National President calls for support of San Francisco area JROTC Program

Dear Navy Leaguers,

Our fellow Navy Leaguers in the San Francisco area need your help in saving the area schools’ JROTC program. The San Francisco Unified School Board passed a measure that would terminate the JROTC program in San Francisco public schools at the end of the upcoming school year citing among other things “that JROTC programs on campus constitute a form of military recruitment and are in violation of our policy governing fair access for recruiters on campuses.”

The San Francisco Navy League Council and several other local program supporters have been very active in trying to save the program.  They are asking for your help in getting the word out to your relatives and friends in the San Francisco area to join the movement to save the program, including putting the issue on the ballot for the upcoming elections in November.  

Many of our councils sponsor JROTC units and the Navy League has already taken a position in support of recruiter access to school campuses. Unfortunately, few students and parents are getting the full story about the tremendous opportunities available from the services. While many involved in anti-military efforts are well-intentioned individuals who are turned off by the war in Iraq, it is imperative that Navy Leaguers and other service support groups tell members of Congress, school administrators and parent groups about of the benefits of the JROTC program, reminding all that today’s military is a totally volunteer force.

School administrators, teachers and PTAs that would eliminate the military option and programs such as JROTC are being unfair to their own students. We believe students and their parents can weigh the options and make the right choices. Please read this fact sheet outlining the benefits of the JROTC program.

So if you have relatives and friends in the San Francisco area, I urge you to encourage them to join our fellow Navy Leaguers and the Choice for Students Committee’s movement to save the JROTC program. 

For more information, contact Chuck Shea, President of the San Francisco Navy League Council, at captcshea@yahoo.com or (530) 416-2083.

Remember, there is strength in numbers and your voice and vote do count!

One Mission – One Team

Sincerely,

J. Michael McGrath