Aviano's Brandon Johnson, during his title-winning performance in the solo competition at the 2009 DODDS European JROTC drill team competition in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Saturday. For more photos, see the link at the top of the story. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
Photo gallery: 2009 DODDS-Europe drill team championships
WIESBADEN, Germany — Nine JROTC drill teams from Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom came to Wiesbaden, Germany, on Saturday to test their skills in the 2009 Department of Defense Dependents Schools Europe drill team competition.
The events were inspection, regulation drill, color guard, saber team, armed and unarmed drill exhibition, and solo and duo exhibitions.
They were judged on such factors as appearance, showmanship, and the variety, originality, difficulty and precision of their movements. To top it all off, the cadets were put through one final test, the individual drill routine. A last man standing competition, the cadets followed drill sergeants’ commands, and whoever made a mistake was eliminated.
After nearly seven hours of drilling, the host Wiesbaden JROTC team came out the big winner, taking the overall championship and the regulation drill, saber, armed and unarmed competition.
Drill teams from Alconbury, Aviano, Bitburg, Lakenheath, Naples, Ramstein, Rota, Sigonella and Wiesbaden competed in this year’s event.
Competition resultsOverall Championship Winner: 1st Place: Wiesbaden High School; 2nd Place: Aviano High School; 3rd Place: Lakenheath High School
Regulation Drill: 1st Place: Wiesbaden; 2nd Place: Ramstein High School; 3rd Place: Sigonella High School
Color Guard: 1st Place: Aviano; 2nd Place: Wiesbaden; 3rd Place: Lakenheath
Saber Team: 1st Place: Wiesbaden; 2nd Place: Ramstein; 3rd Place: Bitburg High School
Unarmed Exhibition Team: 1st Place: Wiesbaden; 2nd Place: Aviano; 3rd Place:Lakenheath
Armed Exhibition Team: 1st Place: Wiesbaden; 2nd Place: Aviano; 3rd Place: Naples High School
Inspection: 1st Place: Aviano; 2nd Place: Naples; 3rd Place: Bitburg
Solo Exhibition: 1st Place: Aviano; 2nd Place: Team 2 Sigonella; 3rd Place: Alconbury High School
Duo Exhibition: 1st Place: Lakenheath; 2nd Place: Sigonella; 3rd Place: Wiesbaden
Team Spirit Award: Sigonella High School
