JROTC Raiders
Our Raiders Team trains for the JROTC nationally sanctioned Raiders Competition, a military style competition conducted with an 8-man team. The one-day event includes a 5K road march, Raider Challenge Course, Physical Team Test (PTT), and Gauntlet Course, one-rope bridge and obstacle course. The competition is a precursor to the ROTC collegiate level Ranger Competition and builds teamwork and comradery between our cadets.
MAJ Wayne Welander, USA (Ret), JROTC Raiders Head Coach
As the head coach of JROTC Raiders, MAJ Wayne Welander, USA (Ret), is committed to advancing the JROTC mission, which aims to inspire young individuals to become better citizens. Through a strategic focus on the integration of drill activities, Welander believes that the JROTC program not only imparts essential military skills but also serves as a dynamic tool for instilling discipline, teamwork and leadership qualities.
Welander says that JROTC strengthens cadets’ minds and bodies. By engaging in drill, cadets are challenged to think critically, follow complex sequences of commands and exhibit attention to detail — skills that extend beyond JROTC and into various aspects of their academic and personal lives.
Welander has a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Advancing Technology and holds over two decades of leadership and managerial experience in both civilian and military settings. He served in the Army for 24 years, earning numerous honors and awards.
In his free time, Welander enjoys running, horseback riding, photography, hiking and playing guitar. He and his wife, Lucy, have three kids and three grandchildren.
MMA Raiders News
![Missouri Military Academy cadet]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1671493537/missourimilitaryacademyorg/a6frbbcbrnq6q42eqd9p/Blanton-2-web.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1671493537/missourimilitaryacademyorg/a6frbbcbrnq6q42eqd9p/Blanton-2-web.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1671493537/missourimilitaryacademyorg/a6frbbcbrnq6q42eqd9p/Blanton-2-web.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1671493537/missourimilitaryacademyorg/a6frbbcbrnq6q42eqd9p/Blanton-2-web.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1671493537/missourimilitaryacademyorg/a6frbbcbrnq6q42eqd9p/Blanton-2-web.jpg","width":1362}])
Cadet Gage Blanton, a Missouri Military Academy high school senior from Newburg, Missouri, has been awarded a four-year Army ROTC scholarship to the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU). He is also the recipient of a merit scholarship from MU, totaling his scholarship funds to $102,820.
![Cadet-Athletes Honored at 2023 Winter Sports Assembly]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1679427742/missourimilitaryacademyorg/qkvihuyn5di5idolp7pr/52751308376_d9d3c14888_o.jpg","width":2048}])
The 2023 Missouri Military Academy Winter Sports Assembly was held in Memorial Chapel on 15 March. Cadets were honored for their accomplishments in winter sports — JROTC Raiders, wrestling, and basketball. In addition, cadets were honored for their performance in the AMCSUS 2022 PT and drill team competitions.
![MMA JROTC Raiders Compete at U.S. Army JROTC Raiders National Championship]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1669175873/missourimilitaryacademyorg/ne5zb1stoembrzoqxqjj/RaidersNationals-9.jpg","width":2048}])
The Missouri Military Academy JROTC Raiders competed at the U.S. Army JROTC Raiders National Championships Nov. 5-6 at Gerald Lawhorn Boy Scout Camp in Molena, Georgia. The three-day event consisted of the 1-Day All-Service (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines) Raider Challenge Championships and the two-day Army JROTC Raider Nationals.