From crisp uniform inspections to thunderous drill decks and early-morning bus rides fueled by determination, the ROTC Report captures the core of our NJROTC unit throughout the year. Our cadets step into challenges that test commitment, discipline, and teamwork—and rise to meet them with honor. In this segment, we look back on the competitions that defined our journey across our many teams so far this year, celebrating hard-earned victories, lessons learned, and the unmistakable pride that binds us together. This is more than a recap of scores and standings—it’s the footprints our cadets are leaving behind in Brewster’s NJROTC history.
This year’s drill season continued with determination, teamwork, and outstanding achievement, as we rose to the top at every competition we entered. We had a strong showing at our Bethel Drill Meet on November 22nd, which was our area’s qualifying meet—the most important of the year, where the unit earned third place overall and brought home multiple trophies, including first place in Armed Platoon, Rocketry, and NS1 Inspection. We also demonstrated versatility and athleticism with high placements in Athletics, Drone competition, and the NS1 Platoon, setting the tone for a season built on hard work and pride.
The momentum continued to build as we hosted our First Annual Drill Meet on December 13, where our cadets delivered an exceptional performance, earning second place overall in both the Varsity and NS1 divisions. The unit captured several first-place finishes, including NS1 Squad, NS1 Colorguard, NS1 Inspection, and Varsity Inspection, showcasing discipline, precision, and leadership across all levels. The drill meet was a huge success, and we can’t wait to host again in the years to come.
The season peaked as we attended the Area Championships on January 24th in Newport, Rhode Island, where the unit earned an impressive second place overall against top regional competition, ranking us 2nd in the whole area. Our cadets excelled in the knockout event, a competition that tests Cadets individual drill ability while being given random commands by a Navy or Marine, where several of our very own cadets placed highly in this event. They placed as follows: 10th Place – Brooklyn Scott, 7th Place – Tatiana Aguilar, 6th Place – Jon Antokoletz, and finally, being the number one best drilling cadet in the area, 1st Place – Natalie Aguilar. Each of these cadets earned a medal for their accomplishments, reflecting their dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment, making this drill season one to be especially proud of.
Our color guard teams have also been focusing on excelling in the drill meets this quarter, being able to show at Town Hall to represent the colors for Assemblyman Matt Slater for the Veterans Hall of Fame Ceremony, commanded by Ensign Cody Martine. We then proceeded to travel down to Madison Square Garden to show our Brewster Spirit at the New York Knicks game, commanded by Senior Chief Petty Officer Dorian Solimano. In addition, our Air Rifle team has been hard at work, as we completed our first competition of the year and made it to Nationals. Thirteen shooters traveled to Oxford Massachusetts and competed through a series of targets. While we didn’t progress any further, we had many cadets go and gain experiences that will lead us to victory in the years to come.
Our Air Rifle team wasn’t the only one to make large strides this year. Our Orienteering team, led by Ensign William Mattson, competed in the Area Championships which was hosted for the first time in Brewster’s NJROTC History on November 23rd. We managed to place 2nd Overall, and Cadet William Mattson earned first place on the Varsity Course while Cadet Luca Borneman earned first place on the JV Course, ultimately securing us a spot in the orienteering nationals which are to be held in Florida in March of 2026.
Our Academic team has also had the opportunity to take the JLAB Academic Test, where two teams competed. The first team, Blue Team, was composed of these academically skilled sophomores: Ethan Cruz, Marjorie Palma, Tatiana Aguilar, Natalie Aguilar, Peyton Wiafe, and Nickolas Anderson. Our second team, Gold Team, consisted of our six Platoon Commanders: Juliet Bryggman, William Mattson, Sam Sanchez, Riley Borneman, Hailey Tierney, and Cody Martine. After two vigorous periods of hard work, we managed to score an 80 percent, securing us a spot in JLAB Round Two which will be taken in the early weeks of February.
With all that we’ve done so far, you might think our season is coming to a close, but you would be mistaken. On January 29th we are hosting our Area Managers Inspection (see center spread on pages 12 and 13), on February 6th we are hosting our Military Ball, and on February 28th we will be attending the first ever NS1 Drill Championships! If you want to hear about all of those incredible events coming up, stay tuned for the next ROTC Report or check the newspaper’s website—BrewsterBearFacts.com—for the online exclusive issues.
Hoorah!
