ALEX SNIFFEN
Battalion Commander
Welcome to the New Year Wolf Battalion;
As we begin this 2009-2010 school year, it will take all of you some time to get used to the way we do things; however, once you do you will see that this program is more than just marching and classroom learning. This program is a family, and the camaraderie that you will develop with your fellow cadets will stand for all four years that you are enrolled in this program. I have seen most of you as a battalion, and I must say, I am impressed with many of you. In the past, many people have joined us “because their parents made them”, this year however, many of you joined simply because you wanted to.
We have already begun our passage into the new school year, and with the Officer commissioning/ NCO Promotion Ceremony last Tuesday, we officially began another year as the Mighty Wolf Battalion. With that said, I would like to congratulate C/ 2Lt Vasquez and C/ SSgt Barber for being the honor graduates from OCS and NCOs respectively. They both studied hard and were the best cadets in all aspects at their respective schools. I would also like to congratulate all of the newly commissioned officers and the new NCOs that received promotions as well. As I stated, you all have a whole new world of responsibility, and with that a new level of standards. I expect so much more out of all of you than I ever have before, and I expect you to hold onto the creeds you took on Tuesday throughout the school year.
This past weekend (26 September), the teams we have experienced their first drill meet. This will be an experience you will never forget. Enough with the past, in the future, we have many events that are worth looking forward to. We have our next drill meet at Lewisville, at which we will be performing (at least on drill team), exhibition and regulation sequences. We will also have color guards, as well as rifle team at this drill meet; so look forward to working hard rather than hardly working. As far as hardly working goes, we also have our Battalion picnic on 24 October. This is an amazing event that we do every year, and we always have a blast. We reserve a pavilion at Arbor Hills Nature Reserve, barbeque us up some grub, and have a blast with all the cadets. We play sports, run around, and explore all the trails, all the time while building rapport between fellow cadets.
I hope all of you have a great year this year, and I know you will not let me down, because:
“The Wolves of the West are the Best”
CADET SERGEANT MAJOR: TEMPESTT CARTER
BATTALION SERGEANT MAJOR
I am your Battalion C/ SGM. All that really means is that I am the highest-ranking enlisted officer in the battalion. I would first and foremost like to welcome the freshman class to the mighty Wolf Battalion and to the sophomores, juniors, and seniors: Welcome Back. Hope everyone had a great summer and is ready to jump head first into this exciting school year. Congratulations to all those who were selected to go to OCS/NCO school, as well as to the officers for winning the traditional Cat and Mouse game. NCOs, I am still proud of you for the effort that each and every one of you put forth. As you all should know teams have started back practicing; it is your responsibility to be here and be ready to practice. If you are not on a team we, as a battalion, encourage you to join one. On 11 Sept 09, we had our first home football game and I must say that I was disappointed at the amount of cadets who showed up. Also cadets need to study there knowledge, this is very important not only for football inspection but for our Off-Year Inspection in December. Congratulations to all the newly commissioned officers and all the NCOs who were promoted continue to work hard and your hard work will not go unnoticed. This past Saturday teams competed at the Denton Drill Meet. All teams did really well so continue the hard work because it shows on the drill field. Congratulations to Cadet Garrison and NCO Young for winning NCO/Cadet of the Month. Please do everything you can as a battalion to encourage cadets to show up for NCO/Cadet of the Month as well as Officer of the Quarter (its great practice for the TFI).
Well we’ve come to the end of my article I hope that this school year has started off great for you all. Continue to excel academically as well as in the Corps. Be the best person you can be at all times despite of who is watching you. So until next time Wolf Battalion, in the words of 1SG “have a peachy keen year.”
Cadet 1 LT:Giavana DiGiorno
BATTALION S-1 OFFICER
Howdy fellow cadets!
For those who don’t know me, the name is Giavana Di Giorno, your spunky S1. I handle all of your awards and promotions. One thing I ask though is that you don’t come up to me randomly asking if I’ve put in your award. I promise you, you’ll get what you need. Remember there is 99 of you.. (:
So far, our yr has been a blast. One drill meet, one car wash, the Promotion/Commissioning ceremony, and one football game. Ah, so much already! I think we all can agree we need to work harder at the next drill meet and bring home some trophies!! The car washes brought in a ton of moo-lah, good job! The Promotion/Commissioning ceremony went well.. I hope that my voice didn’t put everyone to sleep. :/ Other than that, I did not attend the football game but I heard everyone worked hard and did their job. Thank you for all that you’ve done so far!
Coming up, we have the Battalion Picnic! My favorite event! I hope to see all of you there. It will be tons of fun and it’s an opportunity to meet your fellow cadets from the other school. Also, to those weirdos that like their videogames, keep the games at home people. We’re going to a nature reserve. Nature, key word. Let’s enjoy God’s beauty and not focus on a HD t.v. (:
I hope everyone is keeping up with their studies! You are students first and cadets second. Good luck with your studies!
