Guests and attendees mingle in the Ansbach Hofgarten in front of the Orangerie, before entering the ball room. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3, 2014....

Derek Hyde, USAG Ansbach School Liaison Officer, helps incoming guests at the seating chart during the JROTC military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach A...

Col. and Mrs. Christopher M. Benson welcome Ansbach High School Vice Principal Esther Harrison and Principal David Carlisle during the JROTC military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at th...

Sidney Ward and Keanu Vaughn, both seniors and part of the Ansbach High School JROTC program, enter the ball room together. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach A...

Cadet Lt. Col. Joshua Pleake, commander of the 9th JROTC Battalion, samples the grog after it is finished. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3, 2014. Abo...

Col. Christopher M. Benson, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach commander, addresses the students in his speech during the JROTC military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtow...

The JROTC command group and their guests of honor of the garrison headquarters get ready to welcome the incoming guests. From left: Cadet Lt. Col. Joshua Pleake, Cadet Command Sgt. Maj. Kaitlynn Carson, Col. Christopher M. Benson and Kellie Benson, P...

Thomas Fink adds "sand" to the grog mixture during the JROTC military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3, 2014. About 300 students and guests expe...

The ceremonial cake waits to be cut during the annual JROTC military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3, 2014. About 300 students and guests exper...

JROTC cadets start streaming into the ball room of the Orangerie at the annual military ball. The 9th JROTC Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated its 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3, 2014. About 300 studen...

ANSBACH, Germany (April 8, 2014) -- The Junior ROTC Cougar Battalion of Ansbach High School celebrated their 30th annual military ball at the Orangerie in downtown Ansbach April 3. The ball program featured many military traditions, including a receiving line, the separate table set for the fallen Soldier, the posting of the colors followed by a rendition of the American national anthem, a toast, a grog ceremony and a cake cutting.

Col. Christopher M. Benson, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach and guest speaker at the ball, talked about how the JROTC program is designed to teach high school students a variety of values, including leadership, diversity, character development and engaging in civic and social concerns in the community. He emphasized how important it is to volunteer and give something back to the community.

"No matter what path you choose to take in life, I hope you never lose that spirit of engagement, involvement and volunteerism," said Benson during his address. "It's the difference between a nice community and a great community."

The 9th Junior ROTC Battalion has earned the Honor Unit with Distinction Insignia (the highest JROTC unit award, also known as "gold star") every year since 2004; with 122 cadets enrolled -- or 59 percent of the high school students -- the cadet command minimum of 10 percent has been surpassed many times. Participation is the highest percentage of any Department of Defense Dependent Schools.

In the course of the evening, the cadet command honored the members of the successful rifle team, who made first place in their regional conference and third place in the DoDDs Europe championship, and bid farewell 32 seniors who will graduate this June.