The American Legion Department of North Carolina supports and recognizes JROTC programs, offering opportunities for cadets to develop leadership and citizenship skills, with local posts nominating cadets for state-level awards and scholarships. 

• Cadet of the Year Award: The North Carolina American Legion Department selects a JROTC Cadet of the Year, recognizing outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and community service.

• Nomination Process: Individual JROTC cadets are first evaluated by their JROTC high school leadership, and then nominated by their local American Legion Posts to compete against JROTC cadets from other posts.

• Focus on Leadership and Citizenship: The JROTC program aims to motivate students to be better citizens and develop leadership skills through character development, leadership training, and community involvement.

• JROTC Curriculum: The JROTC curriculum is based on performance-based, learner-centered education and promotes the development of core abilities, such as capacity for life-long learning, communication, responsibility, good citizenship, respectful treatment of others, and critical thinking techniques.

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