The Junior ROTC at Powhatan High School underwent its first formal inspection on Thursday, April 24th. In order to identify deficiencies and areas of merit, an inspection team from Fort Bragg, North Carolina followed a checklist that was worth 600 points and covered 10 areas. Having scored 98% on the formal inspection and having received 400 out of 400 possible points on their unit report, the Powhatan High School Junior ROTC unit has now earned the status of Honor Unit with Distinction (HUD). This is an outstanding achievement! Only a few JROTC programs earn HUD status during their first formal inspection and only 30-40% keep the honor at their second three-year formal inspection.

An Honor Unit with Distinction (HUD) is one that has demonstrated exceptional performance in all areas of program operation. In order to be awarded this rating, the JROTC program must score at least 96% or a minimum of 576 points on the formal inspection and 384 points out of 400 points on the unit report. With a score of 98% on their inspection and 400 points on their unit report Powhatan cadets will now wear a gold star above their name tags on their uniforms to indicate that they belong to an Honor Unit with Distinction. This achievement reflects well on the program and on the school.

There are several benefits that a school receives from HUD status. They include:

1. The reputation and pride that goes with this great honor are highly motivational. When cadets are in uniform with their gold star, other cadets and the community are aware of the outstanding program.

2. Each school that has an HUD JROTC program is recognized on a higher level because of this status. The Cadet Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia will send a list of schools that have an HUD status to all colleges or universities that have a senior ROTC program. This will give all students applying from these schools extra consideration for acceptance. When a student or cadet that is from an HUD JROTC school applies for an ROTC scholarship, they will receive special consideration for enrollment.

3. The principal or senior Army instructor can recommend and provide a student from their school a nomination letter to one of the Armed Services Academies. This is equivalent to a recommendation from a senator or Congressman. There are 35 slots reserved in each academy for students coming from a school that has an HUD.

4. Any student from a high school that has an HUD JROTC program can include this on their resume for employment.

Colonel Steven Mifflin and Sergeant Ricky Johnson have done an outstanding job in establishing the Army JROTC program at Powhatan High School. They have taught and trained our cadets to strive for the highest of goals. Likewise, our cadets have responded in an outstanding manner, earning awards at all of the JROTC Raider, Drill, and Rifle competitions they have attended during their first three years of existence from October, 2005 through April, 2008. Congratulations to Col. Mifflin, Sgt. Johnson, and all of our cadets on their highest achievement yet—Honor Unit With Distinction!