Brigade Commander
c/CAPT Addison Bullard
Point Loma High School

As the Brigade Commanding Officer, c/CAPT Addison Bullard supports and leads her staff of 11 in planning and organizing district-wide JROTC events. These include academic league, multi-stage drill competitions, archery league, leadership training, formal events, and volunteer-led events. She oversees the operations of 14 different SDUSD schools, accounting for over 2200+ cadets. Alongside her Brigade involvement, Bullard holds the position of CyberPatriots team commander in her NJROTC unit, at Point Loma High School. In past years, she has been the Color Guard Team Commander, a Company Commander, the Honor Guard Team Commander, JLAB Team Leader, and their Administrative Officer. Her hopes for Brigade this year are to improve approachabaility of staff members, and improve general communication accross school units in the district. Outside of JROTC, Bullard works with special needs youth across San Diego County as a Recreational Aid for the city. Bullard interns alongside a UCSD Data Science Lab as well, publishing a paper on genetic markers of neurological conditions. She also interns with an SDSU lab, supporting the operation of research-based MRIs to observe the development of neurological disorders in affected children, and has held the position of a TA for UCSD and UPenn, teaching computer science skills to high school and middle schoolers. Bullard has been involved in Girls Who Code for years now, and knows multiple different programming languages. Beyond this, Bullard is on the district-wide leadership, as the Membership Coordinator of the SWEAR mental health committee, as well as the Police Youth Advisory Committee Communications Coordinator, and Point Loma High School representative on the Student Advisory Board. At her school, Bullard serves as Human Resource Officer for her Student Ambassador program, supporting over 70 student leaders. Bullard also leads as the president of her school’s mental health club, with the goal of destigmatizing the conversation around student wellness. Recreationally, she participates in Varsity Athletics, engaging in Tennis, Basketball, and Track teams on her school campus and at the club level.

After high school, she plans to attend a four-year university, majoring in Therapeutic Recreation or Psychology, and pursue a career centered in medical research.

Senior Enlisted Advisor
c/CMSgt Katherine Kwon
Scripps Ranch High School

As the Brigade Senior Enlisted Advisor, c/CMSgt Katherine Kwon works as the Brigade Commander’s “right hand man” and supports their vision for the Brigade. She is in charge of maintaining staff morale and establishing communication between Brigade Staff and the different units. At her school, she is the 25-26 Drill Teams Commander where she manages all drill teams such as, Unarmed Fancy Drill Team, Armed Fancy Drill Team, Saber Fancy Drill Team, Color Guard, and the Flag Detail Team. In previous years, she served as the Unarmed Fancy Drill Team NCO as well as the Unarmed Fancy Drill Team Commander. She has led her team to various heights, earning the team 1st Place Overall Unarmed Team in both Sweetwater Drill Competition and the Brigade 5 Stage Regulation Competition. Kwon and her team has also secured 1st Place 4 Person Unarmed and 3rd Place Unarmed Inspection at GGolden Bear West Coast Nationals while also winning 1st Place Full Team Unarmed and 2nd Place 4 Person Unarmed at the Brigade Exhibition Competition. Within JROTC, Kwon has earned the Leadership Development Requirement Ribbon and the Superior Cadet Award for her involvement in the school program and excellence in leadership. Outside of JROTC, Kwon has achieved 300+ hours of community service by both teaching elementary and middle schoolers as well as helping out at a local hospital. For the incoming year, Kwon hopes to create a safe space for cadets to find their passion, meet new people, and overall tighten the relationships between the schools under the Joint Brigade.

After High School, she plans to attend a 4-year university and continue participating in ROTC while studying Psychology or Nursing.

Executive Officer
c/Lt Col Shin, Hailey
Scripps Ranch High School

As the Brigade Executive Officer, c/Lt Col Shin will be facilitating the rest of the Brigade Staff on their tasks, projects, and other coordination of their activities. She manages deadlines, correspondence with the rest of Command Team, and makes sure everything is done to the best of the staff’s abilities. Next year, she will be the SRHS JROTC Operations Commander, in charge of the unit’s flight staff and flights. She coordinates tasks, deadlines, and makes sure there are no issues with any cadets in a flight! Over the years, she has been a flight commander, flight sergeant while also being on teams like the Armed Fancy Drill Team. Her team placed 1st Sweepstakes at Golden Bear 2 years in a row, while also receiving many other awards! Her hope for the incoming year within the Brigade is to hopefully standardize units in each service so every single cadet that makes up the Brigade has the opportunity to shine within their unit, teams, competitions, events, and more. She wants everyone to have the ability to blossom into their full potential.

c/Lt Col Shin hopes to go to college while participating in ROTC, and wishes to major in Forensic Psychology or Psychobiology, as she has an interest in working for law enforcement.

