Ansbach JROTC Honors Veterans with a “Route of Valor”  

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Story by: Cadet/PV2 Jameson Bogard

On November 4th, 2022, the 9th JROTC Battalion hosted a “Route of Valor“, where cadets honored many service members by telling their stories of bravery and patriotism. There were nine stations where cadets role-played and shared these stories: Michael Christensen, a Vietnam War POW; the Black Bicycle Corps members of the 1890s, 1SG Pascal Poolaw, a Native American who served in Vietnam; Ted Akimoto, a Japanese-American who served in WWII; Joseph Quintero, a Mexican-American who was a POW of the Japanese in WWII; Hazel Ying Lee, a Chinese-American woman who was a WASP in WWII; Tibor Rubin, a Jewish Holocaust survivor who served during the Korean War;  Sarah Edmonds, a women who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Civil War; and SFC Alwyn Cashe, an African-American Medal of Honor recipient who served in Iraq.  Cadet E. McCaskill who was a narrator for Ted Akimoto remarked, “ I really liked how the stories were written, they were a little long but went in a little more depth than you would expect.”  Cadet. Roman, who was one of the actors, stated, “It was very organized and exciting to act as one of the soldiers who fought.” 

Cadet ushers greeted guests at the door and handed out maps of the station locations.  Ansbach Middle High School art students decorated luminaries that were placed in the school hallways along the “Route of Valor.”  Cadets also served refreshments donated by the local American Legion and USO.

Cadet Haynes (who was the narrator for Michael Christensen) had this to say about the event, “ I really liked the presenting part of it and getting to interact with some of the people and answer their questions.”