One of Only four Brevard Teams to Qualify for State Competition
The Viera High School Army JROTC female Raider team placed fifth in the Florida Army JROTC Raider State Championships held at Hudson High School in Hudson, Florida on Dec. 2. The team was one of four Brevard County Raider teams that qualified for the Raider State Championships. The other teams were the Cocoa Beach male and female Raider teams and the Merritt Island mixed Raider team.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Viera High School Army JROTC female Raider team placed fifth in the Florida Army JROTC Raider State Championships held at Hudson High School in Hudson, Florida on Dec. 2.
The team was one of four Brevard County Raider teams that qualified for the Raider State Championships. The other teams were the Cocoa Beach male and female Raider teams and the Merritt Island mixed Raider team.
Brevard County has one of the most competitive JROTC districts in the state of Florida, with multiple teams from the local area usually qualifying for the State Championship in Raiders as well as Drill and Rifle Marksmanship competitions.
There are 154 JROTC programs in the State of Florida with only 54 total male and female teams making it to the State Championship. The Viera female team placed fifth over-all in the Raider State Championship including a sixth place finish in the Rope Bridge, second place in the Cross-Country Rescue, fifth place in the Fitness Challenge, second place in the Team Run and seventh place on the Fitness Test.
Viera female Raiders include Maddison Orlandi, Celeste Lopez, Annabelle Coleman, Rachel Devoid, Kristen Bright, Natalya Espling, Liliana Gallego, Jolie Johnson, Mackenzie Wildman, Mackenzie Dorr, Anabelle Alabre, and Madison Austin.
Congratulations to the Viera High School Female Raider team. This is the first female Raider Team Viera has had since 2019, so this accomplishment was even more significant.
SFC Carl Thomas and LTC Tim Thomas are extremely proud of their Cadets and the hard work and dedication required to even make it to the State Championship. These five events are physically grueling events that take place consecutively over a 4-hour period. All these Cadets are superb athletes.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
LTC Tim Thomas was commissioned through the Early Commissioning Program at Marion Military Institute before completing his degree at Auburn University Montgomery (AUM) in 1987. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the Alabama National Guard in 20th Group Special Forces and 117th Field Artillery while completing his degree at AUM.
After graduating from AUM in 1987, he was selected for active-duty service. His military education includes the Field Artillery Basic Course, Nuclear Cannon Assembly Course, Quartermaster Advance Course, Airborne School, Air Assault School, and Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
LTC Tim Thomas has a Bachelor of Science in Government from AUM and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. LTC Thomas is a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom I. LTC Tim Thomas is in his fourteenth-year teaching JROTC at Viera High School.
Sergeant First Class (Retired) Carl Thomas entered the United States Army in January of 2001. During his time in the Army, he served as a signal support specialist, EO Rep, Army Recruiter, Station Commander, Army Guidance Counselor, and a Battalion Recruiter trainer. SFC Thomas military education include, Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Ga, Advance Leader Training at Fort Gordon, GA, Primary leadership development course, Basic Non-Commission Leadership course, Advance Non-Commission Officer Leadership Course, Master Leader’s Course, Airborne School, Equal Opportunity/Facilitators Course, Auto Air load Planner Course, Army Recruiter Course, Army Station Commander Course. During SFC Thomas time in service he also worked for homeland security, DEA, and Secret Service. SFC Thomas retired in January of 2021 and is now a JROTC Army instructor at Viera High School.
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