2010 Army JROTC Leadership-Academic Bowl

Co-sponsored by the Marshall Foundation and the College Options Foundation, the 2010 U.S. Army JROTC Leadership-Academic Bowl was held at George Mason Univ. near Washington in late June 2010.  Nearly 300 Army JROTC cadets from 67 high schools and 65 Army JROTC instructors attended the three-day event.  This was the fifth consecutive year the Marshall Foundation has been an integral component of this competition.  

The reach of JROTC is impressive.  Beginning in November 2009 more than 1,650 Army JROTC programs in every state and U.S. territory and in Department of Defense Schools in Europe and in the Pacific engaged the first round of competition online.  The semifinal competition, also conducted online, took place in February. 

The 48 top scoring Leadership Teams were invited by U.S. Army Cadet Command to engage the “live” championship rounds at George Mason.  As the competition progressed through four rounds, the 48 teams were narrowed to four finalist teams.  After the fifth and final round, Soddy Daisy High School, Soddy Daisy, TN earned the top honors.  In addition to the Leadership Teams, the 24 top scoring Academic Teams participated in the Academic Bowl finals.

As many readers know and as JROTC cadets are learning, General Marshall’s personal stature as a person of honor and his apolitical reputation were major factors in persuading many reluctant members of Congress that financing the European Recovery Act (the Marshall Plan) was, in fact, essential to America’s economic and national security interests. 

So when the following questioned was presented, the answer would now seem obvious.  “General Marshall’s reputation as a leader of ___________ was key to passage of the European Recovery Act despite strong Congressional opposition and doubt.”

  • military forces
  • the American Red Cross
  • integrity
  • commitment

If the cadet Leadership Team answered “C” to the above question, it earned points during a round of questioning at the JROTC Leadership Bowl competition. 

George C. Marshall’s leadership qualities of candor, selflessness, commitment, integrity and courage were one of five categories from which Bowl questions were designed.  Current events questions and questions from the Army JROTC curriculum pertaining to leadership, Winning Colors, and Thinking Maps rounded out the subject matter that challenged the cadet teams.     

The Army JROTC curriculum is enhanced with study and application of Marshall’s leadership principles.