Laurens County School District 55 Welcomes Commander Kevin Borden as New Senior Instructor of District 55 High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps
November 13, 2023
Laurens County School District 55 (LCSD 55) welcomes United States Navy (Retired) Commander Kevin D. Borden as the new Laurens District 55 High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (LDHS NJROTC) Senior Naval Instructor. Borden served 21 years in the Navy. Borden has five years of experience as an NJROTC instructor and holds a Bachelor of Science in General Science from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Commander Borden’s father inspired him to serve our country. He finds great importance in the principles of leadership. He recognized after retiring from active duty that his career experience in leadership was a valuable skill set that many of our youth needed now more than ever. He identified a pathway into NJROTC via a company officer’s position on the Commandant’s Staff at The Citadel while awaiting Naval Service Training Command’s Senior Naval Science Instructor (SNSI) certification in 2017.
Commander Borden’s decision to serve LCSD 55 was highly influenced by knowing LCSD 55 Superintendent Dr. Ameca C. Thomas and LDHS Principal Lewis Compton fully support the NJROTC program and Senior Chief Armond Flood. He said, “The support shown for him (Flood) and the NJROTC program is a big reason I chose to come to LCSD 55. It is rewarding to be a contributing and valued member of the LCSD 55 team, where the program and our cadets are greatly appreciated. Senior Chief Flood had been a strong advocate for the program at Laurens District 55 High School, and knowing how we complement each other well made it an easy decision to take charge of the NJROTC program at LDHS.”
LDHS NJROTC Naval Instructor Senior Chief Armond Flood is pleased to work side-by-side with Commander Borden. He said, “Commander Borden was a long shot to land here in Laurens, and we hit the lottery when we got him. He is a true professional with tons of love and energy to lead this program. Where I’m weak, he is strong, and where he is weak, I’m strong. He’s Batman and I’m Robin. We make a GREAT Team!”
During the first semester, Commander Borden and Senior Chief Flood and their cadets have accomplished many things. The cadets participated in the Blue Ridge Orienteer Meet on October 7, 2023, passed the Annual Military Inspection (AMI) on October 18, 2023, served the community via the Habitat for Humanity project on October 25, 2023, Color Guard presentation at Laurens Walmart Distribution Center on November 3, 2023, and participated in the Silver Bluff Drill Meet on November 4, 2023.
LCSD 55 Superintendent Dr. Ameca C. Thomas witnessed the Raider NJROTC in action at the AMI. She said, “I am incredibly proud of the dedication and determination shown by our cadets during the annual pass review inspection. Their hard work and commitment to excellence have been truly inspiring.”
“In addition, it is with great excitement that we welcome Commander Borden to the Laurens 55 family. With his leadership and expertise, I am confident that our cadets will continue to thrive and achieve remarkable success in their academic and personal endeavors. Together, we will shape the future leaders of tomorrow. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of Commander Borden and Senior Chief Flood,” said Dr. Thomas.
Raider NJROTC Cadet Battalion Executive Officer (XO) Chalen Smallwood echoes Dr. Thomas’s excitement to have Commander Borden as their new senior instructor. “Commander Borden has grown the unit since he started, and he has allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them so I can grow as a leader.”
“As a unit, we have grown from not competing to winning. Our unit placed second in our academic competitions. Our Freshman Color Guard and Freshman Squad placed first in a recent competition against other programs. Commander Borden and Senior Chief Flood have taught us as individuals and a competitive team what we need to work on to get better,” added Smallwood.
Commander Borden hopes to improve the perspective of LDHS parents and students by letting them know how the NJROTC program can greatly help them. Borden stated, “Whether they want to pursue college, service, or start their career after high school graduation, the citizenship focus and leadership development every cadet experiences in NJROTC is beneficial to them. The experience, advice, and mentorship cadets receive from me and Senior Chief Flood is to their advantage as long as they are open to receive it and willing enough to apply it.”
Upcoming LDHS NJROTC events include celebrating Veterans Day at the American Legion Post 25 on November 11, 2023, collecting frozen chicken and turkey for the Baptist Crisis Center on November 14, 2023, and the Sun Valley Drill Meet on November 18, 2023. To learn more about LDHS NJROTC, contact Senior Chief Flood at [email protected], Commander Borden at [email protected], or visit the LDHS NJROTC Website.
