ORGANIZATION History

   AFJROTC was officially chartered at

Gateway High School and designated as

CO-861, in Aurora, Colorado as part of the

 Aurora Public School System in July,

1986. The four-year program was

Established for male and female,

freshman, sophmore, junior, and senior

students from Gateway and Rangeview

High Schools. The unit is now one of eight

(8) Air Force junior ROTC units in the state

of Colorado, and one of three (3) in the

 Denver 'metropolitan' area. Based upon

the traditional size of the unit (100-150

cadets); the organizational structure is

currently defined as that of a 'cadet

squadron'. CO-861 is assigned to Region

Six, and the Headquarters for AFJROTC is

located at Maxwell Air Force Base in

Montgomery, Alabama.

  The Air Force charter for CO-861, as it is

for all AFJROTC units, is to Build Better

Citizens for America. Not conceived as a

recruitment program; but rather as a

citizenship program; the unit mission is to:

• educate and train high school students in citizenship
• promote community service
• instill responsibility, character and self-discipline
• provide instruction in air and space fundamentals

AFJROTC at Gateway High School is an

elective course which, in addition to filling

the official Air Force charter, seeks to teach

leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline

and also to instill the life skills of

confidence, character, loyalty, integrity

and personal accountability. These are

essential elements of a capable,

well-rounded individual, regardless of

the path or career followed after high

school.

  The Air Force provides, free of charge,

the necessary uniforms, accessories,

textbooks and other administrative

support items necessary to operate each

 cadet unit. Cadets incur no service

obligations as a result of enrolling in

AFJROTC. Cadets may enroll or

disenroll concurrent with the start or

end of any semester.