Tampa Bay Tech JROTC Trailer Stolen

When you drive by Tampa Bay Tech High School, you usually see a 6 x 12 trailer that sits on campus behind the JROTC building. The TBT JROTC uses this trailer to store equipment, uniforms, coolers, and a large-sized grill that it uses when traveling to various competitions throughout the year. 

In July, the trailer, which was donated by a booster, was stolen, and all of the equipment inside of it was dumped out in a local park. A Verizon employee contacted Commander Keith Grimes after noticing the TBT JROTC banner laying next to some of the equipment.

Most of the equipment was recovered, except for some canopy tents and the trailer itself.

“I was in disbelief initially,” Grimes said. “I mean, who is going to steal from kids? The trailer was a real key accessory for us and when I find out it was stolen from the school grounds it was just really disappointing to say the least.”

Now, they group is left without a trailer to house its equipment, and that poses a problem when it travels to competitions, which it does frequently. Last year, the TBT JROTC competed in many events around the state, including the state championship competition, where it finished fourth place in the overall drill event. It also recieved 42 awards throughout the competition season.

According to Grimes, they group is worried about how it is going to transport its equipment because it travels to Embry Riddle in Dayton Beach on Oct. 1 for its first competition of the year.

“We really need some way to transport all of our gear rather than just throwing it all on a bus,” he said. “We have so much more than clothes and uniform items. We have a grill, coolers, canopies, tents, and chairs, lots of other stuff we haul from competitions like rifles and the color guard equipment.”

According to Sargeant Major Peter Hall, the school itself cannot afford to pay for the cost of another trailer.

“With the school districts budget cuts, they don’t have enough money to purchase another one for us,” he said. “We are trying to replace the trailer early on this month so we are ready for the competition in October.”

Mitchell Barrett, a junior at King High School and member of the JROTC since he was a freshman, knows how important it is to have the trailer in time the first competition.

“We have been asking around and looking for deals but they have not found anything yet,” Barrett said. “We do fundraisers already during the year but those are for lowering the prices of the competitions we participate in so more students can go to them.”

“It would mean a lot to all of us if someone was able to help,” he said. 

For more information on how you can donate to help the TBT JROTC, contact Ward at grimeskw@training.navy.mil.