Burns JROTC cadets, drama students collaborate in training experience | Schools

HICKORY - The Burns High Junior ROTC and drama club worked with Andrew Ferguson of Command Decisions Wargames Center to provide a training experience for cadets earlier this summer.

Cadets were bused to the Hickory paintball and airsoft field early on June 4th where they were briefed on several facets of ground combat by actual military personnel. Meanwhile drama club members took positions on the field in two makeshift refugee camps where they would portray civilians in the fictional country of Dystopia.

The scenario for the day was that King Hoffer, ruler of a tiny Asian nation Dystopia, had become closer to the West than many of his supporters appreciated. These detractors split off from the government and formed a guerrilla army, The Quorum.

The Air Force arrives to help Hoffer and his government against the rebels; however, one of their planes is hit and they must undertake a search and rescue operation in order to recover their downed pilot.

During the day, JROTC cadets were to recover important items, patrol disputed areas, make contact with civilians and conduct attacks on Quorum positions.

Drama Club members created costuming and props they used depicting the disaffected and downtrodden citizens of Dystopia. Real-life medical personnel portraying World Health Organization doctors came to the refugee camps and checked civilians for infectious diseases, a few which students had studied in order to portray the symptoms. 

The exercise was successful and participants hope it will be the first of such training days that will help build JROTC corps, sharpen drama students' improvisation and technical theater skills and serve as experiential learning opportunities to enrich the lives and learning of students.