Local JROTC History
El Paso ISD JROTC
Military training in the El Paso Independent School District can be traced back to March 1888 when Mr. Calvin Easterly, the first Superintendent of Schools, established and organized at El Paso High School a military training unit. In later years the unit became known as “The El Paso Cadet Guard”. The United States Army Junior Reserve Officer Training corps (JROTC) came into being with the passage of the National Defense Act of 1916. The Vitalization Act of 1964 opened JROTC to other services and replaced most active duty instructors with retirees. Then in 1974 females were allowed to enroll as cadets.
El Paso Independent School district JROTC units were established as shown below:
- 1920 - El Paso High School
- 1928 - Austin High School
- 1935 - Bowie High School
- 1950 - Jefferson High School
- 1955 - Burges High School
- 1962 - Irvin High School
- 1964 - Andress High School
- 1965 - Coronado High School
- 1997 - Franklin High School
- 2002 - Chapin High School
It must be noted, however, the JROTC program at Coronado High School was disestablished in 1974 due to low enrollment.
While there is no record of the origin or when it first appeared, the Distinctive Unit
Insignia (DUI) also known as the crest, has been in use for over 50 years. It is formed in
the shape of a shield. Navy blue and sky blue in color, it has a gold crossed rifle, saber,
and torch of knowledge, copper colored 
mountains with a gold radiant star. The motto "Guardamos
El Paso" (We guard the pass) inscribed in the unfurled ribbon at the bottom of the crest.
The official description of the crest recognized by the United States Army Institute of
Heraldry is:
A shield 1” in height and 17/20” in width with an unfurled ribbon across the bottom and the
motto in blue letters. The upper fourth of the shield shows two copper covered mountain peaks
(representative of the Franklin Mountains) against a sky blue background and a radiant star in
the saddle (pass) of the peaks. The lower three fourths of the shield has a ROTC Torch of
Knowledge superimposed over a crossed saber and musket. The saber and musket are reminiscent
of the original El Paso Cadet Guard which bore these items.
