By Jeff Mullin, Senior Writer

For many high school students, there is a standard uniform — consisting of jeans, shirt and tennis shoes or flip-flops.

They might not want to admit it, but most teens wear this uniform to fit in, to be part of the crowd, to conform.

For a group of Enid High students, they have chosen to, once a week at least, don a different kind of uniform — the blue uniform of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Their friends often ask what led them to join the AFJROTC, an elective class that requires quite a commitment of time. Their answers are as varied as the individuals giving them.

Cliff Barker, who holds the rank of colonel and serves as corps commander, plans to make the military a career and wants to be a fighter pilot.

Brianna Hockert, chief master sergeant, likewise has a military career in mind.

Dustin Rann, EHS corps vice commander, holds the rank of lieutenant colonel. His father is stationed at Vance Air Force Base, and Dustin plans to follow his dad into the Air Force.

Hockert likewise has family members in the military. That makes her and Rann unusual in the EHS AFJROTC unit, which is made up primarily of students whose families have no direct connection to the military.

All three say they like the changes they have seen in themselves since they first became involved in AFJROTC.

“When I joined in the ninth grade, I was like a brat,” Barker said. Exposure to military leadership principles, he said, showed him “how to handle situations.”

“I didn’t really know how to cope with a lot of things,” said Hockert. “I had a bad anger problem. I don’t like authority, and when I got into (AFJROTC) it was like, ‘Whoa, hold up; what is this?’

“I’ve changed, a total 180. I am a lot better than I used to be, and it is because of this program, and I know it.”

“I’m definitely more respectful and more understanding of how the military works,” Rann said.

AFJROTC is an elective class officially called Aerospace Science, but it is one that requires a substantial time commitment. That can be difficult when students, such as Barker, who plays football and wrestles at EHS, are involved in other activities.

“It’s a big-time commitment,” he said. “It’s time-consuming, and I have to miss quite a bit of stuff in both areas, football and wrestling. “

“I don’t have a job because I spend so much time in ROTC activities that I wouldn’t have time for a job at all. This pretty much is my job that doesn’t pay, except for in teaching you how to be a better citizen, which is what the society needs.”

AFJROTC cadets learn about the structure of the Air Force, the basics of military discipline, the history and science of flight, as well as leadership.

Barker credited Enid High’s AFJROTC instructors, Lt. Col. Dan Hollingsworth and Chief Master Sgt. Ed Rollins, for teaching cadets “how to be a leader, and also how to follow.”

“It teaches you how to function in society, better,” said Hockert. “It gives you a lot of leadership qualities that are beneficial for every aspect of your life.”

EHS AFJROTC cadets wear their uniforms to school every Wednesday, which attracts attention from their friends.

“They look at us like, ‘Why would you wear a uniform every week?’” Hockert said.

Barker said his friends outside the program are mainly intrigued by the meanings of the patches and ribbons on his uniform.

Grades are an important part of AFJROTC. One of Barker’s jobs is making sure his charges remain academically eligible.

“We can’t kick you out because of your grades, but we want to keep everybody’s grades up,” Barker said.

If cadets’ grades fall too low, they are ineligible to take part in AFJROTC events like field trips and drill competitions.

Among the cadet leaders’ duties is recruiting new members of the corps. All say they highly recommend the experience.

“It’s a good leadership program,” Barker said. “It teaches self-discipline, and it’s a really fun program to be in.”