Love You All Tons,
Cadet 1st LT: Jahmeela Howard
BATTALION S-2 OFFICER
I’m gong to start of by saying congratulations to everyone who was promoted this past month at the Promotion and Commissioning ceremony. For those who haven’t, do not be discouraged. Your time will come. The teams this year are looking great. For those who are not on a team, there is always a chance for you to join. It’s a great way to meet new people and have a great time. Even though it takes up part of your Saturday, it is well worth it. Now down to fun part, the car washes went great. As I’m writing this article, the drill meet has not yet occurred but I hope it goes well. For everyone who’s article is late, this is your first strike. Next time, I won’t be as generous and I will not wait on your articles. If anyone feels that they have something to say, be sure to save it on the USB and make sure it makes its way to my desk.
Now that I’m done with the pep talk about the article and teams its time for business. As you all know the Off Year Inspection is on December 2. Be sure to strive to do your best and make sure you study your knowledge. Also all of the drama within the battalion needs to come to an end. I understand there is a lot going on but be sure to not cause ANY unnecessary tension between yourself and anyone else.
Now that I have completed that, I will like to say great job at continuously improving attendance at events. In the long run, it will payoff for you, as well as your company. Keep up the Great Work guys. Don’t be afraid to try and get others involved. It helps the unit function more properly and it makes things easier for yourself when its time for you to do things such as football games. Remember, I love you all equally (wink wink).
Cadet 1st LT: Christopher Gordon
BATTALION S-3 OFFICER
Hello Wolf Battalion!
Hope your year’s gotten off to a good start! The Battalion has been doing well so far. We may not be gurus in drill yet but with practice and determination we’ve proven we have the potential to do very well. Our events have gone well so far: College Night, the 1st Football Game, Denton Drill Meet, the Promotion/Commissioning Ceremony, and the Car Wash. All basic goals and objectives were met and nothing turned into a disaster.
On a drier note, there are some issues within the Battalion as well, just as there are in any unit. There have been attendance and participation issues among cadets so far this year. People have been avoiding volunteering opportunities. Worse off, people have been signing up to help with events and then either cancelled at the last minute, showed up late, come out of uniform, messed around instead of helping, left early, or a combination thereof. Those actions show poor discipline, dedication, and leadership, and they need some work. The good news is: they CAN be fixed! Show the leadership that how outstanding of a cadet you can be! We’re watching more than you realize, and that means that a good cadet will be noticed and promoted.
On a brighter note, I was amazed by how silent and still all of the cadets were at the Promotion/Commissioning Ceremony. That shows a lot of respect and discipline and is something to be proud of.
Let’s continue to show everyone that the “Wolves of the West are the Best!”
Cadet 2nd LT: Tanner Stobaugh
BATTALION S-4 OFFICER
Hey Wolf Bn. Its Stobaugh your trusty S-4. If you need anything from pencils to sabers I’m your man. By the way if you want dog tags ask the Major or First Sergeant for a form. They are ONLY $4! And there pretty balling if you ask me. Congrats to all the new Officers and NCOs, keep up the good work and let’s make this year a gold star year!
Cadet 1st LT: Julie Desousa
BATTALION S-5 OFFICER
Dear Wolf Battalion,
I hope you’re having a remarkable new school year so far. I’d like to thank everyone who helped out at the car wash, because I made friends with so many of you and we got a lot of work done. To all the new freshman: I hope you’re having the time of your life, and I hope you decide to stay in JROTC for all four years.
Cadet 1 LT: Chris Dawson
BATTALION S-6 OFFICER
Hello Battalion!
I hope y’all had fun this summer and are getting back into the swing of things for school.
Enjoying the first six weeks? I now I am having a Blast! For those of you who don’t yet know me, my name is Chris Dawson and I am the Battalion Electronics Officer this year. This means that I am in charge of updating that wonderful website you all look at on a regular basis.
Well there is not much to report on my side about the website. By the time you read this, it will most likely be online in all its glory. This year a few changes have been made to this site for all you returning cadets. For starters, you can now view last years photos in addition to the ones posted this year. In addition the entire calendar is on the homepage.
As of now all teams rosters should be up to date, with the exception of the Varsity Knowledge team, and Jasper and Shepton Color Guard teams. If you are on a team and don’t see your name on the site, let your team commander know.
I encourage all of you to go look at the website; who knows, you may find something funny or informative. If you find something wrong or out of place, let me know if you see me, or forward it up through your chain of command.
FYI: The website is at: www.k-12.pisd.edu/School/pwsh/Academics/JROTC
Now on to more serious matters. To all the new people out there: If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you join one of the many special teams. We meet Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30 – 6:00, so it’s not too much time, but it’s a great way to meet new people and quickly make a bunch of friends!
In addition, besides joining teams, participating in the various events throughout the year is another great way to have some fun and meet people. We have football game, socials, car washes, and a long list of other stuff. So I highly encourage you to come out and help out and have some fun while supporting the Mighty Wolf Battalion!