J1: Personnel Officer
c/LTC Julian Tang
Mira Mesa High School

As the Brigade Personnel Officer, c/LTC Julian Tang is primarily in charge of facilitating the Academic League competitions by writing the question sets for each round and ensuring that procedures and rules are followed. He is also responsible for being the main speaker at many annual Brigade events, such as Cadet Picnic and Cadet Ball. At his unit, he is the 25-26 Deputy Commanding Officer, where he will assist the Commanding Officer in leading the unit while also managing the unit’s special teams, including Academic Team, CyberPatriot, and Robotics. Previously at his unit, he served as the Kitty Hawk Air Society Commander for two years, providing tutoring services to cadets every week during lunch. In addition, he was a Flight Sergeant for a year before becoming a Flight Commander, where he guided a close-knit group of cadets to excel in drill, leadership, and community service. He was a past member of his unit’s Color Guard, performing at multiple ceremonial events throughout the year, and is currently a member of the Unarmed Fancy Drill Team, helping his team place in several categories at drill competitions. He is also an experienced member of his unit’s Academic Team, having competed in Academic League rounds and assisted with writing questions for the annual Flight Academic Bowl. He has been recognized as a Top Performer and Top Volunteer Cadet within his unit and was the 2025 state winner of the Sons of the American Revolution JROTC Outstanding Cadet Award. Outside of JROTC, he has played the cello in his school’s Symphony Orchestra for two years and is involved in his school’s biotechnology program, currently serving as an Inventory Manager. He was the social media manager for his school’s mental health club, where he facilitated collaboration with other clubs on campus to create student wellness and mental health activities during lunch.This year, he hopes that as part of Brigade Staff, he can contribute to maintaining quality communication with each unit and help make Academic League a fun experience for everyone.

After high school, he plans to head to a 4-year university and continue being in ROTC before commissioning as an Air Force officer.

J2: Intelligence Officer
c/LTC Long, Zion
Morse High School

As the J-2 Intelligence Officer, c/LTC Zion Long works to ensure the safety, fidelity, and well-being of all cadets. He is responsible for managing risk assessments for all brigade events, which are distributed to all units to provide countermeasures for any potential safety concerns. Additionally, he provides cadets with valuable information through the Cadet Compass platform on a variety of topics, including scholarships, job opportunities, internships, volunteer work, vocational trades, and colleges to assist them in planning for their futures. Within JROTC, he is involved in numerous teams and holds several leadership positions. He serves as the Armed Fancy Drill Team Commander, having participated in the Golden Bear Nationals Two-Man Armed Exhibition and previously placing 1st in the Four-Man Exhibition Armed Team category. As the Honor Guard Commander, he leads the team during parades and homecoming events. He is also the YPF Executive Officer, where he placed 3rd and won the Brigade’s Strongest Man competition for the 2023–2024 school year. In his unit, He is a varsity member of the Drum Corps and Academic League, and he has competed in JLAB Academics. He has also joined other teams, including Archery and Color Guard. As the Deputy Commanding Officer, he supports the Battalion Commander in leading the battalion and executing their shared vision. He also ensures that the Executive Officer, Headquarters Commandant, and Operations Officer remain on track with their responsibilities. Outside of JROTC, He has been actively involved in various clubs and programs, including the Math, Engineering, Science, and Achievement (MESA) Club, 1st Gen Scholars, the Morse Islander Student Association, and Alpha Males. His goals for the upcoming school year are to be a source of advice, guidance, and encouragement for fellow cadets, to maintain a strong competitive spirit, and to continue doing what he loves most—helping others.

After high school, he plans on attending a 4-year university to pursue a Major in computer science while being in ROTC to commission as an Officer in the Army, to one day become a Game Developer or a Senior Army Instructor for JROTC.

