Overview
This is a "compendium" of the events the CFHS NJROTC participated/hosted for the 2026 summer.
Rifle Dinner June 13
OVERVIEW
On June, 16th the Rifle team held their annual dinner at Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse with the dinner signaling a change of command towards the future of the marksmanship team and a send off to our seniors who had shot for the team through the majority of their high school career. The dinner was a major success and we hope our seniors the best of luck in the future.
Stem Camp June 30, July 1-2
OVERVIEW
From June 30th to July 2nd, Carolina Forest hosted a Stem Camp which included some cadets from North Myrtle Beach. The camp was open to incoming freshmen and upperclassmen, providing freshmen with an opportunity to become acquainted with their older peers. The camp was led by Armando Thompson, with assistance from Brenda Martinez. Together, they guided the cadets through lessons on teamwork, CPR, air rifles, and drones. The camp provided incoming freshmen with an opportunity to develop new skills, build confidence, and become acquainted with their upperclassmen peers.
BASIC LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY 1 - July 27th
OVERVIEW
On July 27, Carolina Forest NJROTC participated in this year’s Basic Leadership Training, which lasted four days. The event was conducted alongside North Myrtle Beach High School’s NJROTC unit, which participated with us throughout the entirety of the training. The first day primarily took place aboard North Carolina’s own battleship, the USS North Carolina. The schools toured the entire battleship, exploring its interior and climbing to its highest accessible points.
BASIC LEADERSHIP DAY 2 - July 28th
OVERVIEW
On July 28, Carolina Forest and North Myrtle Beach NJROTC began the second day of BLT with the Army Fitness Test (AFT) at Coastal Carolina University. The AFT consisted of a 2 mile, deadlift, hand release pushups, plank, and Sprint-Drag-Carry (SDC) but due to weather conditions cadets had to run two laps on the track field and deadlifts weren't allowed. Afterwards the cadets participated in Land Navigation taught by the Army National Guard, where they learned about maps and accurately pinpoint a location using coordinates. Afterward, the National Guard provided the cadets with a brief tour of the university’s campus before taking them to one of the university’s dining halls for lunch.
BASIC LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY 3 - July 29th
OVERVIEW
On July 29th, Carolina Forest and North Myrtle Beach NJROTC went to the National Guard Armory in Conway. While there, they were taught how to assemble and disassemble a M4 rifle. Each cadet was then individually tested by members of the National Guard. Afterward, the cadets were provided with MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) for lunch. Following the meal, they were interviewed about their first impressions, with responses varying greatly among the cadets. After lunch, the next activity was a teamwork exercise in which cadets paired up to navigate a simulated “minefield.” One cadet was blindfolded while the other verbally guided them to the finish line. The cadets then switched roles for the return trip. The next event was a simulated grenade-throwing exercise. Cadets were given instructions on proper throwing techniques and practiced using toy balls as substitutes for grenades. At the end of the day the final event to conclude it before awards was a throwing water balloons at the instructors who chaperoned the trip, using the proper throwing techniques and hoping to not dome an instructor on "accident".
Awards
On the second day the National Guard picked one female and one male cadet for who outperformed others and were top of the AFT. Those cadets were Armando Thompson & Dallas Hamilton. But the trophy which will be passed to the winning school in the proceeding future was won by Brenda Martinez who excelled on the every event throughout the second and third day.
Right photo is Brenda Martinez who won the Best Warrior Trophy
BASIC LEADERSHIP DAY 4 - JULY 30TH
OVERVIEW
On the 30th, CFHS & NMB ran the Physical Readiness Test (PRT). Afterwards, went to Sky Zone to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
The Full Thing
This year’s Basic Leadership Training provided cadets with valuable lessons in leadership, covering both the physical demands and the knowledge required to become an effective leader. Throughout the training, cadets were encouraged to rely on one another to overcome various challenges, whether it was pinpointing a landmark through coordinates or helping a fellow cadet finish off that mile. The emphasis on teamwork, trust, and leadership played a significant role in making this year’s BLT a success. Congratulations to both schools and all of the cadets who participated!!!
DRILL CAMP - AUGUST 3 - 4
OVERVIEW
On August 3rd, the Carolina Forest NJROTC Drill Team hosted a camp with the purpose of helping returning cadets shake off the summer rust while teaching incoming cadets the basics of drill.
On August 4th, the Drill Team taught unarmed & armed exhibition lead by their individual commanders. A former cadet named Andrew Newcome came by who is on a full ride to Norwich University on Navy Preparatory Program (NPP) did a Q&A of his personal experience of boot camp and what it is stored. Congrats to the cadets that participated in the camp and hope to a great drill season!!!
FRESHMEN ORIENTATION DAY 1 - AUGUST 5TH
OVERVIEW
On August 5th, Carolina Forest NJROTC held their annual Freshmen Orientation. The purpose of Freshman Orientation is to help show incoming cadets that NJROTC is more nuanced than "larping". Upperclassmen and Staff helped organize ice breakers, team - building games, and taught drill to the Freshmen.
FRESHMEN ORIENTATION DAY 2 - AUGUST 6TH
OVERVIEW
On August 6, Carolina Forest NJROTC visited the Oak Island Coast Guard Station, where cadets learned about the Coast Guard and its operations. The cadets were divided into two groups, with one group participating in a boat ride aboard one of the Coast Guard’s signature vessels while the other took part in a series of hands-on activities.
During the activities, cadets were instructed on how to properly use a heaving line with an attached ball. After successfully throwing the line into a bucket, cadets would race to carry a weighted dummy back and forth. Following the exercise, the group participated in a game of tug-of-war while the other group completed its boat ride. The groups then switched activities and continued until lunchtime.
FRESHMEN ORIENTATION DAY 3 - AUGUST 7TH
OVERVIEW
On August 7, the final day of Freshman Orientation began with a full introduction to the teams offered by Carolina Forest NJROTC. These introductions were led by the team commanders or senior members, who provided brief or detailed explanations of each team, its activities, and what it could offer to each cadets. The day went on fast and staff was able to fully issue out Blues.
The Full Thing
Carolina Forest NJROTC’s Freshman Orientation ran from August 5 through August 7. Throughout the three-day event, upperclassmen were able to teach incoming freshmen the fundamentals of drill while introducing them to what NJROTC has to offer if they choose to pursue the program. The visit to Oak Island was an incredible experience, and all of the cadets behaved respectfully and asked thoughtful questions to the Coast Guard members. Great job to the cadets for helping make this an incredible event!!!
Closing statement
So the whole idea behind this "compendium" kind of came up through the fact I might've hypothetically been running late on articles. So, I slated in the fact I needed to do something before school starts. That's when the idea of a "collage" of articles came to mind. Except I didn't know how I could actually write events from May to July. Therefore I wrote everything from the start of summer to the last event here within a single night as of 8/11/2026 12:06 AM. Hope fond memories can be found in this compendium.
Article Written by C/ENS A. Thompson
Contact us
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions! You can reach our Public Affairs Officer, Senior Naval Science Instructor, or Naval Science Instructor through the information below.
C/ENS Armando Thompson, Public Affairs Officer - CFHSPublicAffairsOfficer@gmail.com
Captain Kevin Boyle, Senior NSI - kboyle@g.horrycountyschools.net
Chief Gregg Thompson NSI - gthompson002@g.horrycountyschools.net
