Retired command sergeant major urges district to honor Army agreement and correct JROTC pay
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Summary
Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) John Williamson told the board his pay for JROTC instruction was reduced, that the district is not honoring the Army memorandum of understanding, and that the shortfall affects his retirement; he asked the district to pay the legal minimum and consider a stipend.
Command Sergeant Major (ret.) John Williamson, a JROTC instructor, used his public comment time to tell trustees the district reduced his salary by more than 30% in July without prior notice and that he has been unable to get a sustained response from district administration.
Williamson said the Army funds half of his salary under an agreement and that the district is obligated to provide its share so his total pay meets a regulatory minimum for the instructor role. He said his current pay remains “well below the legal minimum,” that the pay shortfall reduces his retirement pay, and that he has asked repeatedly for correction without resolution.
Direct quote: “Pay me my minimum,” Williamson said near the end of his remarks, describing months of unanswered emails and a broken commitment he said had first promised a decision in December.
Williamson listed his credentials for trustees: 24 years of active duty in the U.S. Army, 39 years of combined military and education service, two master’s degrees and a valid Texas teacher certificate. He described extracurricular work in the district — coaching teams, representing the school at events, and running color guard events — and contrasted stipends the district provides to other extracurricular roles with the lack of a stipend or consistent compensation for JROTC instruction.
Why it matters: Williamson said the district’s failure to correct pay affects his compensation, retirement and retention of experienced JROTC instructors. He said he will retire in June; his public comment framed the issue as a personnel and contractual concern tied to a military‑district agreement.
No formal action was taken during public comment. The board did not make an immediate decision on Williamson’s request during the meeting; trustees and staff did not provide a public resolution on the record that evening.
