Two Bainbridge High School Air Force Junior ROTC Cadets were selected for the prestigious Air Force Aerospace and Technology Honors Camp at Oklahoma University and Tinker Air Force Base this summer. Cadet Erick Juarez spent a week in June at the Camp and Derrick Akins just returned from the same camp experience this month. 

Cadets Derrick Akins and Erick Juarez

Cadets Akins and Juarez became the 8th and 9th Bainbridge cadets to be selected over the past five years.  The others were Will Guzman and Ben Guris in 2004, Alex Rentz in 2005, Michael Love and Phillip Lambert in 2006, and Jessica Merritt and Gage Proper in 2007.

The purpose of the Aerospace and Technology Honors Camp is to introduce high-achieving high school cadets to scientific, technical, and flight opportunities in the Air Force.  Selection to attend Honors Camp is very competitive. Those selected have a minimum GPA of 3.0, are enrolled in college prep math and science courses, and have demonstrated leadership potential.  The 432 cadets selected from the 969 JROTC Units worldwide represent the top one half of one percent of approximately 100,000 Air Force JROTC Cadets from high schools throughout the United States and overseas locations.

The Secretary of the Air Force initiated the program to orient selected AFJROTC cadets to aerospace technology educational opportunities and aerospace related careers through a "hands on" curriculum including visits to college campuses, air and space operational units, research labs, and provide each cadet with an orientation flight.  Cadets Akins and Juarez lived on the campus of Oklahoma University and visited nearby Tinker Air Force Base.  In addition to the "orientation flight" at camp, the cadets both experienced commercial air flight from Tallahassee via Atlanta to Oklahoma City and return.

While there, Cadet Derrick Akins successfully led his flight of Honors Camp cadets to "first place" during the camp drill competition.  In commenting about the camp, he said "all the cadets were excellent leaders and therefore it was an interesting experience to determine who was best qualified to lead in the different activities."  Derrick is looking forward to sharing his Honors Camp experience, plus his Oshkosh Air Academy experience from last summer, with other Bainbridge cadets during the coming school year.

Cadet Erick Juarez attended the Oklahoma Camp in June and was very impressed.  "For me, the Honors Camp was definitely an unforgettable experience: Unique cadets, competitive spirit, a challenging ropes course, visiting Tinker Air Force Base, model rockets, physical training, and random weather defined the camp.  This camp made all of us face some of our fears and ultimately shaped us into better leaders."

Colonel Breedlove said, "We are very fortunate to have nine cadets selected for Honors Camp over the past five years.  For example, this year there were only three cadets in Georgia selected outside the greater Atlanta geographic area.  Two of those were Bainbridge cadets.  I thank Mr. Tommie Howell for his staunch support to our cadets through personal encourage, and letters of recommendation.  This support has made a big difference in our selection rate compared to other schools.  The Honors Camp experience is valuable to every cadet, and helped them be aware of the possible opportunities for their futures."