“What you put in, you will get out,” senior Eric Rachell said about Lafayette’s Air Force Junior Reserved Officer Training Corps program (AFJROTC).

AFJROTC meets in room 123 and is a class that any Lafayette student may enroll in as an elective. The purpose of the class is to build unity and learn life skills while also learning about Aerospace Science.

Becoming a part of the program does not force a student to a military career. However, students who have an interest in the U.S. Armed Forces and are enrolled in the program have a higher consideration for college scholarships, military academy appointments or enlistment in the military services.

The life skills and unity aspects of the program are assessed in multiple ways. For example, as a part of life skills, students learn about time management and suicide prevention.

“It’s eye-opening to see how many of these kids that you’ve been with for like two or three years have actually thought about committing suicide,” senior and three year cadet, Rachel Eads, said.

Another highly acclaimed aspect of the AFJROTC program is the Drill Team. There are three competitions per year, one of which is in Daytona Beach, FL.  Lafayette’s AFJROTC has a very high success rate, even winning the competition every year during a recent 17-year stretch.

Anybody that enrolls in the class can be involved in co-curricular activities such as the Drill Team. Being part of AFJROTC teaches discipline, leadership and unity and is available to all types of students. This program has something special to offer to any Lafayette student willing to put in the effort to achieve the benefits.