Douglas High Army ROTC plan marches ahead

Plans are in the works so the Army ROTC will come to Douglas High School by fall 2006.

"We're poised and ready to build the facility," said Douglas County School Superintendent John Soderman. "If you build it, they will come.' We're moving ahead as if the funding is available and we'll be ready to go.

"We've been trying to get an application through to the Army to go ahead," he said. "An ROTC application was filed but we didn't know when it would happen because of a backlog of applications. There's a long waiting list because of Katrina and Iraq."

As many as 80 students have expressed interest in having an ROTC center at Douglas.

The amount of $350,000 has been put aside to fund at least two portable classrooms at Douglas High School. The cost of the project is included in the Capital Improvement Plan which is funded by motor vehicle privilege taxes and the building and sites fund.

Plan designs have to pass ROTC criteria. A shooting range, where rubber bullets are used, has to be included. The portables at Douglas will also be used for class space and uniform and equipment storage.

Soderman said most large high schools in Nevada have ROTC programs - Incline High School and Washoe and Carson County high schools have ROTC. He said many students have benefited from the program.

"The ROTC is not all about military recruitment," said Soderman. "The program teaches team work skills, leadership and gives students the experience to become fire service and police personnel."