Strengthening Community Resilience Through Partnership: Vilseck High JROTC and BMEDDAC

Tackaberry, Jessica

May 09, 2025

Cadets from Vilseck High School’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) practice emergency medical techniques under the guidance of Bavaria Medical Department Activity (BMEDDAC) personnel during Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. The cadets will be recognized in a May 20 ceremony for completing Level 1 CERT training, part of a joint effort to strengthen community preparedness and youth leadership within U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria.

The cadets of Vilseck High School’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) have taken a significant step in community preparedness through a collaborative initiative with the Bavaria Medical Department Activity (BMEDDAC). On May 20, cadets who successfully completed Level 1 of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training will be formally recognized in a certificate ceremony led by the commander and command sergeant major of BMEDDAC.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment between military medical personnel and youth leadership programs to cultivate readiness, resilience, and a sense of civic responsibility. Coordinated over several weeks, the CERT training was delivered by BMEDDAC personnel, who brought professional expertise in emergency medicine, public health, and disaster response. In turn, JROTC cadets applied military-style discipline and teamwork to absorb complex skills in real-world emergency scenarios.

The FEMA- and DHS-endorsed course provided instruction in CPR, automated external defibrillator (AED) operation, stroke recognition, and basic triage techniques. During hands-on training sessions, cadets demonstrated their learning by performing simulated medical interventions on volunteers and staff, guided closely by medical professionals from BMEDDAC. These sessions not only reinforced technical competencies but also helped build the cadets' confidence to act decisively during crises.

The collaboration marks a strategic move to embed emergency preparedness into the educational framework of military-connected communities. By empowering high school students with life-saving knowledge, the program supports broader Department of Defense efforts to bolster installation-wide readiness. In addition, it creates leadership opportunities for cadets and strengthens ties between the medical community and youth programs within the U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria.

The May 20 ceremony will serve as both recognition and recommitment—a chance to celebrate these young leaders while emphasizing the importance of continued investment in community emergency response capabilities.