Eight Branson High School graduates also finished their time as cadets of the school Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC); these students have plans to serve in the military.

Note: KRZK News obtained an update regarding where the individuals in this story are from the instructor since this article was written. Gage enlisted in the US Navy and graduates Basic Training in October. Swift enlisted in the US Navy and also graduates Basic Training in October. Wehr enlisted in the US Air Force and starts Basic Training in October. Kronberg joined Air Force ROTC at Liberty University and Brayman accepted the AFJROTC J-100 Scholarship and was sworn into the US Air Force as a Contract Air Force ROTC Cadet at Embry-Riddle University.

While there are eight cadets, only two contributed to this article. The students graduated from Branson High School on May 14. The AFJROTC program instructor is retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Crismon Brayman. Brayman discussed the graduating cadets and the program. “We have two going to the United States Army this year, we have two going to the United States Navy, enlisting all of them. Then I have three students going to Air Force ROTC in college,” Brayman said. Brayman added that one of the students is enlisting in the United States Air Force.

Jordan Gardner is one of the cadets who graduated; he is entering the Army. Gardner was the Marksmanship Commander in the program at Branson High School. Brayman said he is interested in becoming a doctor in the Army. “Excellent cadet. He is enlisting in the Army in the medical field and then intends to pursue becoming an officer and in fact a doctor in the United States Army,” Brayman said. He described Gardner as a “very respectful student” and a “sharp young man.”

Another cadet enlisting in the Army is Ashton Trout. Trout was the program Flight Commander at Branson High School. Brayman said Flight Commander is one of the program’s higher positions and that Trout has been an outstanding athlete for them. “A great start here for him and of course we congratulate him for that.”

Brayman described the two cadets enlisting in the United States Navy as “great guys” and added that both of them were in his pilot training class. “Both by the way, very good pilots from the initial look at their flying and they both have passed their private pilot written test,” Brayman said when speaking about Zane Gage and Joshua Swift. Gage was a Marksmanship Commander and Swift was a Flight Commander and Marksman.

Brayman said Gage “never failed to wear a Navy hat in” so he knew Gage was going into the Navy. Gage is initially enlisting in Flight Admin; Brayman said Gage hopes to transfer to ROTC and become a Navy pilot. “By the way, I just flew with him last night for the first time, and he really did well. I was very impressed.” Brayman concluded that Gage has blossomed into a great young leader.

Gage said his “favorite part of ROTC was by far leading the marksmanship team this year. I feel like I did well in pushing the team to their best ability and also finding several issues to fix in the next season.” He also said “I learned that I love being in a leadership position. I love to use my experience to help people and make them better at what they want to do.” Gage discussed how he changed as a person. “I have definitely grown because of ROTC. In his first year he “was a very irritating and annoying cadet that made lots of people mad,” but by the end of high school he “was earning people’s respect and it just goes to show how good of a person this program can turn you into.”

Gage added that he wanted to serve in the military because of family heritage. He also highlighted something Brayman taught him. “The most important thing he taught me was just because you do work and a lot of work, don’t stop when you aren’t recognized, keep going until you can’t be any better,” he said. “To me serving in the military means sacrificing what’s important to you to go the extra mile. Missing your family, missing important dates like birthdays or school events and for some it means not coming back home.”

Swift got the best score on the private pilot written test. Brayman described him as “very quiet, very sharp.” He has flown with Brayman three times. “He is entering the Navy to become an underwater special ops, I think you call it, well it’s a diver position.” Brayman said Swift wants to do the deactivation of enemy weapons underwater. Brayman added that Swift wants to enlist first and then “become one of those mustangs that becomes officer after his enlistment and become a pilot also. I think he’s going to make it. He’s strong, very strong, academically as well.”

“It's really hard for me to pinpoint a specific moment which I enjoyed the most during the time I spent in AFJROTC. I enjoyed almost every moment of the time I had while I was in it. However, I think the biggest event I did while in AFJROTC, of which I felt extremely honored to be a part of and I will likely never forget, was the honor guard at the celebration of life for the late Colonel David K. Burke, our former AFJROTC instructor. I had the honor of being able to participate in a very small chosen group of cadets, who were tasked with the folding of the flag to be presented to his wife and family. To be one of the chosen cadets for something as important as this was humbling to say the least,” Swift said.

Swift said the “biggest thing I learned during my time in AFJROTC can be summed up by one of our corps values, service before self.” As to why he picked the Navy, Swift has “always liked the appeal of the Navy, they have basically everything every other branch has and more. On top of that, their bases they have are almost all on the coast, and I like to swim, so it works hand in hand, I guess.”

David Wehr is another graduate. Brayman described Wehr as “the hardest working” cadet. “He’s just the kind of guy you want to go across the fence with when you got a fight.” Wehr was the program’s Public Affairs and Recruiting Officer. Brayman said Wehr loves being a mechanic and he wants to be the “diesel expert of the world” and work on U.S. Air Force vehicles with a focus on engines. Brayman said Wehr usually comes in with “grease on his fingers from working on his truck.”

Emily Robertson was a Corps Commander in the program; Robertson intends to be an officer and bomber pilot in the Air Force. Robertson also took pilot training and got a scholarship and is going to the University of Central Missouri. Brayman said she has a 3.8 GPA. “She’s just been great. You don’t become Corps Commander without doing good things here,” he said.

Orianna Kronberg was the program’s Squadron Commander. Kronberg has intentions to be a Public Affairs officer in the U.S. Air Force. Brayman said Kronberg led all the student staff jobs and “coordinated our entire cadet awards ceremony at the end of the year.” “She has been awesome,” he added.

Brayman’s son Loran was also in the program. He was Corps Commander, Honor Guard Commander and Expert Marksman. He was the recipient of the Principal’s Award at Branson High School. He is headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has a four-year J-100 scholarship. “He was very fortunate to be picked up in the top 100 cadets in the nation.” The scholarship covers tuition, fees, stipend and room and board. He intends to be a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He will get his private, instrument and commercial pilot license while at Embry-Riddle. “He’ll probably be an instructor at Embry-Riddle before he gets out of college.” He has passed his written private pilot test.

Brayman said his son worked closely with Branson High School Principal Dr. Jack Harris. Harris is regarded as the program Wing Commander. “Loran set out some really great goals with him about credits for our program and the way we operate our program.”

“Mr. Harris is one of the few individuals I feel actually truly supports AFJROTC at Branson High School. Knowing that there was an administrator that actually did care about our Corps was reassuring to say the least,” Swift said when discussing Harris. “The people in AFJROTC caused me to change a lot over the course of the four years I'd been in it, and change is no easy thing for someone to go through. That change is why I'm the person I am today though, and I would say it made me a better person than I was my first day of AFJROTC,” Swift said.