“Welcome Aboard”, Granby High School NJROTC

WELCOME ABOARD SHIPMATES, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS! This is the official site of Granby High NJROTC.

We are Granby ROTC cadets. We are united, we are one, disciplined, and committed to one another. Loyalty, integrity and respect are the foundation of our character. We proudly serve our community, our high school and the NJROTC program. Our success is forged in the Navy’s core values of HONOR, COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT. HOORAH GRANBY!

This site is dedicated to the cadets, family, and friends of the unit. The latest information on the activities, events, teams, public affairs, and academic resources of the program are posted on this site.

Since the unit’s commissioning in 1972, Cadets of “COMET COMPANY” have strived to live up to the Navy’s core values of “HONOR, COURAGE, and COMMITMENT”. Named after John Manners Marquess of Granby, a hero of the Seven Years War. Granby High is 1 of 58 schools in Area 5 (VA, Maryland, DC area), and 1 of the 5 Norfolk Public School NJROTC Battalion. Built in 1939, Granby High is located on Granby Street in the historic Wards Corner district of Norfolk, VA. “Norfolk” meaning a protected anchorage or safe harbor is surrounded by the waters of the Chesapeake Bay intracoastal waterways between Elizabeth and York Rivers. It is also the place where many historical maritime and naval battles such as the Battle of Hampton Roads between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia during the Civil War took place. It is the home of the battleship USS WISCONSIN and Nautics Maritime Museum. Presently, the Norfolk Naval Base is the largest military installation in the world, the homeport of over 75 ships to include 4 aircraft carriers. It employs more than 95K uniformed men and women serving in the region. The armed forces undoubtedly have played a vital role in the history of Hampton Roads and will undeniably continue to have an impact on the unit.

Granby High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps(NJROTC) has been awarded the Distinguished Unit Award with honors for the 2020-2021 school year. Granby High is 1 of 58 schools in Area 5 (VA, MD, DC and DE area), and 1 of 5 Norfolk Public School NJROTC Battalion. The Distinguished Unit Award (DUA) is presented to only the top 30% of all NJROTC Units throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia for outstanding performance during the school year. 

Granby has been awarded the Distinguished Unit Award 10 of the past 12 years, 2 years consecutively.  In the midst of COVID-19 in 2020 and continuing on into 2021. The school year was quite different from last year considering an increase in local COVID infections which intensified COVID protocols. Along with a virtual learning environment which came with its own technical challenges and obstacles through most of the year. The unit was still obligated/on tap to complete its’ End of Year (EOY) Report.  The EOY report compasses all aspects of NJROTC from academic to drill competitions, community service, unit and school support, scholarships, to the Area Manager’s disposition points.  As many NJROTC units around the world experienced, the Coronavirus pandemic forced all cadets to move to a virtual learning environment which meant no in-person ANYTHING!!!! 

Cadets experienced a myriad of obstacles while at home learning. Some had no home computers, no WIFI access, general and advanced technical issues with Chrome books, isolation and just plain old difficulty staying motivated and focused! 

Through innovative lessons and interactive physical training and Drill videos, the Naval Science instructors did everything within their power to keep cadets engaged in class and extracurricular activities both virtually and socially distanced. The unit’s grit and determination led the unit to attaining the Distinguished Unit Award with academic honors despite those challenges. Chief Warrant Officer Ferrette, the Sr. Naval Science Instructor said “Distinguished Unit Award is given to a unit who distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the unit, school, and community it serves. It is a devotion to duty, a great responsibility of each and every cadet to perform at the very highest levels”. Many other factors are evaluated/considered by Navy Services Training Command (NSTC) headquartered in Great Lakes, IL., who oversees 583 NJROTC units. CAPT Dassler, Director of NJROTC, will officially award the unit during Instructor In-Service training in August.