The Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is a program designed to instill in High School students the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.

Allen Buchanan – United States Navy

Lieutenant Commander Allen Buchanan served with exceptional distinction during the Mexican Campaign at Vera Cruz, becoming one of the U.S. Navy’s most admired officers of the era. As the commander of the 1st Seaman Regiment, Buchanan played a central role in the U.S. landing operations at Vera Cruz on April 21, 1914. His leadership and bravery during the intense fighting that followed would earn him the Medal of Honor and secure his place among the Navy’s most honored figures. From the moment his forces came ashore around midday on April 21, Buchanan was almost continuously under enemy fire. Charged with directing his officers and Sailors through the chaotic urban battle, he repeatedly placed himself at critical and dangerous points along the front. His calm presence and tactical skill were pivotal as the regiment advanced through the city’s streets, often encountering well-fortified resistance. Despite the constant threat, Buchanan maintained extraordinary composure, ensuring that his men pressed forward in an organized and effective manner.

The fight for Vera Cruz continued into the following day, with Buchanan again at the forefront. His ability to lead under pressure, coupled with his conspicuous courage, proved instrumental in the successful U.S. seizure of the city by noon on April 22. The Medal of Honor citation noted that much of the operation’s success depended directly on his courage, coolness, and skill—qualities he demonstrated without hesitation throughout the engagement.

For his bravery, Lieutenant Commander Buchanan received the Medal of Honor on 21 April 1914, later rising to the rank of captain over the course of his distinguished naval career. His conduct at Vera Cruz remains a testament to steadfast leadership in battle and to the professionalism of the U.S. Navy during a pivotal moment in early 20th-century military history.

Lieutenant Dennis W. Zilinski II - Christian Brothers Academy Color Guard

On Tuesday, December 9th, six members of the Marine Academy of Science and Technology’s esteemed color guard attended the Dinner for the Troops hosted at the Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey. This event was held in honor of Army First Lieutenant Dennis W. Zilinski II, who made the ultimate sacrifice, dying in the line of duty on November 29th, 2005. Lieutenant Zilinski was serving in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom when he and four other soldiers were the victims of a roadside bombing. Lieutenant Zilinski was 23 at the time, a native of Freehold, New Jersey, an alumnus of the Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, and a recent graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in West Point, New York. Following his death, the Lieutenant Denis W. Zilinski II Memorial Fund was founded by a group of his close friends. The mission of the Memorial Fund is to improve the morale and welfare of members of the United States Armed Forces and their families, carried out to honor Lieutenant Zilinski's spirit of life and his commitment to his community. 

At this event, the Memorial Fund was fundraising for the training of a service dog for a local veteran living with severe PTSD. The MAST color guard students in attendance carried the colors at the event and presented the organization with their own fundraising efforts, a $1,870 check contribution to their mission. The attending cadets included Blue Color Guard Commander c/SCPO Sierra Olmeda and Gold Color Guard Commander c/SCPO Nicholas Amey, c/PO2 Leila Brown, c/PO2 Dylan Sparaco, c/PO2 John Cizin, and c/PO2 Saaya Kalaria.

Owen J. Roberts Drill Meet

The Marine Academy of Science and Technology Drill Team competed at the Owen J. Roberts Drill Meet, the first drill meet of the year, at Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, November 15th, 2025. The MAST Drill Team, commanded by Drill Commander Cadet Ensign Kevin Madeira, took first place overall, beating out ten other units, including some of the best in the region, such as Linden High School NJROTC and Colts Neck High School NJROTC. 

The cadets from the Marine Academy were accompanied by their Naval Science Instructors, Senior Naval Science Instructor Senior Chief Micheal Vaccarella and Naval Science Instructor Chief William Fetherman. 

The Armed Regulation team, commanded by Assistant Drill Commander Cadet Chief Nia Suresh, won first place, as did the Armed Exhibition team, commanded by Operations Officer Cadet Lieutenant Junior Grade Samantha Foret. MAST also took first place in both Unit Personal Inspection, commanded by Assistant Orienteering Officer Cadet Chief Philip Roche, and in Freshman Color Guard, led by Cadet Seaman Recruit Aidan Chop.

MAST received second place in Unarmed Regulation, commanded by Community Affairs Officer Cadet Lieutenant Junior Grade Samantha Vo, and they also took second place in Academics, led by Academics Officer Cadet Ensign Helene Hollingsworth and Assistant Academics Officer Cadet Chief Evan Shor.

MAST earned third place in physical fitness, led by Athletics Officer Cadet Ensign Nico Cordova, Athletics Officer Cadet Ensign Jack Gleason, and Assistant Athletics Officer Cadet Chief Noah Eckert. 

With OJR being the first drill meet of the year, the MAST drill team has set an excellent precedent for the upcoming drill season. The Area 2 Drill Meet to decide who will represent the region at Nationals in Pensacola, Florida, will also be held at Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, February 7th, 2026.

AMI

The Annual Military Inspection, also known as AMI, is an important part of the school year for all Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) cadets. The Annual Military Inspection is a thorough review of all aspects of a unit, used to ensure that everything meets Navy standards. The AMI is a day of pride for a unit, a moment to present its hard work and dedication to a group of high-ranking military officials. This fact holds just as true for the NJROTC unit of the Marine Academy of Science and Technology.

At the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), cadets take AMI very seriously and are constantly preparing. Even when one AMI has just been completed, there is always another on the edge of the horizon.

The morning of AMI starts with the reformation of the Battalion on MAST Way and a march out to Pershing Field. Once on the field, two squads, known as Side Boys, flank the official’s viewing area to welcome the inspectors. As each official enters—whether that be the NJROTC Area Commander, the Senior Naval Science Instructor, the principal, or any other visiting persons—the side boys blow a whistle, ring the bell, and salute to announce their arrival. Next, the esteemed drill team performs their routine, showcasing their skills. After this, the Pass and Review Ceremony begins, meant to display the uniformity, bearing, and decorum of the unit. This initial ceremony is open to the public and hundreds of friends, family members, district administration, and others come out to show their support for the school. 

