We, the cadets and former cadets of the LA-937 AFJROTC, located at L.W. Higgins High School, Marrero, Louisiana, petition HQ AFJROTC to reinstate our Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, Major Ora J. Gibson. Major Gibson, the founder of the AFJROTC Program at Higgins High School, is valued by all who knows him. He not only gave us the core values, he showed us by being a living example each and every day. Major Gibson saw the need to instill in us self-discipline and pride. Our history at the LA-937 is strong. At first, we were a unit attached to West Jefferson High School AFJROTC. We did not feel that we really belonged until Major Gibson singlehandedly opened the doors at L.W. Higgins AFJROTC in August 1993. He started the program with just 80 cadets and led the program in its development to a high of over 300 cadets and four instructors pre-Hurricane Katrina. Under his leadership, we reached goals beyond our imagination. We became a top notch competitor with our drill, color guard and physical fitness teams winning numerous awards and trophies. We were the only unit on the West Bank of New Orleans to host several Drill Competitions. Major Gibson touched the lives of over 30 percent of the school population at one time or the other. He spent countless hours teaching, sharing, and showing genuine concern for us and our future. Over 95 percent of his cadets graduate from high school. We, as cadets, were and still are the most recognized, respected, and sought after groups on the campus. We are active in community, schools and civic events throughout the city and have made appearances on national television. Throughout the community, state, and country, we have former cadets who are now teachers, principals, pharmacists, medical technicians, ministers, police officers, businessmen and women, pilots and so forth. Some are serving in the military protecting our country and preserving the freedoms we enjoy each day. Therefore, we feel it would be an injustice to take from us the original founder who has given so much of himself to make the program what it is today, a real leader who cares about us, and helped mold us into the people we are today. The impact he has made is immeasurable. As a result of a Unit Evaluation this year by HQ Air Force JROTC, our unit was rated as Unsatisfactory resulting in Major Gibson being decertified for AFJROTC duty. Many of the discrepancies cited were inaccurate, unsubstantiated, trivial, and biased. The decertification action is a disservice to the program at our school and the community and could very well signal the end to the AFJROTC Program at Higgins. We encourage HQ AFJROTC to change the certification status of Major Gibson and put him back in his rightful position as the SASI.

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