Cadets, alumni, faculty celebrate Demon Battalion 75th anniversary at spring ROTC ball

April 16, 2025

NATCHITOCHES – Demon Battalion Commander Cadet Caiden Mathews was named recipient of the MG (R) Erbon W. Wise Touchstone Award and Lieutenant Col. Reginal Horton, U.S. Army Retired, was inducted into the Northwestern State University Demon Regiment Hall of Fame during the 75^th annual Demon Battalion Military Ball April 12.  The event drew together ROTC cadets, alumni, faculty, staff and honored guests to celebrate the milestone anniversary for NSU’s ROTC program and cadet accomplishments.

Matthews is a graduating senior from Shreveport majoring in business.  He will graduate and commission as a second lieutenant in May.  The Touchstone award is presented annually to a cadet who is the model of good citizenship.  The honoree not only embodies Army values and warrior ethos but is recognized for contributing beyond the expected and encourages others to do the same.

Horton graduated from Northwestern with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. He commissioned into the U.S. Army as an infantry officer in 1985.  He had prior service as an enlisted soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and Okinawa, Japan, 1979-82, ad with the Louisiana Army National Guard I 1983-85.

Horton earned a Master of Arts in Student Personnel Services at NSU in 1990 and later a Master of Social Work from Grambling State University.  His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College. Senior Transportation Officer Course and the Reserve Component Theater Sustainment Course.

At NSU, Horton was president of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., secretary of Blue Key Honor Society and president of the Interfraternity Council. He served on the Student Government Association and was elected Mr. NSU in 1986.

After commissioning, Horton served as a Platoon Leader with the 1^st Battalion, 156^th Armor Regiment, Shreveport, then commanded Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 4^th Brigade, Bossier City.  He later served as a company commander for the 3^rdBattalion, 379^th Infantry Regiment, Bossier City, then as Assistant Battalion S-4, Company Commander and Chief Plans and Operations Officer for the 3^rd Battalion, 377^th Infantry Regiment.  Horton was next assigned to the 1190^th Deployment Support Brigade, where he served as Chief, Unit Movement Team, and as Chief, Operations Division.

Horton’s final assignment includes serving a Battle Captain with the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command; Liaison Officers, 595^th Transportation Brigade in Afghanistan; Senior Transportation Officer, 1190^th Deployment Support Brigade, and Maintenance Officer, 412^th Theater Engineer Command.  He retired from military service in 2013.

Horton’s military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Reserve Component Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M and 30-year Devices, National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Assault Badge.

Horton began his civil service career in 1997 as a readjustment counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Shreveport prior to his current position as the OIR/OEF Transition Patient Advocate in Alexandria.  He also serves as the Minority Veterans Program coordinator and as the Congressional Medal of Honor coordinator for the Alexandria VA Healthcare System.

Horton is a licensed and ordained Minister of the Gospel, former pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, Chestnut, and Iron Spring Baptist Church, Ashland.  He is currently associate minister at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield.

Col. Richard P. Taylor, commander, Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Johnson, was guest speaker. Taylor commissioned as an infantry officer in 2000 and was designated a distinguished military graduate from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.  He completed U.S. Army Ranger School following the Infantry Officer Basic Course.  Taylor has deployed to Afghanistan nine time, Iraq twice, Poland Tunisia, Jordan and numerous other worldwide deployments.

NSU’s Army ROTC program was founded in 1950 as part of a nationwide initiative to strengthen military leadership during a time of growing global conflict.  In the post-World War II era, there was an increasing need for trained officers to serve during the Cold War and NSU answered that call be creating a program dedicated to preparing students for military service.

The Spring 2025 ROTC Awards program will be 4 p.m. Thursday, May 1 in the NSU Student Union Ballroom.

Matthews’ commissioning ceremony will be 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 in the Student Union Ballroom.

Information on NSU’s Department of Military Science is available at https://www.nsula.edu/rotc/.

Cadet Caiden Mathews, right, a graduating senior from Shreveport, was named recipient of the MG (R) Erbon W. Wise Touchstone Award during NSU’s 75th Demon Battalion Military Ball. The Touchstone Award is presented annually to a cadet who is the model of good citizenship. LTC Joshua Drake presented the award.

Lieutenant Col. Reginal Horton, U.S. Army Retired, was inducted into the Northwestern State University Demon Regiment Hall of Fame during the 75th annual Demon Battalion Military Ball April 12. Horton earned two degrees from Northwestern and held many leadership positions on campus before a long, distinguished career in the U.S. Army.