Brigadier Basic Maurice Barnett Explains The Significance Of The ROTC For Future Individuals

Close to the small city of Rupert, WV, Western Greenbrier Center College has a Junior ROTC program that teaches college students the significance of service to others and taking good care of themselves. The WGMS program is one among many throughout the nation that has been influential in serving to form and develop generations of Individuals.

United States Military Brigadier Basic Maurice Barnett, who served because the Commanding Basic for the Military Cadet Command, was sort sufficient to file a video to be performed for the scholars and teacher at WGMS. Except for well-wishes, Barnett shared that the impression and affect of ROTC is one thing that he can professionally and personally validate as a result of it was a place to begin for his personal service.

“Now, serving 31 years within the Military has been nice, and it’s actually a testomony to Junior ROTC,” Barnett mentioned within the video. “I’m extraordinarily happy with you guys.”

What’s ROTC?

Reserve Officers’ Coaching Corps (ROTC) is a college-based program that trains college students to develop into officers within the U.S. Navy. There are additionally ROTC and Junior ROTC applications in highschool and center colleges that supply college students an opportunity to study from army leaders whereas sustaining a pupil schedule. The highschool and center college variations have a construction that resembles the army however may very well be seen extra as mentorship.

The Military, Navy, and Air Drive have ROTC and JROTC applications that give college students a possibility to not directly take a look at the waters earlier than committing to getting into service for a brief or long-term profession. Many college students decide to affix whereas others determine to go in one other path. Barnett understands each side of the choice but additionally shared that even when college students determine to not pursue a army life, the rewards and advantages that come from ROTC or JROTC can serve them lengthy after they transfer on.

“Statistically, JROTC college students, at the very least on the Military aspect—I can’t converse for Air Drive, Navy, and the Marine Corps—have increased GPAs, increased attendance charges, and fewer self-discipline points. So, there are some residual issues that occur by way of Junior ROTC that I feel profit these younger folks.”

His Personal Scholar Expertise Led To Serving

Barnett and his three sisters grew up in a single-parent family in Gary, Indiana. He mentioned his mom stored him in sports activities to maintain him out of bother. Barnett took Junior ROTC as an adolescent and met Sergeant First Class Lewis Thomas, a Vietnam vet who Barnett mentioned took him below his wing.

“He actually impressed me to consider it. I wasn’t actually satisfied to pursue it,” Barnett defined. The ultimate nudge to enter service got here after his older sister joined the Marines.

“Seeing her transformation—emotionally and bodily—she went to Parris Island and simply got here again a special individual. I mentioned, “I would like one thing like that.”

Barnett initially joined the Nationwide Guard as a junior in highschool and signed up for Senior ROTC throughout his sophomore yr in school after being talked into it by Main Lance Lashley. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than the wheels received rolling rapidly.

“I took his class, and the following factor I knew, I used to be out at Fort Lewis, Washington, for superior camp.”

Barnett entered lively obligation on New 12 months’s Day 1995. He initially needed to serve 4 years however discovered himself falling in love with service. His profession has taken him to Fort Drum, NY, the place he received to be a battery commander and to West Level, the place he served as a P.E. teacher. He additionally received his Masters in Kinesiology at Indiana College alongside the way in which. He moved on to Germany and was deployed to Afghanistan.

Barnett turned Commanding Basic of the U.S. Military Cadet Command in August 2024. He served in that place from Fort Knox, and his tenure has been a constructive power for the 300,000-plus highschool cadets and workers. He concluded that he received simply as a lot again in return.

“I take into consideration the impression you get to have on folks’s lives on this career, the affect you might have, after which what you get again in return might be exponentially even higher by way of what they do for you.”

Introducing H2F to College students

The Military’s dedication to their troopers by way of the Holistic Well being & Health program (H2F) has been properly documented prior to now, and Barnett spoke in favor of the 5 domains of readiness; Bodily, psychological, dietary, religious, and sleep. H2F has already proven indicators of success the place it has been applied, and that’s why Barnett is worked up to see H2F programs being launched into the JROTC applications. As of early 2026, solely 23 p.c of 17–24-year-old Individuals can be eligible to serve and not using a waiver. The objective is to alter that statistic, and implementing these programs may very well be an answer, based on Barnett.

“We’re going to have this the place each junior cadet will get some model of H2F. Perhaps they don’t get all 5 pillars, however the sooner we are able to begin speaking to them about sleep, vitamin, religious wellness, and health, the higher off they are going to be.”

Recruitment is up throughout all branches, however to maintain that momentum going, the well being and wellness of America’s younger folks have to be a precedence. Whether or not college students within the ROTC applications select to serve or not, many army leaders have gone on the file to say {that a} more healthy nation is a safer nation.

Figuring out the potential that these H2F programs may have and the way it might affect the way forward for many college students of the nation, Barnett expressed each optimism and satisfaction on this improvement.

“That makes me proud to be part of that and take into consideration the lives that we’re altering.”

Barnett’s Subsequent Chapter Awaits

On the time Barnett spoke with Match to Serve, he was coming down the house stretch of his present function. As of March 2026, he’s set to transition from Fort Knox to a brand new function with the U.S. Area Command.

“I’m going to a different task at Peterson Area Drive Base,” he introduced. “I’ll be the Director of the J-5 there for Plans and Coverage, so a little bit bit exterior of my talent set. It’ll stretch me a little bit bit, I feel.”

Whereas he expressed a little bit uncertainty about what lies forward for him, he additionally shared {that a} mixture of his religion and expertise together with succesful folks he can be working with will probably be belongings as he steps into this new place. Those self same attributes may very well be traced again to his personal ROTC days, which is why he hopes to see the following era of residents contemplate it for their very own futures.

“By way of that JROTC expertise, I really believed I may do something. And that’s type of the intent, proper? To provide them these instruments that they should actually stretch themselves and develop into all that they suppose they need to be at that time.”

To study extra concerning the Military ROTC program, go to their web site.

M&F Senior Navy Editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this Match to Serve article.