Personalities and the NJROTC

My youngest son is in the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (NJROTC) at Los Alamos (NM) High School. It is a wonderful program and you cannot believe how it helps the young men and women blossom. I must brag a little because it seems there is always a graduating senior from the program accepted into the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, while a plethora of other NJROTC students receive great scholarships, join our armed services, or set out on other fine adventures because of their experiences in this program.

A few weeks ago my husband and I attended the last awards ceremony for the 2008-2009 school year. We were impressed by the number of awards the cadets won over the past year. There were so many trophies that they covered two cafeteria tables. However, because I am fascinated by personalities, it was a real treat for me to observe the many personalities that make up this wonderful group.

SANGUINE

The best example of a sanguine personality that evening was one of the adult leaders. This Marine, Gunnery Sergeant Bret Painter USMC (Ret), is full of energy which is helpful when trying to keep up with and herd over seventy teenagers. Because of the demonstrative nature of sanguine people, it is easy to tell he loves his job. Out of the two adult leaders in the unit, he is more talkative and animated; it's not surprising that the cadets adore this man. Despite the fact that this leader is fun loving, he does have high expectations and the cadets don't ever want to disappoint him (or do push-ups when they don't meet the standard).

On awards night, Gy Sgt Painter was the one who addressed all the proud parents in the audience. He also handed out many of the awards and, where appropriate, he even called a few of the cadets by the nicknames they had earned during the school year. He even playfully "punched" one of the more "tough" cadets in the arm when she walked up to receive her award. Sanguine personalities enjoy good, wholesome fun with those around them.

CHOLERIC

Choleric personalities are pretty common in a military-type environment. Choleric personalities tend to be hard chargers and thrive in a military setting. I was amazed at how easy it was to identify the driven cadets; when they walked up to get their awards, they strode with purpose and confidence. Their salutes were as intense as their faces. The number of individual awards this group of cadets received was mind boggling. Being mission-minded people, choleric personalities tend to try it all . . .and succeed!

At the end of the awards ceremony the officers for next school year were announced. I'm sure not all of them were choleric individuals, but it was obvious that many of the cadets acknowledged for their new positions will take their duties seriously. Choleric people are natural-born leaders and, chances are, the ones who displayed intensity when their names were called, are probably the cholerics in the group. I am confident that these proud cholerics and young leaders will not let the unit down.

MELANCHOLY

The other adult leader in the unit is a melancholy personality and he is a wonderful compliment to his sanguine counterpart. He isn't as demonstrative as the other leader, but this former naval officer brings a more subdued influence to the unit. Over the past seven years, Lt. Commander Wesley Shumaker, USN (Ret) has almost single-handedly built the quality of current unit from the ground up. He can analyze what needs to be done and how to most effectively accomplish it, and then he does it almost to perfection. With this gentleman at the helm, this particular unit has won the Distinguished Unit award for six consecutive years. When it comes to respect and admiration, this man has it from both cadets and parents.

One cadet stood out that evening and I'm assuming he is also a melancholy individual. He had just been a part of the unit for one semester and he was running the podium. He was the student announcer for the evening and he did a wonderful job. His attention to detail and the way he conducted himself in an almost perfect manner screamed melancholy. He did a fabulous job keeping everything in order at the podium. His proficiency was publicly acknowledged when the adult leaders described the great job this cadet had done despite only being with the unit for only a semester.

PHLEGMATIC

Being a phlegmatic personality myself, I always appreciate the phlegmatic people in a group. The manner in which the phlegmatic cadets walked up and received their awards made them relatively easy to identify. They didn't walk with the purpose that the choleric cadets so blatantly displayed, but rather, they sauntered up to receive their acknowledgments. Their salutes were technically correct, but were not as crisp as their more driven peers. They were in no particular hurry to get across the floor, salute, or return to their seats. They were just. . ..well, laid back and phlegmatic. Many of these cadets didn't receive a long list of awards, but no one disputes their purpose in the unit. They probably help break up the intense atmosphere that can surround a strict environment while bringing a laid back peace to the group. I don't believe many phlegmatic people make the military a career, but what these peace-loving cadets learn in the NJROTC program should help them develop more discipline . . .something a phlegmatic can always use.

I truly enjoyed the awards assembly and appreciate the great kids and adults involved in the program. My own son is sanguine and very enthusiastic. This program is helping him learn to reign in his sanguine tendencies and to be serious when necessary. The NJROTC program helps choleric teens find an environment that fills their emotional needs to be in control, receive acknowledgment, and have loyalty. Melancholy teenagers can also find their place within the program. Since these teens tend to be meticulous, analytical, and seekers of perfection, they can enjoy activities like precision shooting, drilling, and events that test their skills. Phlegmatics, well . . .they fit in just about anywhere. There is such a wide variety of activities to enjoy that when a phlegmatic cadet finds something they LOVE, they will be devoted. The phlegmatic cadets probably won't seek out the activities that require a lot physical effort, but because of the way the program is structured, even an easy-going phlegmatic can receive an "A" if they stay on top of their classwork.

Personalities are everywhere and watching the young men and women of the Los Alamos High School NJROTC is no exception. What an honor it is to have my son and so many other teens be a part of this wonderful program.

(c)2009 Shona Neff

Comments

[lindy]

I really learned a lot about personalities from this post and although I homeschool my sons that are in High School I am going to look into the local NJROTC in our county.

Thank you for the great article, full of information.