Well that is all I have for this issue of the Battalion Times, so I will leave you with this to ponder:
If you replace one letter in this civil war general’s name, with two letters from the word “coup”. The name of a well known super hero is formed; name the General, and the character.
With that I say farewell…
~Battalion S-6
Cadet 1st LT: Jason Jeon
Headquarters Company Commander
Hello Wolf Battalion!
How are you? I hope everyone is having a fantastic first semester, keeping your grades up and such. I just wanted to thank everyone for their participation at the football game, Officer commissioning/ NCO promotion and car wash. I would like to congratulate anyone who earned awards or was promoted. Keep studying up your knowledge for the formal inspection in December. Also, for the NCO/Cadet of the Month, study your knowledge and make sure you get up to PWSH on time.
Cadet 2 lT: Viktoria Rose
Alpha Company Commander
Hey everyone,
I’m happy to be starting a new school year! I would like to say welcome or for some of you welcome back to the mighty wolf battalion. I hope everyone had a great summer, AND ready are to get things started again. I would encourage everybody to get involved in something with the battalion. You will have a much better experience if you join a team. There are a lot of great people in the battalion that you should get to know. Things are going to start moving very quickly once we get deep into school. I just want to let you freshmen know that you are the most important people in the battalion. I hope everyone that when to the first football game had a great time and car wash. The promotion ceremony may have been boring for some of you but maybe next year you will be on the stage getting promoted. I had fun at the drill meet and I hope everyone else did to but I am very disappointed it those people who said they were going to be there and didn’t show up or tell anyone a head of time that they would not be able to make it. That can really put your team at a disadvantage. So everyone go where you say you are going to go and everyone will be happy =). (Sorry Vasquez didn’t have time from our plan… maybe next time).
Cadet 2 lT: Lourdes vasques
Bravo Company Commander
YO GEEZ WUSSUP!
Wuss poppin’? Hahaha. I’m your Bravo Company Commander this year and I look forward to getting “crunk” with ya! Like 1st Sergeant Ford mentioned, you guys are a pretty spiffy group of cadets! I’m very impressed with all of your determination to JROTC. It’s cadets like you who will make this battalion great! I look forward to getting to know all of you soon! Props to my awesome 1st sergeant, UNCOVSKY!!!! Isn’t he great?!
One of the goals I have set for our company is to win best company this year so we can get a PIMPIN’ trophy at the military ball! (: So I highly encourage all of your participation in JROTC events like football games and other activities. On that note, I’d like to praise you guys for raising a total of $723 at the car wash last weekend! GOOD TEAMOWRK! Though it was tough, especially sign duty, you guys did really well and hung in there. Just think about it, next year you can tell your cadets do sign duty, too!
Congratulations to those who attended the Denton Drill Meet! It’s a great experience to participate in those. Ask anyone who has gone to one and they’ll tell you how much fun it is! So if you are considering joining a team, it’s never too late to join! It’s also a great and easy way to meet other cadets from West and Shepton!
If you have any questions about anything or if you just wanna talk you can contact your platoon leader JACOB TARVER, your company XO TYLER KURTZ, or me. Just hit us up! And remember, if you want to contribute and submit your own article you’re welcome to do so. Just make sure you hand in a spiffy flash drive to me whenever you come up!
From B CO COMMANDAHHH!
Vasquez (:
Cadet 2 LT: Kioumars Rezaie
Charlie company commander
Hey Charlie Company and Wolf Battalion,
I’m going to start off by saying that I really do believe I have the best company out of the battalion; not because of the number of cadets but because of all the potential that I see in all of you. So far I have been impressed and hope that it will continue throughout the rest of the year. Although, the first time I saw all of you Charlie guy’s I thought I was going to have my hands full this year but I know that First Sergeant Sierra Barber will take good care of all of you. Let’s move on, the Car Wash as said by Major Napoli, “Was the best ran car wash I’ve seen in years,” and from my experience it has been the smoothest one so far. Of course let’s not forget the amount of money we made, which was about $765 at our location and a total of around $1490. If that’s not impressive then I don’t know what is because in this economy it is hard just to go out and donate money to a bunch of “Car Washin Fools”. Getting to the point I was really impressed with all of the hard work that I saw from a bunch of cadets. One more thing I would like to say is that during the Commissioning/Promotion Ceremony I liked how all of the Cadets were respectful even though it wasn’t their turn to go up on stage, but I can promise that if you work hard and do what you are told, you have a higher chance of being u on that stage during the Award Ceremony in the Spring.
Cadet 2 LT: Joshua Lambert
Delta Company Commander
Welcome to another wonderful year in the mighty Wolf Battalion. To the new cadets this year, I wish you a good time with us this year and remind you to learn your knowledge packet and get better at your marching. The formal inspection comes much earlier this year in December witch means that we have less time to prepare, and although this is only an off year inspection it is still important that we do well. I will try my best to be a good commander this year and get your promotions and awards to you on time. Lastly I ask you if you’re not already on a team to please join one, thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon
|
