Spring 2017 Joint ROTC Awards at The Citadel

ROTC cadets from all branches of service honored at annual ceremony

The Citadel produces more officers through its ROTC programs than almost any college in America. This spring approximately 93 cadets are expected to commission in all branches of military service. The Citadel’s Joint ROTC Awards formally observed over 100 outstanding members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets on Thursday, March 23 at McAlister Field House.

Annually, each ROTC unit honors exemplary cadets for both scholastic and military excellence.

This year’s award recipients are:

Air Force Association Cadet Medal

Chad Humelbaugh

This award is presented a junior cadet in recognition of outstanding achievement in leadership and academic standing in the Air Force ROTC.

American Legion Military Excellence Awards

Air Force: Hayden D. Fry

Army: David Salter

Marines: Jeffrey Smeriglio

Navy: Scott Sam

This award is presented to cadets who demonstrate outstanding qualities in military leadership, discipline, character and citizenship.

American Legion Scholastic Excellence Awards

Air Force: Cody Smithey

Army: Bret Seidler

Marines Lawrence Boyce

Navy: James Andrus

The American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award is presented to Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy ROTC cadets who are active in student activities and have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.

American Veterans of World War II Award (AMVETS)

Air Force: Gregory Krueger

Army: Harrison Dixon

Marines: Nathan Chew

Navy: Jose Delgado

The American Veterans of World War II Award recognizes cadets who are in good standing in all military aspects and all scholastic grades.

The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association ROTC Honor Certificate Award (AFCEA)

Air Force: Jared Turnage

Army: Timothy Behnke

Marines: Stuart Morton

Navy: Randall Clark

Each year this award is presented to cadets majoring in communications, electronics, and related areas who demonstrate high academic achievement.

AT&T Award

Air Force: Kelbey Oakes

Army: Matthew Hamma

Marines: Zachary Keener

Navy: Thomas Riherd

The AT&T Award is presented to ROTC cadets who have displayed the ability to solve problems outside the box, using innovative thinking and carrying it through to execution.

Association of the United States Army Award (AUSA)

Robert Wiegand

The Association of the United States Army Award recognizes a cadet who has contributed the most thorough leadership.

AUSA Military History Award

William Thies

The recipients of the AUSA Military History Award demonstrate excellence in the study of military history.

Pallas Athene Award

Jordan Abrams

This award identifies a female Army cadet who showcases scholastic excellence and is outstanding in her class.

DA Superior Cadet Decoration Award

Richard Honeycutt

McKinley Forster

Jack Marquez

Marcus Harbol

The Superior Cadet Decoration Award recognizes all levels of Army cadets who are in good ROTC and academic standing and show officer potential.

General Robert Frederick Leadership Award

Neil Bultman

This award distinguishes an Army ROTC cadet who has exceptional leadership ability.

General Westmoreland Award

Joshua Hamilton

The award is presented to an Airborne Qualified cadet at The Citadel by The 82nd Airborne Division, Low Country Airborne Chapter.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Award

Air Force: Olivia Lion

Army: Lauren Seedor

Marines: Lawrence Boyce

Navy: Benjamin Young

The Daughters of the American Revolution Award recipients have notably demonstrated qualities of loyalty and patriotism, military discipline, leadership ability, and have a patriotic understanding of ROTC training importance.

Daughters and the Founders and Patriots of America Award

Air Force: Tai S. Lum

Army: Peter Neil

Marines: Nicholas Cucinotta

Navy: Mitchell Felt

The Daughters and the Founders and Patriots of America Award is presented to outstanding upperclassmen who demonstrated the qualities of leadership, high scholastic average, and are highly active in student affairs.

The Military Officer’s Association of American ROTC Medal (MOAA), formerly TROA

Air Force: George Graham

Army: Walter Metcalfe

Marines: Kirkland Rizer

Navy: Alexander Nagel

The Military Officer’s Association presents this award annually to cadets in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy who have good moral character and demonstrate a great order of loyalty to his/her ROTC unit, college, and country.

Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership Medal Award

Air Force: Dane Butler

Army: Richard Dekold

Marines: Alec Reddy

Navy: Santiago Vega

The Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership Medal Award recognizes cadets who have a positive attitude toward ROTC/JROTC and the country, hold a leadership position in the cadet corps, and are active in school and community affairs.

Military Order of the World Wars Award (MOWW)

Air Force: James Quimby, Nathaniel White, James Hitt

Army: William Shugart, Daniel Black, Jason Kline

Marines: Brandon Hickey, Robert Olsen

Navy: Katherine Walker, Jamie Cunningham

This award is presented to one member of the second, third, and fourth class of each branch of service for their demonstrated military excellence and accomplishments during the year.

