Are you familiar with Westbury High School’s NJROTC program? NJROTC stands for Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps and is a leadership development program that teaches self-discipline, responsibility, values, and dedication. The program emphasizes the Navy’s Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment — values that Westbury Cadets proudly demonstrate every day. 

On February 7, 2026, Westbury High School’s NJROTC unit traveled to Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to compete in the highly competitive Area 2 Regional Competition. What does this mean? Eight high school units from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut competed at the regional level — and Westbury, it was a major accomplishment. The Cadets placed 1st overall at the Southold competition and 2nd overall at Bethel, securing their spot at Regionals. Their consistent excellence earned them qualification for Area 2, marking the first time in Westbury’s history that the unit advanced to this level of competition. 

The regional competition consisted of several events, including Armed and Unarmed Exhibition, Armed and Unarmed Platoon, Physical Fitness, Color Guard, and Unit Personnel Inspection. Each event required precision, discipline, and countless hours of practice. 

Anthony Pena, Commander of the Armed Platoon, shared:
“As the Armed Regulation Drill Team Commander, my duty is to ensure that my team is proficient in the required drill movements and that I hold myself to the highest standard while representing my team through command. I’ve motivated my cadets to work at their highest capability, which allowed us to qualify for the Area 2 competition. This was very special to all of us and is a remarkable accomplishment for Westbury High School NJROTC.” 

Armed Drill is an event where cadets perform movements and marches using demilitarized rifles. Armed Basic focuses on fundamental movements, while Armed Exhibition is more advanced, requiring complex routines that integrate rifle handling skills. 

Deilyn Martinez Melara, Commander of Unarmed Platoon and Exhibition, stated:
“Practice makes perfect — I’m sure we have all heard it at some point. This phrase truly encourages and motivates my cadets to sacrifice their time to practice. As the Unarmed Drill and Unarmed Exhibition Commander, I can say that the cadets who consistently show up demonstrate their dedication to the program and to each other. Through our dedication as a unit, we were able to qualify for Area 2, which we had not advanced to in many years. This accomplishment showcased the growth and improvement of the cadets who committed themselves to practice. Overall, this competition was an extraordinary experience that will never be forgotten by the students involved and stands as a notable achievement for the NJROTC program.” 

Unarmed Drill is similar to Armed Drill, except no rifles are used. It consists of synchronized marching and maneuvers that emphasize strong military bearing — remaining still, maintaining focus, and executing a sequence of commands and column movements with perfect precision. 

Unarmed Exhibition is creative and fast-paced, involving marching patterns with movements such as clapping and stomping, almost resembling a choreographed routine. 

This historic accomplishment would not have been possible without the leadership and mentorship of Command Master Chief William Caraballo and Senior Chief Nicholas Caciopoli, the two dedicated NJROTC instructors. 

Making this achievement even more meaningful, this is Senior Chief Caciopoli’s first year as an instructor, and Westbury’s NJROTC has proudly provided an unforgettable experience. 

Senior Chief Caciopoli said:
“This has been an amazing year so far for the Westbury High School NJROTC program. As this is my first year as an instructor, it has exceeded my expectations. I am extremely proud of our cadets for their hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Our cadets should be very proud of themselves, as we made it to the Regional Drill Championships for the first time in our unit’s history. This could not have been accomplished without everyone taking pride in what they do day in and day out. Making it to Regionals has put us on the map in the Northeast region and the NJROTC community. We proved to ourselves that we can compete at an elite level, and we will be back at Championships next year — better and stronger than ever. I have no doubt. Last but not least, I am humbled by how each cadet embodies the Navy’s Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment on a daily basis.” 

Safe to say, hard work truly does pay off. 

This is Westbury High School’s NJROTC.