Blog #11 Happy New Years Resolution

Here's hoping that you had a Very Merry Holiday/Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year. Your task this week is to post one Goal/Resolution that you plan on achieving in the first 6 months of 2015.  You must be specific and an your must give details on how you will achieve this goal. Don't give a simple goal such as passing all of my classes or saying you want to graduate to your next LET level.  Put some thought into this goal because you are going to be writing an essay about this goal on your Semester Final. Being forwarned is being forarmed. You now have an absolute reason to complete this assignment. Remember to post a URL/Video that is related to your goal thtat will help motivate you in your quest and also comment on at least one of your peer's work as well.  Regards and together we can make 2015 a better year for everyone's future.

1. Make resolutions. People who make them are ten times more likely to achieve them (Norcross, Mrykalo & Blagys, 2002)

2. Be realistic. You are not Superman. Reflect on what you have tried in the past, what has worked, and has not worked. If you have succeeded whenever you made a short list of goals, then make a short list. If you know you forget your goals in February, set a reminder in you Calendar App to rewrite you resolutions at 9AM ever first of the month.

3. Be practical. Making a New Year's Resolution to get into shape is not going to help anyone. Make a resolution instead to go the gym every other day, or to go for 30 minute walks every morning. Make your daily tasks concrete and measurable so you can clearly see what you did and did not do.

4. Be accountable. Tell other people what you're hoping to accomplish. Choose people who care about you and will support your efforts in achieving your goals. Let them know you would appreciate their support and their checking in with you to see how you are doing every once in a while. Sign up for something. When you sign up, it's hard not to show up, and a deadline can do wonders for motivation.
5. Be patient. Heed the wisdom of an old Daoist saying: "A thousand mile journey begins with one step." Note that it doesn't say, "A thousand mile journey is complete in one step," or "in one day," or "before you know it." The Daosists were mystics, but they were idealists. Take yourself at a pace you know you will keep up with, and try to break any World Records. Even one step every day amounts to seven steps in a week.

Blog #10 Self-analysis, my weakest Leadership Trait is...

Cadets, your work posted about your Best Trait was interesting. Since it is easier to find something good about ourselves, it is also much harder to find something with ourselves that needs to be improved or worked on.  You must select what you think is your weakest trait and how you intend to improve on that trait along with posting a URL article or video about your trait. Once you have posted your work, remember to comment on one of your peers work and then you will be finished for this weeks assignment.  Here is one of the traits that I can always use to work on which is my Endurance.  Here is a video that shows all 14 Leadership Traits and I hope you enjoy it

Blog #9 Which of the 14 Leadership Traits is your strongest?

Great job on your videos and leaders last week.  Here is your chance to use one of the 14 Leadership Traits that best describes your strongest trait. Explain why you feel this trait is important and how is is your best asset.  Once you select your best trait, post a URL link for a story displaying the trait that you selected or a video. When you have completed this task, remember to post a comment on your at least one of your peers.  Good luck and I look forward to seeing your work.  I personally feel that my strongest trait is Dependability as is demonstrated by my 24 years of Military Service and my 20 years of teaching JROTC.,  Here is my video on dependability:

Blog #8 Who's your favorite leader and why?

Good Morning Cadets: Your task this week since we have been learning about leadership traits is to post whom you believe is an exceptional leader and post why you chose them. You must then post a URL link for a story or video about the person that you chose. Remember to comment on at least one of your peers work.  Good luck and I look forward to reading your posts. Here is the person that I feel is an exceptional leader. I served with this person and saw his work first hand, he should have been the first African-American President of the United States. He fought hard and served his country on numerous occassions.  Here is his video:

Blog #7 Things to be thankful for over the Holidays...

Since the holiday of Thanksgiving is this week, I think that we should all reflect on what we have to be thankful for and post our opinions to our sight this week.  Once you have posted what you have to be thankful for, next select a video to support your post.  Good luck and I'll start the blog off with my own personal comment. "I am thankful for a loving and caring family that helps me through thick and thin. I have been blessed with great friends throughout my life and those two items are just the tip of the iceberg". Here is a video that I found that sums up my feelings.

Blog #6 Did the President do anything wrong with his Executive Order?

