Is being seen in community the same as identity? I am curious about the human drive to be seen by others, where that happens, and how it influences adolescent identity development. When teenagers are imagining a path into adulthood, community offers opportunities to experiment with interests, discover abilities, and find a social group where one’s contributions are recognized and appreciated.

Breaking Bearing investigates these themes in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) program at Liberty High School in Renton, Washington. Bearing refers to the ability to conduct oneself in a professional manner and project a commanding, confident presence. Learning to maintain bearing is woven throughout NJROTC classroom and extra-curricular activities. I see bearing as an embodiment of the stoic, formal military persona. “Breaking bearing” means to fall short of that goal. However, to me, those informal moments reveal the connection and intimacy that lie just beneath the tougher shell of the NJROTC.

JROTC programs were created by congress in 1916 and expanded to all branches of the military through the 1964 ROTC Vitalization Act. Programs emphasize citizenship and leadership development and foster discipline, responsibility, and attention to detail. Occupying the space between military and civilian life is complex. Following drill commands without thinking, passing uniform inspections, and marching in unison with inoperable rifles seem incongruous with public high school. Being an effective leader in principle and practice, accountability for others, and acting with integrity cannot be duplicated in geometry, physics, or history.

In 2022, New York Times investigations into JROTC programs have revealed serious problems nationwide. Studies also show that JROTC programs offer tangible benefits. Dialogue is critical to understand where to go from here. As a parent whose daughter participates in the program I am documenting as a photographer, I am one witness. I acknowledge challenges in the framework. I also recognize the nurturing community JROTC programs can cultivate where many students find a place to be seen.