National Defense Transportation Association Award (NDTA)

Air Force: Stephen Cleary

Army: John Clark

Marines: Graham Atwater

Navy: Robert DeCort

The National Defense Transportation Association Award recognizes a senior cadet who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities, academic achievement, and aptitude for military service.

National Defense Industrial Association Award (NDIA)

Air Force: Ryan Fallon

Army: Kevin MacDonald

Marines: Grace Jenkins

Navy: Samuel Douglas

The National Defense Industrial Association Award is presented to a cadet who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities.

The National Sojourners Award

Air Force: Michael Sementilli

Army: Richard Foster

Marines: Rene Valentine

Navy: Logan Barber

This award recognizes cadets in each ROTC department who have a potential for outstanding leadership and have encouraged and demonstrated the ideals of Americanism by deed and conduct.

Reserve Officers’ Association Award (ROA)

Air Force: Andrew Burckhalter, Aaron Beck, Carly Cannon

Army: Logan Fox, Chandler Sambets, Ryan Dolan

Marines: Brandon Hickey, Kirkland Rizer, Patrick Mciver

Navy: Cedric Barnes, James Andrus, Dexter Ledbetter

The Reserve Officers’ Association Award distinguishes ROTC cadets who have a desire to obtain a commission and demonstrate outstanding qualities in leadership, moral character, and high aptitude for military service.

Special Forces Association Medal of Excellence

Air Force: Tai S. Lum

Army: Matthew Wilder

Marines: Brandon Hickey

Navy: Logan R. Barber

Each year the Special Forces Association Medal of Excellence is awarded to a standout freshman or sophomore cadet who has shown scholastic excellence and military proficiency in keeping with the ideals of US Special Forces.

Society ROTC Award of Merit, Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)

Air Force: Chad Humelbaugh

Army: Christoper Kegley

Marines: Robert Olsen

Navy: Alec Sharpe

This award recognizes outstanding upperclassmen ROTC cadets in the engineering program who are in excellent ROTC and academic standing.

Society of the War of 1812 Award

Air Force: Blayne Hayes

Army: Kenneth Balding

Marines: Damon Susanke

Navy: Charles Anderson

This award is presented to a sophomore cadet in each ROTC unit who is in good academic standing and of high moral character.

Society of the Daughters of the War of 1812

Air Force: Cierra Smith

Army: Breana Broad

Marines: Joshua Moore

Navy: Garrett Pinckney

The Society of the Daughters of the War of 1812 award recognizes cadets in each ROTC department who are in good standing militarily and scholastically at time of selection.

Sons of the American Revolution

Air Force: Brandley Reyes Torres

Army: Joshua Roides

Marines: Adam Hannah

Navy: Samuel Douglas

Each year exemplary cadets who show a high degree of merit with respect to leadership qualities, soldierly bearing, and excellence are awarded the Sons of the American Revolution Award.

Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Masonry

Air Force: Cody Mahen

Army: Jacob Payne

Marines: Hugh McDowell

Navy: Logan Barber

This award recognizes cadets who have made strides to encourage and demonstrate patriotism by deeds or participation in extracurricular activities and community projects.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Award (VFW)

Air Force: Russell Henderson

Army: Garrett Wilke

Navy: Samuel Douglas

Marines: Patrick McIver

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Award is presented to cadets who have demonstrated achievement and concentrated effort in military and academic subjects, as well as capability and diligence.

USAA Spirit Award

Air Force: Laura Russo

Army: Klassen Dykens

Marines: Kirkland Rizer

Navy: Conner Perley

Each year, ROTC cadets of each department who display traits and characteristics that embody the spirit of service to others receive this award.

Navy League Honors Award

Marines: Jonathan Radu

Navy: Dexter Ledbetter

The Navy League Honors Award recognizes the top academic performers in the Navy ROTC department.

The Naval Submarine League Award

Navy: Sean Brennan

The Naval Submarine League Award is presented to the top Navy ROTC graduate volunteering for the Submarine Force.

The Marine Corps League Leadership Award

Navy: Sam Douglas

Marines: Jeffrey Smeriglio and Nathan McAnally

This award recognizes outstanding Marine and Navy seniors who have excelled in the areas of leadership, academics, and military performance.

The Marine Corps Association Award

Joshua Scaife

The Marine Corps Association Award is presented to a Marine option midshipman in recognition of high endeavor and superior accomplishment during four years of study at The Citadel as a Marine Option student.

General Robert Frederick Leadership Award

Jacob Liedman

This award distinguishes cadets who exhibit exceptional leadership ability and have participated in cultural immersion programs.

George C. Marshall Award

Joshua Hamilton

The recipient of this award is the top fourth-year Army cadet who demonstrates leadership and scholastic qualities as that of General Marshall.

To learn more about ROTC programs at The Citadel, please click here.