Marmion's Flannigan Rifles wins trophy
Marmion Academy's Flannigan Rifles Drill Team placed first in the Homer L. Clendenen Memorial JROTC Drill Meet held at Concordia Lutheran High School March 19-20 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Led by this year's Team Commander John Callahan of Geneva and Executive Officer Jake Miller of West Chicago, Flannigan Rifles won the event for the 11th time, taking the coveted Commander's Trophy to Aurora for the third consecutive year!
In the Armed Division, Callahan accepted the first place Champion's Trophy for the team. Impressively, Jake Miller was awarded first place for the Top Overall Commander of the entire meet.
The Armed Regulation Platoon, commanded by Miller placed 1st; Armed Exhibition (X) Squad, commanded by John Tate, St. Charles, placed second; Armed X Platoon, commanded by Julian Chaney, Montgomery, placed first; and the Armed Color Guard, commanded by John Callahan. St. Charles, placed third.
In the Unarmed Division, the Unarmed X Squad, commanded by Jack Saloga, Sugar Grove, placed second and the Unarmed X Platoon, commanded by Matthew Villa, North Aurora, placed third.
In the individual events, the duet of Tate and AJ Rechenmacher, Batavia, placed second in Armed X Duet and Rechenmacher also placed third in the Armed X Solo event.
The 2016 senior class has exhibited outstanding leadership and teamwork this year as they continue the fine excellence of the Marmion Academy Flannigan Rifles Drill Team.
Marmion's Flannigan Rifles Drill Team is directed by SGM (Ret) John Gissel, USA who had led the nationally ranked team for the past 20 years. The team will compete in four regional Drill Meets as well as the Army Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. The season culminates with a trip to Daytona Beach, Florida to compete in the National High School JROTC Drill Team Championships in May.
Marmion's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is a U.S. Army high school program. In the program, cadets learn to become better citizens through classes focusing on history, leadership, and oral communication. They take part in military drill, inspections, and parades. As they advance through the ranks, they assume increasing responsibility for leadership among other cadets in their company. The JROTC program supports a competitive Rifle Team and Drill team. In addition cadets can participate in an Adventure Platoon and a one week JROTC Summer Camp. For more information visit www.marmion.org.