In its first year of operation, the county-wide Montgomery County Corps of Cadets program held its first cadet competition Saturday at Christiansburg High School, and the host corps proved to be rude hosts. The Blue Demons’ team won all four events in the competition.
Cadet squads from Christiansburg High and Blacksburg High School and a combined Auburn-East Montgomery squad competed in drill, marksmanship, rope bridge and ultimate frisbee.
Major Jim Conrad (Ret.- Army) is the instructor for the Christiansburg corps. He is keenly appreciative of the fact that the program is up and running in a remarkably short time from when the school superintendent first suggested that the creation of a corps of cadets program in the county schools would be an excellent way to teach leadership skills.
Christiansburg High has about 90 cadets in its rookie program. Blacksburg has some 50 cadets in its corps with Sgt. Cullen Chavis as the instructor. Auburn and East Montgomery have a combined cadet program with about 30 students in it under the leadership of instructor Michael Hodge.
The cadet course is offered in all four grades in the county’s schools.
