LCHS Color Guard Team Recognized by Town Council

The Town Council presented a certificate of recognition to members of Loudoun County High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (NJROTC) on Tuesday.

In attendance were four members of the first all female color guard in Loudoun County. The team recently competed in a JROTC National Drill Competition in Daytona, Fla., three weeks ago, where they placed 12^th out of 27 in the nation. 

“I’m very proud of them,” said Sergeant Carlos Serrano. “They worked very hard, they were committed and they gave me 110 percent to go out there and perform.”

Serrano said it took about two years to form the first all female color guard team. The girls, who were part of the high school’s new drill team, have only been together for a month and a half. There are about twelve members who are a part of the color guard, varying in different ages, he said.

“There has always been interest. The problem is we don’t have many girls participating in the ROTC,” Serrano said. “It’s a good feeling. I’ve been trying to get more girls involved and get over the stereotype that the ROTC is a boys club. Girls can be just as successful as boys are.”

The ROTC programs are great, Serrano said, because they help teach citizenship, character development and leadership skills, which allow students to be successful in whichever career path they take. 

“Seeing these young girls today I feel pretty good about our future,” said Town Council member Marty Martinez.

"It is rare to see women in military color guards, to begin with, and to see an all-women color guard is inspirational," said Mayor Kristen Umstattd. "I am so proud of those young women."