Lowndes Junior ROTC cadets receive awards

Published 4:41 am Tuesday, December 6, 2005

VALDOSTA — Lowndes High School Air Force Junior ROTC cadets received more than 30 awards for their academic and leadership achievements. Among the awards were outstanding aerospace science cadets, Air Force Association Award, veteran recognition awards and one cadet receiving an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The awards represent a year’s worth of work — not just a couple of months or weeks, said Master Sgt. Bruce Minnick, aerospace science instructor. “You’ve also got to get involved in what the community’s doing. We’ve done a lot of community service this year. We are involved, and ROTC is about developing that individual and showing leadership potential. We look at all these things in order to build a better person.”

At Lowndes High’s 31st annual national awards night on Thursday, about 34 awards were issued to cadets for showing leadership, dedication and academic excellence during the 2004-05 school year.

“I would like to congratulate all the cadets who won the individual awards,” said

Lt. Col. Dean Failor, senior aerospace science instructor. “I would also like to congratulate the entire cadet corps for their efforts in winning the distinguished unit award.”

Lowndes High School also learned that it was selected as one of 200 units to receive the Air Force Junior ROTC Distinguished Unit Award. The award is issued to those ROTC units that are distinguished through school and community service.

As for individual awards four cadets were selected for the Outstanding Aerospace Science Cadet. The winners of the outstanding cadet awards were Leeanne Griffin, Tara Terrio, Katie Falkenhausen and Thomas Yunker. Falkenhausen also received the Distinguished AFJROTC Cadet Award.

“They showed outstanding leadership, all of them showed great initiative in getting the job done,” Minnick said. “They’re some of the best examples the other students can look to. They’re really involved in the program, so I’m really pleased with the selections.”

The Air Force Association award went to Talon Pope, who also received the AFJROTC Honors Camp award. Talon’s sister, Krystle Pope, was appointed to the Air Force Academy and received a U.S. Air Force ROTC scholarship offer worth $75,000.

Military Order awards of World Wars and of the Purple Heart went to cadets Heather Bickerton and Brigitte Brantley, respectively.

The three state awards for girls went to cadets Stephanie Harlan, Amanda Hardock and Falkenhausen, while cadets Michael Van Doren, Christopher Brents and Matthew O’Dell received the Boy’s State award.

Minnick said the Valdosta and Hahira Veterans of Foreign War posts helped select the recipients, who will learn about government on all levels.

“They will study how government works, and have to propose bills,” Minnick said. “We look at kids who will benefit from that and show potential to be good leaders.”

Representatives for awards were presented by local organizations such as American Legion Post 13 and AMVETS Post 607, as well as veterans of Desert Storm, Vietnam and the Korean War.

“I would like to thank the 16 individuals from the community representing their national organizations who gave their time to present their awards,” Failor said. “Thank you to Lt. Col. Herbert Scot, of the 347th Medical Support Squadron, for representing Moody at the awards program and for helping us as our support squadron at the base the last two years.”