Cadet Chief Petty Officer Tyler Hammrick of the South Kitsap High School Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) unit was awarded the Navy League of the United States (NLUS) Theodore Roosevelt Youth Award.

The award was presented by NLUS Bremerton/Olympic Peninsula Council President Larry Salter in a South Kitsap High School ceremony.

The award is given for outstanding performance of duty and was established to honor those cadets who best exemplify Roosevelt’s values of energy, spirit, competition, and fair play. The award consists of a medal, ribbon bar, certificate, and pamphlet on President Theodore Roosevelt whose visage is on the medal.

The South Kitsap NJROTC unit is one of three supported by the local NLUS Council.

According to the NJROTC web site, their mission is to instill in students in United States secondary educational institutions the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. Established by Public Law in 1964, the program is conducted at accredited secondary schools throughout the nation by instructors who are retired Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel.

The NJROTC curriculum emphasizes citizenship and leadership development, as well as our maritime heritage, the significance of sea power, and naval topics such as the fundamentals of naval operations, seamanship, navigation and meteorology.

Founded in 1902 with the encouragement of President Theodore Roosevelt, the NLUS is a civilian organization supporting the US Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and U.S.-Flag Merchant Marine.

It is a worldwide organization with 46,000 members in more than 250 councils, including more than 700 corporate and community affiliate members.

The three main objectives of the NLUS are to educate national leaders and public about the vital importance of a capable and fully prepared Sea Services, to support the men and women of the sea services and their families, and to advocate maintenance of a strong U.S. industrial base to secure America’s future.

Through its world-wide adoption program, the NLUS directly supports over 250 ships, 280 land-based military command, and 730 youth groups. More information about the NLUS and local chapters, as well as information about how to join the NLUS, can be found at bremolympicnlus.wordpress.com.