The Eagle River High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) was established on 01 July 2006 and is designated as AK-20061. The Corps is presently under the supervision of Colonel Scott W. Brokaw (retd.), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, and Master Sergeant Jeanette Fuller (retd.), Aerospace Science Instructor. Col Brokaw retired from active duty in 2018 and MSgt Fuller retired in 2022.
The Eagle River AFJROTC program continues to build in experience and character and the growth we experienced over our first several years has stabilized at around 100 cadets. Our unit is designated a group with two squadrons and three functional flights in each squadron. The leaders of the group have done a tremendous job here at ERHS. We plan and execute a Cadet Leadership Course every year in July for incoming freshmen and current ERHS cadets. These cadets learn mental toughness and how to lead, in addition to having a great time out in the Alaska wilderness. During the school year, our Color Guard/Drill Teams continue to excel and bring home trophies including a State JROTC Drill Championship in 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2022. Our group has hosted a state-wide JROTC drill competition for 14 years with approximately 12 schools competing. We also host an area-wide JROTC bowling tournament attended by up to 10 school JROTC programs. Our cadets routinely accomplish over 3,000 hours of community service year after year; we visit both the Elmendorf and Richardson sides of Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER); we attend physical fitness competitions, participate in winter survival training; and we raise funds to purchase drill team equipment, enjoy pizza parties, and put on cadet “lock-in’s” where cadets get to know each other and bond as a unit.
Our Group has earned the “AFJROTC Distinguished Unit” award from headquarters AFJROTC in every year of our existence (18) and has earned an “exceeds standards” rating during every headquarters inspection we have had. We have no doubt that we will continue to earn this praise in future years. Our unit receives outstanding support from parents, teachers, and administrators here at Eagle River High School, and from the Eagle River and JBER communities. We could not have come as far as we have without this support and we look forward to an ever-growing relationship.
The mission of AFJROTC is to “develop citizens of character". Ideally, each cadet will have the opportunity to serve in a leadership position over the course of their tenure. The cadets of AK-20061 have developed the esprit-de-corps, personal pride, and traditions that will become a legacy. Each cadet has contributed in some way to the success of AK-20061 and should be proud of what they have accomplished. They have set the standard for all those who follow, and that standard is exceptionally high.