JROTC participation more than doubles for 2025 National Color Guard Contests.
Three years ago, The American Legion began inviting JROTC units in the areas around the sites of the national convention to compete in their own open category of the National Color Guard Contests, alongside the adult Legion Family-composed units. The 2024 contest in New Orleans welcomed nine JROTC units – the 2025 contest, held Friday in Tampa, Fla., welcomed 24.
Before the convention started, Chief Contests Judge Dave Priester had expressed his belief that the growth is due to greater promotion as well as the nationwide growth of the program itself. This year’s contests started two-and-a-half hours earlier than usual to absorb the additional units. The back of the East Hall of the Tampa Convention Center was full of teenagers talking to each other and their instructors. Three high schools sent multiple teams. But even with the enhanced lineup of competition from three other states, West Caldwell HS of Lenoir, N.C., won the category as it has the last two years, with a total score of 107.43.
With four-time National Commander’s Color Guard Newport Harbor Post 293 (Newport Beach, Calif.) not competing this year, the floor was open for a new champion to earn the right to serve as color guard at the 2026 national convention in Louisville, Ky., by scoring the highest average in Advancing/Retiring Colors and Military or Military Open. Perhaps poetically, that champion is Lady Lake Post 347 of Lady Lake, Fla. Part of The Villages and located about 90 miles from Tampa, it was the unit’s first year in national competition. The common sentiment was that the victory was “amazing!” and “for Pete back home.”
The winning color unit is part of the larger Post 347 Honor Guard. Diane Brothers of Auxiliary Unit 347 – her husband, Larry Snyder, carried the U.S. flag in the winning unit – said he named the team’s inspiration as one of the Honor Guard’s oldest members, Pete Carston, who had dreamed of this moment for 15 years: “Pete approached Post 347 Honor Guard members and told us his dream was to send a color guard team from Post 347 to the national competition. Less than a year ago we put together a great team, and today we ‘hit a home run’ for Pete.”
Member John Gorsuch said of the post’s Legion Family, “they’re great … they keep us going.” The support system on hand in the convention center – which included the post commander – was only a small part of the largest Legion membership in the world.
National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr., in handing out the awards, thanked the “robust body” of competitors for “proudly carrying and displaying the flag of the United States of America …. Each and every one of you are winners.”
Scores (in order of competition):
JROTC
Bradley Central Post 81, Bradley Central HS, Cleveland, Tenn.: 94.48
Bulldog Bad Batch, Franklin County HS, Meadville, Miss.: 102.70
Coral Glades JROTC, Coral Glades HS, Coral Springs, Fla.: 92.73
Wildcat Battalion AJROTC, Western HS, Davie, Fla.: 94.93
Clearwater Marines, Clearwater HS, Clearwater, Fla.: 85.20
Royal Battalion #1, Hollins HS, St. Petersburg, Fla.: 84.23
Royal Battalion #2: 67.70
Northeast Vikings Team #1, Northeast HS, St. Petersburg, Fla.: 77.68
Northeast Vikings Team #2: 71.20
Northeast Vikings Team #3: 79.23
Mariner Tritons, Mariner HS, Cape Coral, Fla.: 99.23
Pirate Battalion #1, Boca Ciega HS, Gulfport, Fla.: 66.88
Pirate Battalion #2: 69.93
Pirate Battalion #3: 67.15
Stingrays, Jule F. Sumner HS, Riverview, Fla.: 73.93
St. Petersburg HS, St. Petersburg, Fla.: 45.43
Pinellas Park Coast Guard JROTC, Pinellas Park HS, Largo, Fla.: 67.18
Robertsdale HS, Robertsdale, Ala.: 72.5
Hudson HS, Hudson, Fla.: 93.95
Admiral Farragut Academy, St. Petersburg, Fla.: 101.45
Fivay HS, Hudson, Fla.: 92.25
Falcon Navy, Dunedin HS, Dunedin, Fla.: 105.75
West Caldwell HS, Lenoir, N.C.: 107.43
Charger Battalion, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla.: 90.93
Advancing/Retiring of Colors
Laurel Post 60, Laurel, Md.: 86.60
Lady Lake Post 347, Lady Lake, Fla.: 87.20
Lynchburg Post 16, Lynchburg, Va.: 81.05
Carlisle Bennet Post 13, Albuquerque: 81.25
Jackie Robinson Unit 252, Los Angeles: 86.45
Military
Lady Lake: 87.2
Lynchburg: 85.8
Carlisle Bennet: 84.8
Military Open
Lynchburg: 84.15
Jackie Robinson: 85.85
Open
Laurel: 86.90
Jackie Robinson: 88.80
SAL Squadron 29, Lenoir, N.C.: 93.85
- Convention