High School JROTC Cadets at the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor Hawaii last March (photo provided by Tolleson High School Marine Corps JROTC)
Martin Bender
Support Our Troops-Arizona (SOT-AZ) presented a grant check for $2,000 on April 30 to the Tolleson High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program (JROTC). The grant was provided as “seed” money for the Cadet’s fundraising efforts to cover unfunded program costs and travel expenses in the coming 2026-27 school year.
The JROTC Cadets fundraising this past school year enabled 45 Cadets to travel to Hawaii in March to see the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor plus other historic military sites on Oahu. The Cadets were also able to visit MCAS Kaneohe Bay to explore firsthand the Marine Corps aviation assets based there.
One facet of the SOT-AZ mission is the support of military related community programs. High on the list is high school JROTC which is designed to develop leadership, citizenship, and personal responsibility. This past year Tolleson High School was named a Naval Honor School for its exemplary JROTC program. The recognition is given to the top high schools among the approximately 850 high schools nationally with Navy or Marine Corps JROTC classes in their elective curriculum.
Support Our Troops-Arizona thanks the Robson Ranch community for its generous support enabling SOT-AZ to provide financial grants to veterans’ organizations and community programs like JROTC. On Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, SOT-AZ will be hosting its annual golf tournament in the morning and its annual fundraiser auction in the evening. Again, featured in the opening ceremony for the evening’s live auction festivities will be the Tolleson High School Marine Corps JROTC Cadet Color Guard presenting the American flag and the service colors to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday and to salute all Robson Ranch military veterans.
SOT-AZ NEEDS YOU—Volunteers are needed to put on these events and other SOT-AZ events throughout the year. For more information and to sign up for SOT-AZ’s volunteer opportunities to honor those who serve and those who have served, contact Jack Van at 623–910-5709) or Deborah Dougless at 406–941-0996 or simply complete a volunteer interest form on the web at SOT-AZ.org. Golf tournament registration forms are available at SOT-AZ.org and also at the Robson Ranch Pro Shop.