Air Force discontinues longstanding JROTC program at Lewiston High School

Lewiston High School JROTC Program Deactivated Over Space‑Compliance Issues

Lewiston, Maine – The Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) unit at Lewiston High School will be shut down after the department cited unresolved facility shortcomings. The decision, announced in late July, follows several years of inspections that found the school’s four designated JROTC spaces did not meet the Air Force’s strict security and storage standards.

The program, which had been a fixture at Lewiston High for almost four decades, served hundreds of students and helped many go on to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. Its closure has been met with disappointment from students, alumni and community members.

Why the Program Was Closed

The Air Force requires JROTC units to maintain climate‑controlled classrooms, dedicated marching areas, and double‑locked storage for equipment and uniforms. “At least 400 square feet must be climate‑controlled, organized, and limited to use by those in the ROTC program,” a spokesperson said.

Lewiston High School’s four designated areas—an indoor classroom with desks, a marching practice space, and two storage closets—fell short of those requirements. The uniform storage room was shared with a photocopier used by teachers and opened to maintenance staff via a roof hatch. The equipment closet, also double‑locked, contained boxes of graduation supplies for the principal’s office.

These shared arrangements, the Air Force said, compromised the security of federal equipment and violated the memorandum of understanding that governs the partnership between the school and the program. The department conducted multiple on‑site visits and documented the deficiencies three times before deciding to deactivate the unit, said Capt. Rachael Parks, the Air Force Junior ROTC public‑affairs officer.

“We have a three‑year remediation window from the initial noncompliance,” Parks told the press. “Prior to closure, Headquarters Air Force Junior ROTC did not receive an actionable solution from the school that met baseline security and inventory control standards required across all Air Force JROTC units.”

School’s Response

Superintendent Jake Langlais, who received the Air Force’s notice on July 28, said the school had made “reasonable accommodations” within the constraints of its existing building. “I couldn’t take an additional classroom space away for storage when we have made reasonable accommodations,” he said. “Seven of the school’s teachers do not have a classroom to store their supplies.”

Langlais also noted that the four spaces previously used by the JROTC were “quite good, and have worked successfully for around 20 years,” and that the decision “doesn’t make sense for kids.” He questioned the necessity of the deactivation, stating, “It was hard for me to follow. It doesn’t make sense for our kids.”

The superintendent added that the school would continue to offer an outdoor skills class using the curriculum from the Junior Maine Guides program, and encouraged interested students to explore other aviation‑related opportunities such as Civil Air Patrol or the Collegiate Air Force ROTC.

A Legacy Cut Short

Lewiston’s Air Force JROTC was one of two Air Force units in Maine; the other is based in Brewer. Nationally, the Air Force JROTC serves 91,000 cadets in 843 units across the United States and its territories. At its 25th anniversary in 2013, the Lewiston unit counted more than 100 cadets from Lewiston, Edward Little High School in Auburn, Oak Hill High School in Wales, and other area schools.

Retired Lt. Col. Mark Welborn, who once taught at the Lewiston unit, recalled the program’s impact. “It’s a great loss for students,” he said. “The program helps a lot of students. If they drop it, they would be making a big mistake.”

An alumni Facebook group for former Lewiston cadets expressed disbelief when the closure was announced. “It’s a great loss for students,” one post read. “It’s hard to see this happen after almost 40 years.”

Looking Ahead

With the JROTC unit inactive, the school has turned its focus to other extracurricular offerings. The new outdoor skills class aims to provide students with practical knowledge in wilderness survival and navigation, using a curriculum developed by the Junior Maine Guides organization.

Students who still wish to pursue aviation careers are being directed toward the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer organization that offers cadet training and community service, or the collegiate level of the Air Force ROTC, which is open to university students.

The Air Force maintains that its decision was driven solely by compliance. “Staffing changes did not influence the deactivation,” Parks said. “The program’s requirements are consistent across all units.”

Community Reaction

The sudden closure has sparked conversation among parents, students, and local officials. Many feel the decision overlooks the program’s historical value and the opportunities it has provided. Others point to the practical challenges of retrofitting older school facilities to meet modern military standards.

Regardless of the debate, the deactivation marks the end of a significant chapter in Lewiston High School’s history. The Air Force’s compliance standards and the school’s building limitations collided to bring an almost 40‑