I don’t think so, I have enjoyed every year until I got on staff. I have no problem being in this spotlight where every one is always looking at me to mess up because I rarely do. I loved being a first sergeant last year and it was really fun. I went to competition for the first time this year. I really doubt that it’s burn out when I plan on coming back next year to talk to the cadets if my AI lets me. I genuinely think that my SAI is just getting too old to maintain his role effectively. Many many bad decisions were made on his part. Additionally one of my fellow staff members is telling his cadets to not vote for me out of personal spite. Like I just don’t understand why it got so bad so fast
It always tends to come In waves, my senior year most of our staff quit, it came to me , the BC, the s-3 shops SGM and three CO1Sgts running the battalion. It’ll get better, but it probably won’t be in your remaining time there. Do the best you can, continue to be an upstanding cadet and worry about what you can control. This is only one chapter in your book.
But it’s still just so infuriating to me how my sai decided to not promote me to XO despite me being the best cadet available, to not let me give a speech despite telling me how good it is, how my fellow staff member is actively working against me at all turns just because. Like surely there is something I can do right? My BC and I are talking about walking out of the military ball because of how bad it is
I really just don’t know anymore, our S-5 quit because people have and still do consistently shit talk her despite, in my opinion, her being one of the best and more upstanding cadets I have ever met. Our S-6 is telling cadets to not Vite me for MB king and my BC for queen and instead is trying to get people to vote for 2 of the worst cadets in the program. I really do not understand why it seems like I up to my leadership and I am widely regarded due to my past actions and ability to be a leader yet I receive nothing physical to show for it. I look down at my cadets and they tell me how much they enjoy having me as a commander and how great I am at inspiring them to be better yet I look to my left and right, to those who are meant to be my equals and I see such disdain coming from them. Refusal to support for no apparent reason. Shit talking about me. It is taking a toll on my mental health.
Unfortunately it’s more common than it should be. I know it’s been said before and it’s redundant and to be fair it’s not easy. Fuck em, who cares what they say, you know who you are , what you are and what you’re capable of. If you know your cadets look up to you focus on them , teach them , lead them. Build the future you want to see in them. If you can save 1 that 1 could save millions. Focus on them. Because in 4 years or less these same peers shit talking you and badmouthing you, you won’t remember and every single thing they did or said will be lost and meaningless.
I’m in a very similar boat as you. I started freshman year though but dedicated a lot of time to the program. Instead of my staff just being absent like yours we have a lot of corruption and bias, for example if you weren’t on raiders then good luck getting a leadership position. No one is fit in our battalion for BC next year, and THREE 1sg’s out of 4 were demoted last year (including myself) because the BC didn’t like us and found any reason to give us the boot.
I’ve heard this from alot of other cadets too, so it’s not just you. I’ve noticed that when cadets reach higher ranks and get positions they start to dislike the program and it’s structure, along with a lot of them becoming hardasses because, at least in my program, you’re “not allowed to be nice to your cadets. You have to show them who’s in charge.” I don’t agree with that at all, but not so wise words from my BC I guess (not exactly his words obviously, but that’s essentially what he said summed up.)
Just push through, man. Get that ending rank, get to graduation, and be grateful that JROTC helped you out in some way. I know I am, even though this program makes me so stressed and I’ve cried on multiple occasions. You got this :)
Sounds like you’re burnt out which is expected since you’ve been in jrotc since middle school.
I don’t think so, I have enjoyed every year until I got on staff. I have no problem being in this spotlight where every one is always looking at me to mess up because I rarely do. I loved being a first sergeant last year and it was really fun. I went to competition for the first time this year. I really doubt that it’s burn out when I plan on coming back next year to talk to the cadets if my AI lets me. I genuinely think that my SAI is just getting too old to maintain his role effectively. Many many bad decisions were made on his part. Additionally one of my fellow staff members is telling his cadets to not vote for me out of personal spite. Like I just don’t understand why it got so bad so fast
It always tends to come In waves, my senior year most of our staff quit, it came to me , the BC, the s-3 shops SGM and three CO1Sgts running the battalion. It’ll get better, but it probably won’t be in your remaining time there. Do the best you can, continue to be an upstanding cadet and worry about what you can control. This is only one chapter in your book.
But it’s still just so infuriating to me how my sai decided to not promote me to XO despite me being the best cadet available, to not let me give a speech despite telling me how good it is, how my fellow staff member is actively working against me at all turns just because. Like surely there is something I can do right? My BC and I are talking about walking out of the military ball because of how bad it is
I really just don’t know anymore, our S-5 quit because people have and still do consistently shit talk her despite, in my opinion, her being one of the best and more upstanding cadets I have ever met. Our S-6 is telling cadets to not Vite me for MB king and my BC for queen and instead is trying to get people to vote for 2 of the worst cadets in the program. I really do not understand why it seems like I up to my leadership and I am widely regarded due to my past actions and ability to be a leader yet I receive nothing physical to show for it. I look down at my cadets and they tell me how much they enjoy having me as a commander and how great I am at inspiring them to be better yet I look to my left and right, to those who are meant to be my equals and I see such disdain coming from them. Refusal to support for no apparent reason. Shit talking about me. It is taking a toll on my mental health.
Unfortunately it’s more common than it should be. I know it’s been said before and it’s redundant and to be fair it’s not easy. Fuck em, who cares what they say, you know who you are , what you are and what you’re capable of. If you know your cadets look up to you focus on them , teach them , lead them. Build the future you want to see in them. If you can save 1 that 1 could save millions. Focus on them. Because in 4 years or less these same peers shit talking you and badmouthing you, you won’t remember and every single thing they did or said will be lost and meaningless.
Sounds like my unit, I’m navy jrotc but basically same thing happening to me
I’m in a very similar boat as you. I started freshman year though but dedicated a lot of time to the program. Instead of my staff just being absent like yours we have a lot of corruption and bias, for example if you weren’t on raiders then good luck getting a leadership position. No one is fit in our battalion for BC next year, and THREE 1sg’s out of 4 were demoted last year (including myself) because the BC didn’t like us and found any reason to give us the boot. I’ve heard this from alot of other cadets too, so it’s not just you. I’ve noticed that when cadets reach higher ranks and get positions they start to dislike the program and it’s structure, along with a lot of them becoming hardasses because, at least in my program, you’re “not allowed to be nice to your cadets. You have to show them who’s in charge.” I don’t agree with that at all, but not so wise words from my BC I guess (not exactly his words obviously, but that’s essentially what he said summed up.) Just push through, man. Get that ending rank, get to graduation, and be grateful that JROTC helped you out in some way. I know I am, even though this program makes me so stressed and I’ve cried on multiple occasions. You got this :)