After marching back to MAST Way, underclassmen are dismissed to attend shortened class periods and prepare for the most important part of the day. While the rest of the cadets are preparing, members of the Battalion Staff then show the guests everything that goes on in the MAST NJROTC Unit to keep the unit running smoothly.

Following lunch, 77, the lunchroom and assembly building, is converted into an inspection hall. Each member of the unit, from the highest ranking senior to the lowest rating freshman, is inspected on their uniform, knowledge, and military bearing and etiquette. 

The reason that the Annual Military Inspection is so important, beyond the obvious of highlighting a unit's hard work, is that the overall grade a unit receives at their AMI determines the amount of appointments the Senior Naval Science Instructor is able to give out. Appointments are recommendations to one of the service academies: Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Air Force Academy, West Point Military Academy, or Coast Guard Academy. Typically, these appointments are awarded by either a Senator, Member of the House of Representatives, or the Vice President, but these appointments can also be given out by Senior JROTC instructors. The number of appointments that a Senior JROTC instructor is allowed to award varies heavily on the grade received during an Annual Military Inspection, so doing well is paramount to the success of a unit’s military-bound cadets. Before accounting for the grade received from an Annual Military Inspection, Senior JROTC instructors can give out 3 appointments, if a unit receives a Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors, then that number jumps to 6.

In the past, MAST has received the title of “Distinguished Unit With Academic Honors”, the highest grade that can be received, 41 times. The Distinguished Unit With Academic Honors is given to less than 30% of the 600+ NJROTC units worldwide every year. The most recent of these awards was presented by Rear Admiral of the Lower Half Mathew Pottenburgh, Naval Service Training Command, during his visit to the school on Tuesday, 16 September 2025. 

This year, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology will have its Annual Military Inspection on Wednesday, November 5th, 2025. The Pass in Review portion of the Annual Military Inspection will take place in the morning. The Area 2 NJROTC Manager, Commander Eric Humphreys, along with members of the Coast Guard Station, Sandy Hook, will be in attendance as this year's inspectors.

Rear Admiral Matthew Pottenburgh Visit

On September 16, 2025, Rear Admiral Lower Half Matthew Pottenburgh, Commander, Naval Science Training Command, visited the Marine Academy of Science and Technology’s Navy Junior ROTC unit. Rear Admiral Pottenburgh toured the campus and received a presentation highlighting the innumerable accomplishments of MAST students. Rear Admiral Matthew Pottenburgh was accompanied by his aide and fellow P8 Pilot, Lieutenant Clark; the Area 2 Manager, Commander Eric Humphreys; and Command Master Chief of Naval Service Training Command, Command Master Chief Andrew Hochgraver.

Following the presentation, Rear Admiral Pottenburgh was welcomed by the 276 dedicated NJROTC cadets of the Marine Academy and viewed what he called, “one of the most prestigious units in the country”. The Rear Admiral’s assertion was backed up by the 7,180 community service hours that students at MAST performed during the 2024 - 2025 school year. Pottenburgh also remarked about the incredible community that makes MAST so special. Not only were MAST teachers present, but members of the school board, administration, and Parent-Teacher-Student Association also attended to show their support for the battalion.

MAST cadets were then able to ask the Rear Admiral questions, many of which were about his own experiences in the Navy or about the ROTC and Military Academies. Rear Admiral Pottenburgh, being an NROTC graduate from The Ohio State University, provided valuable information and insight for the military-bound cadets. Towards the end of his visit, Rear Admiral Pottenburgh saw fit to award the “Distinguished Unit With Academic Honors” ribbon to the school for the 41st time, an honor only awarded to 30% of the 600+ NJROTC units. In addition to this, the Rear Admiral handed out additional awards to individual cadets in recognition of their academic achievements and community service work. These cadets include Cadet Daniel Chiu from Edison, Class of 2028, and Cadet Abigail Reilley from Little Silver, Class of 2028, who were recognized as Cadets of the Quarter for the fourth marking period of the 2024 to 2025 school year. Cadet Leila Brown from Manalapan, Class of 2028; Cadet Nicholas Amey from Keansburg, Class of 2027; and Cadet Nicholas Billows from Ocean, Class of 2026, were awarded the Honor Cadet Ribbons for having the highest Naval Science grades in their respective classes. Cadet Juliet Ginda from Middletown, Class of 2026; Cadet Zachary Clifton from Lake Como, Class of 2027; and Cadet Radhika Sandeep from Marlboro, Class of 2028, were also honored for having the highest number of community service hours in the 2024 - 2025 school year among their respective grades. Cadet Ginda completed 113 community service hours, Cadet Clifton completed 124.5 hours, and Cadet Sandeep completed 119 hours. In addition to these cadets, three more MAST cadets were honored for their exceptional academic achievements, having the highest cumulative grades, aptitude, and scholastic standing in all Unit activities: Cadet Andrew Viggiano from Ocean, Class of 2026; Cadet Nia Suresh from Ocean, Class of 2027; and Cadet Quinn Pappas from Tinton Falls, Class of 2028.

The chance to meet and speak with Rear Admiral Matthew Pottenburgh was certainly a memorable and valuable experience for all MAST cadets. After hearing his praise, our dedication has been renewed in preparation for our upcoming Annual Military Inspection in November. On behalf of all MAST students and faculty, we thank Rear Admiral of the Lower Half Matthew Pottenburgh for his kind words and the time that he took out of his busy schedule to meet with our unit.