Marching order Bangor High’s JROTC organizes Veterans Day parade

Rifle shots at Bangor High School startled few people on campus late last week, since Veterans Day was just around the corner.

Bangor High’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps’ honor guard and color guard were busy fine-tuning the synchronized steps and motions they are using in today’s Veterans Day parade.

For the past three years, though, the senior class has invested more time in organizing and preparing for Bangor-Brewer’s Memorial and Veterans Day parades than in training its younger cadets.

The seniors of retired Lt. Col. Jackson Kurtzman’s JROTC class have spent hours organizing the entire event, from parade permits to route mapping.

“It’s a lot of effort to put together a parade,” said cadet Mary Priesing, the JROTC executive officer, who is coordinating the event. “We are all working together to make it run as smoothly as possible. The entire city of Bangor is going to be there, so we want it to be nice.”

Priesing has spent study hall time and countless hours after school writing and distributing letters to invite organizations that have participated in the event. She hopes to collect e-mail rather than mailing addresses during this parade so contact will be easier in the future.

Three years ago, Bangor’s JROTC program took over organizing the parade from retired Col. Bill Deering. Kurtzman said he had reservations about committing to such a large task, but the students have really taken charge. At first, most of the planning fell to him, but now the students do about 75 percent of the work, he said. The parade is counted as one of the JROTC’s required service learning projects, he said.

In addition to coordinating with local law enforcement, community organizations and media outlets, the cadets also carry the colors, provide a 21-gun salute and march a platoon.

“You do feel a sense of nervousness,” Joe Brittelli, the battalion commander, said of parade day. “It’s not that you can’t think straight or anything, just a little nervous.”

Another senior duty is to ensure their younger cadets are properly outfitted. When presenting themselves to the entire community, tidiness is vital.

Just before the start of a freshman JROTC class last week, Brittelli took the time to inspect and offer hints to the newer cadets on uniform appearance before Kurtzman arrived. One young cadet’s tie was a knotted mess, while another admitted to not shaving and neglecting to polish his brass uniform buttons.

“You gotta be shaving in the morning,” Brittelli scolded.

By November most of the cadets know how to wear the uniform, Priesing said, but don’t be surprised to see her or Brittelli straightening a tie while waiting in the Brewer Shopping Plaza for the 10:30 a.m. start.

“I think personally we need to show discipline,” Priesing said. “Besides, it makes you look a lot nicer.”

The Bangor JROTC wanted to invite everyone to attend today’s parade, which assembles at 9:45 a.m. at the shopping center on Wilson Street in Brewer, and begins at 10:30 a.m.