Hi again Cadets. Your task is/was to watch President Obama's press conference and see what action he takes with his Executive Order on Thursday night.  Once you have watched the conference, give a brief synopsis of what he said and also respond with your personal feelings about the situation. Once you have posted your information/point of view, make sure that you post a URL/Website that supports your information.  As we discussed earlier in class, there are quite a few myths surrounding the Executive Order so now is the time to set the record straight. If you add new information to our knowledge, then you are truly becoming a better citizen. I look forward to your posts and can't wait to see what you find.

Blog #5 Veteran's Day and paying tribute for all they have sacrificed

Good Morning Cadets! I hope you are enjoying your day off this Veteran's Day. I am posting the following video because it seems just like yesterday that I raised my right hand and said the oath of allegience to our country.  Your task it to watch the following video and respond on how it makes you feel.  Once you have done this, find your own video to add to our site to pay hommage to our Veterans for their sacrifices that they have made to keep our country free. Remember to lastly comment on one of your peer's work and your assignment for this week will be complete. Good luck and I look forward to viewing your selected videos. Try not to duplicate your other LET1's video selections if you can.

Blog #4 Respecting our National Flag, American Flag Act...

Hi again cadets. I hope you are enjoying your assignments in JROTC. This week as we have studied the American Flag and it's history we have learned the proper way to respect and care for our National Flag. Imagine my surprise when I first saw this story in the news over a year ago and there seems to be more stories like them about our National Standard.  Please watch the following video and post your own response to the video. Find a second story or video that relates to our U.S. Flag and post it back to our site and lastly, remember to post your comments on one of your peer's work. Remember to stay positive on your critiques and to motivate your peers to do better.  Here is your news story to watch.

Blog #3 Truly a story of caring and compassion, what do you think?

Welcome again to your 3rd assignment with JROTC as a LET1. Since we are looking at becoming a great citizen, it is always important to examine and learn from other's lessons in life on what they have done to excel and stand out in a positive manner.  Your task is to watch the following video, post your opinion and to find another story that is in print or video that is online and post the URL back to our site. Last as always is to comment on your peer's work in a professional manner to inspire their work.  As always, good luck and I look forward to seeing your results.

Blog #2 Community Service above and beyond

Good morning Cadets and welcome to your second Blog Assignment. Your task this week is to watch the following video and comment on it's content. Once you have done so, you must find another Story, Video, or New Report that talks about positive Community Service like the story that you just watched. You must post the URL/link to your story. Once you have done this give a brief discription on what the story is about and lastly, you must comment on one of your peer's work.  Good luck as some of you had a great start last week, I hope hope that more get motivated for this assignment. Here is your video.

Blog #1 SY2014 LET1 Welcome to JROTC. What are your feelings about this video

Welcome to your first assignment in JROTC LET1. Since you like videos, here is one that has a lot of information in it. 1: Watch the video and post if you agree or disagree with the video, why or why not. 2:Whatever your answer, you need to post a link to a WebSite URL that supports your answer. In addition to that, 3: you must then respond back on one of your peer's answers. Remember to be positive and yes, spelling does count. Once you have completed all 3 tasks, you will elligable for a possible score of 100. Good luck and I hope you have fun with this assignment.

Blog #16 My Goals and Dreams for the future

Your last blog of the year and here is your chance to be daring and let us know what your goals and ambitions are.  Since there is no wrong answer to this work, be honest and define your goals for your next year at the Fort and for life.  Remember to be specific as always and to define how you are going to accomplish these goals.  My personal goal for this summer is to lose 10 pounds over the next 2 months.  I am going to go to gym a minimum of 5 times a week and work out for at least one hour each day.  Additionally, I am going to ride my bike a minimum of 5 miles daily, more if time allows.  My food intake is already addressed so by limiting my calories and increasing my exercise, I should be able to measure my weight loss.  I hope to see you back in class at the start of the new school year, thinner and happier.  Regards and here is a video I hope that you enjoy.

Blog #15 Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of D-Day

This Friday, the 6th of June is the 70th Anniversary of D-Day. The largest mounted amphibious assault ever launched by mankind.  We are forever in their debt for the sacrifices that they made to keep mankind free.  Here is a video commemorating the 70th Anniversay and gives you a personal point of view about these vets that fought there.  You are required to post a similar video or story along with the proper URL as always and commenting on your peers work.  Good luck and I hope you enjoy this short video. Please post your own personal thanks to those heroic individuals that fought and served during WWII.

