The members of the Ringgold High School Tiger Guard take home their trophy from the Georgia State Army JROTC Drill and Color Guard Competition in Griffin, Ga., held March 18.Last weekend, the Ringgold High School Tiger Guard Drill Team competed in the 2017 Army National Drill Championships, marking yet another first for the thriving Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps squad.
The Army Nationals, held in Louisville, Ky., from March 30 to April 1, brings together the finest Army JROTC drill units from across the country each year to show off their skills through armed and unarmed drill routines.
One student, junior Joe Langston, 16, claimed second place in solo exhibition, and the rest of the Tiger Guard’s teams finished top 10 in other events. Overall, the Tiger Guard finished 13th in the country.
“It was really a once in a lifetime [experience],” said Joe. “It was really an honor because we’re just a really small school in the middle of nowhere.”
But just having a chance to compete was also a huge honor, said RHS JROTC Army instructor Sgt. Joey Sisemore.