J3: Operations Officer
c/CDR Hughes, Aiden
Point Loma High School

As the J3 c/CDR Hughes, Aiden is responsible for operational standards during Brigade events and devising their development. He is responsible for the completion of every OPORD for all SDUSD schools to analyze, which would be event details and their sequences. He reviews the previous years’ After Action Reports (AARs) with the goal to continuously improve and enhance the cadet experience, including that of the Joint Brigade Staff. Cadet Commander Aiden Hughes has been in the Point Loma High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps for three years, during which he has held the positions of Platoon Commander, Leading Petty Officer, and N3 Operations Officer. He is a member of his unit’s Athletic, Academic, CyberPatriots, Unarmed Exhibition, and Color Guard teams, and has received multiple awards for leadership as well as athletic and academic aptitude. Outside of JROTC, Aiden practices and teaches Taekwondo and is a member of his studio’s leadership. He is a member of his school’s GSA, environmental club, and academic league, and the founder of the Salon, a club dedicated to the discussion of philosophy. He is also a member of the district Police-Youth Advisory Committee, helping to facilitate a positive and understanding relationship between students and campus police. For the last two years, he has done community service for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in the previous summer was an intern for the City of San Diego. Aiden will be responsible for the planning, organization, and coordination of Brigade events and competitions, and the subsequent collection of AAR feedback forms. He intends to improve the Brigade by developing rigorous advance planning systems for events, ensuring clear communication with unit commands to prevent confusion and uncertainty, and maintaining schedules and declared courses of action as strictly as possible.

After high school, he intends to complete his undergraduate in an undetermined science before entering graduate school and pursuing a PhD.

J4: Supply Officer
c/LTC Vu, William
Madison High School

As the Brigade Logistics Officer, c/LTC William Vu is responsible for the management and handling of all Brigade-Assigned items such as uniforms, medals, and ribbons, as well as being responsible for setting up indicators such as drill pads, cones, and signs during competitions and events. c/LTC Vu founded the James Madison High School Army JROTC Cadet Club, an ASB-adjacent program that is dedicated to planning and executing Battalion recreational events, as well as providing support for school and community events. He will lead this new program as the first Cadet Club President. Some of the things c/LTC Vu has accomplished in JROTC include placing first in the Mixed section of the Raiders competition hosted at the Army & Navy Academy. He was also on Best Drilled Squad, JLAB: Leadership, Cadet Challenge, and was the Raiders OIC. On staff, he was previously the Battalion Executive Officer and then became the Battalion Commander. Outside of JROTC, c/LTC Vu was previously the Key Club President, is currently on the Varsity Badminton team, and will be the upcoming ASB Executive Vice President for Madison High School. He intends to foster an esprit de corps and tighten the community of the Joint Brigade through building positive relationships, and always being there for his staff, he also intends to kickstart an official website for all supply needs for the Joint Brigade.

His plans after high school are to commission as an officer through one of the military service academies and become an officer in the Air Force Reserves, while also pursuing entrepreneurship. 

J5: Public Affairs Officer
c/CDR Walker, Madison
Mission Bay High School

As the J-5 Public Affairs Officer, c/CDR Walker’s responsibility is to maintain the online presence of the SDUSD Brigade and oversee all MWR, such as publishing the Cadet Chronicles and managing the Instagram account. Her goals for this year include better communicating the missions and values of the JROTC program and being a strong advocate for cadets at the district level. During the 2024-2025 school year, she held the position of Commanding Officer at her unit. Madison actively participated in archery, JLAB team as co-captain, and field athletics. Walker’s accomplishments include receiving the WWII SPAR Elizabeth “Gena” Fischle Memorial Award, Spirit of the Chief Award, Scottish Rite JROTC Education and Americanism Award, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, Archery Sharpshooter Badge, and honor roll. Madison is also a graduate of the Coast Guard Junior Leadership Academy, which took place in Elizabeth City. She is the President of the Military Impact Club, whose goal is to create a more supportive environment for military dependents. Madison has also been a member of ASB for 5+ years. In her free time, Walker enjoys listening to music and baking.

After graduating from high school, Madison would like to commission into the Navy through the NROTC scholarship program. Her alternative plan is to attend college and pursue an elementary education degree to become a teacher.