70th Anniversary D-Day remembrance at Normandy

Battlefield Bravery of D-Day Recalled by Vets: Rocco Moretto,89, survived the invasion of Normandy. Video by Debbie Egan-Chin/NY Daily News May 30, 2014

D-Day Story #2     D-Day Story #3     D-Day Story #4     D-Day Story #5

Blog #14 Here we go, we're at it again

Hi again cadets and thanks for sticking with the program this year. Your next to last task is to find yourself a Marching Cadence that you will use next week for your performance final for your LET1 year.  You have heard some of the ones from YouTube in class so you already know what they sound like.  You task this week is to post your own personal selection for the Marching Cadence that you are doing to perform.  Your must post the words for the cadence as well along with a video or audio link so that others may use the example to learn and practice for their performances as well. Remember to comment on your peer's work and good luck. You already know my favorite so have fun and I look forward to all of your good work. I hope that each and every one of you learned something new this year to motivate your during your upcoming summer.

Cadence : Old King Cole,

Blog #13 Memorial Day and paying tribute to...

Good Morning cadets, I hope you had a great weekend with your Park Clean-up and Norwegian Day Parade.  Since we are closing in on our last parade for the season and it is on Memorial, your task this week is to select a Video of Song that pays hommage to those memembers of our Armed Forces that protect our country day and night, 24/7.  Remember to post your link and explain why you chose the video.  You must also comment on at least one of your peer's work for full credit.  Good luck and here is your video this week.

Blog #12, 14 Leadership traits and who I would follow...

Good morning cadets and I hope that you are ready for the last marking period of JROTC. This year has flown bye and I can't believe that it is almost over.  Since we are looking at leaders and the traits that make them leaders, your task this week is to select a leader from the 20th or 21st Century and explain which of the 14 leadership traits apply to that person and why. Once you have done so, select a video or web site to post to our blog. Once you have done this, your last task is to respond or comment on your peer's work. Remember that leaders do not have to be in the military or politics and can come in all shapes and sizes.  Here is my short video on Leaders of the 20th Century.  My selection is for Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  He exhibited all of the 14 leadership traits on a daily basis.  He battled poor health and displayed Physical Courage.  I admire that President FDR was Decisive and made decisions based on what he believed the country needed. FDR never lost sight that he worked for the American people. Here is the video and I hope you enjoy it along with the other leaders:

Blog #11 News Surprise

Cadets, I hope you checked the site tonight as you will know what to look for in the news story tomorrow. This past week, there was an inmate in Oklahoma that was executed by lethal injection. Find the news story and be ready to write about it tomorrow in your current events story.  Good luck and I know you will do great writing about your Winning Color and how it can affect your future.

Blog #10 More about your brain and your future

Here is another short video clip about the Brain that shows that science is truly making amazing leaps with our brain. I am truly amazed every time I read an article on medicine today. Here is your video and I hope you enjoy it.

Brain News

Don't forget to post another link to a site about the brain and post your comments as well as your comments on your peers work.  Good luck and hope you enjoy the rest of the week.

Blog #9 Winning Colors and what my future may hold

Hi again cadets. Since we are finishing up with your learning styles you have two tasks to post this week. Your first is to explain what your learning style is and your second is to explain which one of the Winning Colors you are associated with for your communications skills. Once you have posted both of these pieces of information, find a video or news story that is related to learning and intelligence skills and post that link to our site. Good luck and we are almost in the last semester. I know you are looking forward to summer camp and I am sure that everyone that is chosen will have a great time. Remember to post your comments on your peer's work as well and don't forget that this weeks uniform wear is on Tuesday due to your school day off this coming Wednesday.

Blog #8 When I graduate, my "Goal" is to...

Hi again and I hope you are enjoying your Spring Break.  You task this week is to reflect on what you have learned in school this year and to set what you goal is going to be once you graduate High School.  Remember that you goal must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results based, and Time Bound.  Post your goal on our blog and explain how you plan to achieve your goal.  Once you have done that, post a URL/Website that had information about your goal and lastly, post comments on your peers work.  As always, I look forward to reading your comments and I hope that each and every one of you have a great Spring Break.

