When the school year started, there were many new faces at DHS, one of them being in the MCJROTC (Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Course) room. 

Gary Porter, mostly known as GySgt. Porter, recently joined Maj. White as an instructor for the MCJROTC program.

Porter’s role in the program is to assist White in teaching the class. He takes over the class and teaches the students the rules of JROTC, ranks, etc. Not all of the teaching is the same; it depends on the level of the class (LE 1-4). He also occasionally welcomes White into classroom conversations. 

As many who attended DAHS last year know, White independently taught his class for the 2023-2024 school year.

“I am very excited about GySgt. Porter joining me as a JROTC instructor,” White said.

Porter decided to retire from the Marines after 20 years of service.

“I retired from the Marines because I felt that I did enough and was ready for a new challenge,” Porter said. 

Porter once lived in Oklahoma but felt drawn to Dallastown, PA due to its history.

 “The East is Old America and is full of historical landmarks and areas” Porter explained.

Porter states that if given the opportunity, he would’ve stayed in the Marines, but his goal was to see how far he could go and what other achievements awaited him. 

Before serving, when Porter attended Eisenhower Senior High School, he participated in cross country and track and was recruited by several colleges including the Air Force Academy. 

When asked what inspired him to join the Marines instead, he said, “I joined the Marine Corps to escape Oklahoma, USA. Also, the challenging boot camp videos seemed harder than the other services.”

Porter has been working at DAHS for almost a month now, and in his time here, he has already gained a lot of trust and support from many of his cadets. 

Porter also participates in leading PT (Physical Training) alongside Maj. White. PT happens every Friday during class, the cadets are required to bring their “PT gear” which includes the shirt, sweatpants or shorts, and water bottle that is provided, as well as suitable running shoes. 

The cadets, White, and Porter go outside on campus and do a series of exercises, including the uniform check, which is counted as a grade.

The students/cadets immediately welcomed Porter with open arms when he joined and even had a lot of good things to say about him.

“I think it’s amazing how GySgt. Porter is a new instructor for the MCJROTC program at DAHS.” sophomore Emilyn Bell said.

One of the main goals of the MCJROTC program is to help students and cadets become more confident and stay motivated.

When Porter was asked how he keeps them motivated, he explained, “What I do to keep the cadets motivated is to include them in the conversation. This program is designed for them.”

“He gives everyone a chance and doesn’t assume, and he makes sure we’re all learning well and understanding the material,” Bell stated when asked how Porter keeps the cadets motivated.              

Many new cadets have joined the MCJROTC program, and Porter has said that the advice that he’d give to them is to see the program through their first year before deciding if it is right for them or not in the upcoming school years.