Roanoke County Public Schools
A Navy-based leadership program that challenges you to grow, serve, and stand out, starting right here in Roanoke County.
Honor · Courage · Commitment
The Roanoke County Corps of Cadets is a Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) unit, a nationally recognized leadership and character program established by federal law in 1964 under Title 10 of the U.S. Code.
The Navy created the NNDCC pathway in 2011 for schools building toward full NJROTC status. As a Future NJROTC Program, cadets follow the same curriculum and core values, taught by a vetted, retired U.S. Navy veteran selected by Naval Service Training Command.
The program provides a consistent setting where cadets can learn, participate, and spend time with peers who share similar interests. Over time, that experience can support individual development and camaraderie.
Available through NJROTC at no cost.
Advanced pay grade may be available after completing the required JROTC years. Participation carries no military obligation.
Students build relationships around shared goals, standards, and experiences.
Team roles give cadets repeated chances to speak, organize, decide, and follow through.
The habits built here can serve students in class, at work, in college, and in their communities.
Sources: U.S. Navy NJROTC FAQ · U.S. Navy NJROTC Program Information · Navy advanced pay-grade summary. Program-wide findings do not guarantee individual results.
Most programs describe leadership. This one puts you in it. Every semester brings new places, real responsibilities, and moments worth putting on a résumé, and in a story worth telling.
No Experience Required
Every cadet here was once exactly where you are, a high schooler who chose to reach for something more. What they built is a foundation that follows them for life: the discipline to lead, the confidence to act, and a proven record of stepping up when it counts. The next name in that story could be yours.
Get in Touch →Enrollment starts with a short application and a conversation. No prior experience, athletic ability, or special background is required.
Grades 9–12Any Roanoke County high schoolRCPS studentsNo prior experience required
Questions about eligibility? Email CMDCS Wingle at swingle@rcps.us. He's glad to help before you commit.
More than a decade aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, followed by six years developing future leaders at the U.S. Naval Academy and Virginia Military Institute.
Aviation Ordnanceman · Norfolk-to-Yokosuka homeport change
Support to detainee operations
Production Control Leading Petty Officer · Lemoore, California
Leading Chief Petty Officer · G-1 Division, Weapons Department
Leading Chief Petty Officer · 1st Battalion
Naval Science Instructor
Including midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy and cadets at Virginia Military Institute.
Command Senior Chief / U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Class 238
Class 22110
Navy training qualification
Selected while serving at the U.S. Naval Academy
In His Own Words — Why He Does This"To continue serving in a capacity that is meaningful to my community and to help develop young men and women of character at the high school level."
CMDCS (Ret.) Shawn Wingle
2018 U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer recipient.
Selected from nominees submitted by commands around the world. CMDCS Wingle was honored for embodying the Navy's core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
From 26 students in year one to 70 enrolled for Fall 2026, the Corps of Cadets is growing fast. This past year brought 42 new recruits, the unit's first Annual Military Inspection, regional press coverage, and one of its most active event calendars yet.
Plans are in place to relocate to the new Roanoke County Career & Technology Center, purpose-built for hands-on, career-connected learning. Full NJROTC designation brings federal resources and a nationally recognized credential that opens doors for every cadet.
42 new cadets recruited in a single year. Distinguished awards from the DAR, VFW, AMVETS, and the Military Officers Association of America, honoring cadets across all four class years.
Read the Story
William Byrd students and the Roanoke County Corps of Cadets explored different Navy roles at a U.S. Navy Strike Group mixed-reality event, featuring VR aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, a role-matching personality quiz, and a pull-up bar challenge.
Read the storyEvaluated by U.S. Marine Corps inspectors and the NSTC Area Four Manager, who personally oversees 28 programs across Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee. Drill, bearing, and unit readiness were assessed.
Read the Story
WSLS 10 featured the program in one of the first regional television segments dedicated to the unit and the opportunities it creates for Roanoke County students.
Watch the ReportHave a question not listed? Contact CMDCS Wingle at swingle@rcps.us
Talk to your school counselor to sign up for the NNDCC course, or reach out to CMDCS Wingle directly. He's glad to answer any questions before you decide.