Regards: 1SG Lewis :-)

Blog #7 You and your brain, medical advances that truly amaze

Good morning Cadets.  I must admit that I am truly amazed when I read stories like the following. This story from NPR is amazing and truly inspires and give me great hope for our future.  You have two requirements from this assignment. #1 is to watch the video and post your opinions about the video. Once you have done that you must find another related story about the brain online and post the URL / Site. Make sure to give a brief synopis about the story and to also comment on at least one of your peer's work.  #2 is to click on the link that is provided and to take the short test.  Once you have completed this task, you must post your results back to our site.  I hope you have fun and I look forward to seeing your work.

#1: 3D Printer & the brain

#2: Self Assessment

Blog #6 It's not always about how smart your brain is

Good morning cadets. Your task this week is to read/listen to the following article and respond back with your opinion on whether you agree or disagree with the story. It has to do with the way we educate our kids today and what works with the brain. Once you have read the story, post your opinion on the site and find a URL/story on the web to try and support your opinion. Remember to also post your comments on at least one of your peer's work and you will be finished for this week. I hope you find the story as interesting as I did. Here is your link: NPR Your Brain and GRIT

Blog #5 The Brain and news to help alzheimers

Good morning cadets. Welcome back to the 2nd Marking Period of JROTC.
Your task since we are studying the brain and looking at how we learn is to
find news stories on and about the Brain and post them back to our site.
Remember to post your URL and a brief synopsis about the story. You must

then read one of your peer's work and give a brief critique or comment on
their work.  Once you have done this, your work will be completed. Here
is a news story that should get you started. Good luck and I look forward
to seeing your work.

Alzheimer's test on the way

Blog #4 The highest honor to bestow on our war dead

Hi again cadets and welcome back again to your 4th Blog Post.  This week we are staying with our courtesies and this one has to do when a person serving in the military is killed and they are buried.  Watch the following video and post your response as to what type of courtesies are displayed during the film. Write how you feel after watching the video and then find another video that gives respect to our military as a courtesy for their sacrifices that they make for their country.  As LET1's you are starting to get the hang of the blog and for those that are doing so, keep up the great work. Help your fellow cadet's out if they are having problems and let's build a stronger team. Here is your video:

Blog #3 Military Customs, Courtesies and welcome back

Hi again cadets and welcome back to your second semester of JROTC. I hope that you had a great week off with Regents and that your testing went well. For those of you that did exceptionally well, I hope that you were satisfied with your semester grades. For those of you whom were not, I hope you take the challenge to improve and make the changes that you need to in order to raise your grades. Your task this week it so select on of the Military Customs or Courtesy's that you are learning about in class and to explain what new information you learned about your selection in class. In addition to this, you must find a related online story or video and post the link to your work that supports your selection.  Here is my example and selection to help you with this one.  My selection is the Hand Salute and here is the video:

Good luck and don't forget to comment on your peer's selections as well. I look forward to reading your work and responses and hope to return to class shortly.

Blog #2 Something new to consider about the Olympics

Hi again cadets:

     Thanks for your hard word these past two weeks while I have been away. I am getting better and should return shortly.  Saying that, I thought I would give you something that is really on topic today.  The Winter Olympics are coming up at Sochi Russia and our U.S. Team along with teams from around the world are going there to compete.  With the recent revelations about the Olympic Games, my question to you this week is would you go if you were representing your country? Would you bring your family?  You must support your decision with facts and data.  As always, you should use internet sites to support your decision and make sure you comment on your peer's work as well. Good luck with your work this week and Go Team U.S.A. I am also proud to say that our team is actually wearing uniforms that were made in the U.S.A. again, the way that it should be!

Blog #1 Respecting our National Colors and it's History

Good morning cadets, I hope that you are all doing well. This week you are finishing up with the wear and appearance of your uniform and you will be learning about our National Colors and the National Anthem.  Your final this week is going to be on the 17th which is Friday.  You must log on Thursday night to find out what your essay question is going to be about and also what your current event question should be.  Here is your video that I selected for your viewing this week:

Remember to check back this week to post what you have learned and if you want to post URL links to other historical National Anthem videos from YouTube. Good luck and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.