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News-Sun photo by CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps color guard from N. B. Forrest High School in Jacksonville presents arms during a regional competition hosted by the Avon Park AFJROTC unit Saturday. In all 18 schools took part, from as far away as Jacksonville to the north and Miami to the south. Sebring and Lake Placid High Schools also took part.

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published: Saturday, November 01, 2008

Avon Park hosts JROTC drill meet

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

AVON PARK -- Colonel William Hutchinson and the Avon Park High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, led by its commander, Edwin Rivera, played host to 18 different high school's drill and color guard teams for a regional competition Saturday. The marching began at 8 a.m. and was expected to run to at least 4 p.m.

Because they were the hosts, Avon Park's teams did not compete. Both Sebring High School and Lake Placid High School did take part.

Lake Placid was the only U.S. Army affiliated unit, all the others are part of the Air Force program.

There were three areas of competition: Drill teams with a minimum of 13 members, a commander and a body of 12; color guard units with two flag bearers and two guards; and an individual drill routine in which a single person demonstrates mastery of the movements.

The teams were judged by members of the regular Air Force who came in from MacDill Air Force Base to take part in the event. The local National Guard unit also helped.

The judges looked for crisp, accurate execution of the set routines every team had to perform, and for individual grooming and personal appearance.

The judges inspected the students and then observed them in action.

The competition was ongoing at press time so final results were not available.

Close order drill is an extracurricular activity. It is not yet organized as an athletic district is, so this event is free standing and does not lead to a higher level of competition. The AFJROTC does hold two national drill competitions each year, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast.