ARMY JROTC
FALCON BATTALION
United We Shall Soar!!!
HONOR UNIT WITH DISTINCTION
2016
Instructors
Senior Army Instructor
Major (Retired) Steven Celeste served from 1987-2010. He originally enlisted as a Military Policeman. He earned his commission through Officer Candidate School. His assignments include M60 gunner, Squad Leader, Pre-Ranger Instructor, Platoon Leader & Company Commander. He served 8 years with the 82nd Airborne Division and his travels include Panama, Puerto Rico, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Honduras, and Korea. He taught Senior ROTC at both Florida State University & the University of Central Florida. He holds a BS in History from Campbell University and an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology. He enjoys coaching basketball, soccer, and flag football.
Senior Army Instructor
Master Sergeant (Retired) “Hank” Hankerson served from 1967-1970 and from 1987-2009. He is originally from Sanford, FL and enlisted as a Radio Relay Operator. He also served as an Artillery Wireman, and completed his career as a Preventive Medicine Chief. He served in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division and two tours in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan with the 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne, and 18th Airborne Corps. His military travels have included: Honduras, Japan, Egypt, and Kuwait. He enjoys being an expert fisherman.
Army Instructor
My name is Sergeant First Class (Retired) Eric Flores, and I am a 20-year retired United States Army Senior Noncommissioned Officer and Certified IT Specialist. I was born in Frankfurt, Germany, raised in Manhattan, New York, graduated Manalapan High School in New Jersey, joined the U.S. Army, traveled the world, and finally retired in Orlando, Florida on November 1, 2011. I served from 1987-1991 as a Computer Machine Operator and then again from 1995-2011 as a Signal Support Systems Specialist and Information Technology Analyst.
I graduated from DeVry University, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management. I am currently pursuing a Masters in Networking and Communications. I believe that a person never stops learning nor seeking different venues for self-improvement. This I share with my cadets.
Now, as an Army Instructor for the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, I proudly serve, as I did in the United States Army, sharing my knowledge, skills, and experience with the cadets of Falcon Battalion. My personal mission, together with the school's mission and goals, is to ensure that every cadet graduates high school and is strongly prepared to lead the future as model citizens.
Army Instructor
SFC (Retired) Mark Kalapp, a Florida native, joined the Army Reserves and in 1981 as a Combat Engineer, and went active duty in 1987. Overseas Duty stations where he served were 12th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Engineer Battalion Germany, and 2nd Engineer Battalion Korea.
The deployments he served were, as a Team Leader during Operation Desert Storm, and as a Platoon Sergeant during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was an honor to have served with such great Americans.
The most rewarding of his career in the Army, was serving as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri transforming civilians into Soldiers. During this time, he attended evening classes through Columbia College and earned a B.A. Degree in History/Political Science.
His final duty position was as an Observer Controller/Trainer, and after 20 years of service, he retired in July 2007. Since October 2007, he has been a JROTC Instructor, two years at Corbin HS Kentucky, and eight years at Summerlin Military Academy, Bartow Florida. This is a passion that developed in him while being a Drill Sergeant, mentoring and coaching young adults.
As an avid outdoorsman, the most exciting place he travelled to was Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Favorite NFL team, Dallas Cowboys.
What We Live By and How We Promise To Serve
Army Values
Loyalty
Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U.S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit.
Duty
Fulfill your obligations. Doing your duty means more than carrying out your assigned tasks. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team. The work of the U.S. Army is a complex combination of missions, tasks and responsibilities — all in constant motion. Our work entails building one assignment onto another. You fulfill your obligations as a part of your unit every time you resist the temptation to take “shortcuts” that might undermine the integrity of the final product.
Respect
Treat people as they should be treated. In the Soldier’s Code, we pledge to “treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.” Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. And self-respect is a vital ingredient with the Army value of respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute.
Selfless Service
Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.
Honor
Live up to Army values. The nation’s highest military award is The Medal of Honor. This award goes to Soldiers who make honor a matter of daily living — Soldiers who develop the habit of being honorable, and solidify that habit with every value choice they make. Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.
Integrity
Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.
Personal Courage
Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.