J6: Cyber Communications Officer
c/CDR Luu, Tina
Patrick Henry High School

As the J-6, c/CDR Luu, Tina is responsible for maintaining the Joint Brigade’s technical platforms, data, and documents, helping the Brigade run smoothly. Before joining Brigade, she was a part of Patrick Henry’s leadership as the Cyber Patriots Team Commander, Color Guard Coordinator, Public Affairs Chief, and Platoon Commander during her junior year. Her roles as an underclassman included being the Plan of the Day Officer, Muster Petty Officer, and Squad Leader. Over the years, Tina actively participated in her program’s Navy League: Unarmed Exhibition, Unarmed Regulation, Academics, and Athletics teams. In addition, she also participated in Patriot teams such as leading Cyber Patriots, being on Orienteering, and Brigade Academics. Her achievements include being awarded Outstanding NS1 Cadet and Cadet of the Month for October 2022. Her goal for the upcoming year is to bridge the gap between Brigade staff and cadets across all 14 units and make everyone feel like they matter. Outside of JROTC, she is part of her Field Hockey team as one of the 24-25 JV Captains, volunteering for community events, and working outside of school. She will be attending First Gen Scholars In-person program, Girls Who Code Pathways, and Point Loma’s Cyber Camp over the summer.

After High School, she plans on attending a 4 year university with a degree in Cyber Security or Graphic Design while doing the NROTC Scholarship.  

J8: Fundraising Officer
c/LTC Schmidt, Sophia
Kearny High School

As the Brigade J-8 Finance Officer, c/LTC Sophia Schmidt is in charge of managing this school year’s budget, creating fundraisers, and assisting events and operations run smoothly. Within her battalion, she previously held the positions of Platoon Sergeant, S8, S2, and most recently the S3 where she was in charge of the Operations department and lead the preparation for competitions and battalion events. She’ll be serving as a Cadet Mentor in her unit this school year where she’ll assist in guiding the Battalion leadership and teaching the LET 1’s. Additionally, Sophia’s been part of and competed in Color Guard where she was also the Team 1SG, Armed Regulation, BDI, and Unarmed Regulation. She’s also earned 150+ hours of community service throughout her time in the program. Outside of JROTC, she has accomplished being the treasurer for her school dance team and completing the UCSD Listen Lab Internship at her school. Sophia’s been on Honor Roll during all her years at Kearny for earning a GPA of 3.5 or above. This summer she’ll begin her volunteer program at Kaiser Permanente. Sophia’s goal for the upcoming year within Brigade is to expand on the cadet engagement and improve the program’s funding. During her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, walking her dog, listening to music, and dancing.

After high school, she plans to attend one of the CSUs and major in Nursing.

LNO: Liaison Officer
c/LTC Zapanta, Leiah
Mira Mesa High School

As the LNO, c/LTC Zapanta will play a key role in event planning, including securing judges for competitions, coordinating with unit commanders and cadre, and delivering presentations. She will also lead her unit’s Plans and Requirements department, which connects cadets with community service opportunities through volunteering. In previous years, Cadet Zapanta served as a flight sergeant, where she supported her flight commander and chief in leading their flight to win Flight of the Month (FOM). She also mentored first-year cadets to participate in a Cadet of the Month (COM). Simultaneously, she held the position of team sergeant for the Unarmed Fancy Drill Team, helping her team place in both the Fancy Exhibition Drill and at Golden Bear West Coast Nationals.This year, she took on the role of Unarmed Fancy Drill Team Commander. Under her leadership, the team earned third place in the 5 Stage Regulation event, their first drill competition of the year. In her final competition as commander at Golden Bear West Coast Nationals, she earned first place in the Varsity Outstanding Commander Cup. Her team also secured first place in Unarmed Exhibition Dual, second place in Unarmed Varsity Inspection, and second place in Unarmed Varsity Sweepstakes. She and her team were proud to finish the season on a high note. Within JROTC, Cadet Zapanta has been recognized with several honors, including the Exceptional First-Year Cadet Award, Officer of the Month, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Award. Academically, she has maintained excellence, earning the Top Scholar Award for students with a GPA of 4.0 and above. As she steps into her role in the Brigade for the upcoming year, she aims to continue the legacy of past staff members by overcoming challenges and supporting her peers.

After high school, she plans to attend a four-year university and major in mathematics.