NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Military Science hosted an end-of-semester awards program for cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. The 69th Demon Battalion Spring Awards Ceremony highlighted the accomplishments of cadets in and out of the classroom.
Academic honors were presented to Cadets Clayton Casner and Cole Spoon, President’s List (4.0) students, and Cadets Karl Marzahl, MacKenzie Buie-Grace, Joseph Orchi, William Jenson, Gennyfer Pena, Alyah Cortez and Seth Ozsoy, Dean’s List (3.50-3.99) students.
Cadets who earned honors for 4.0 grade point averages in military science were John Ham, Karl Marzahl, Mackenzie Buie-Grace, Eboni Phidd, Maria-Magdalena Torres, Neil Garcia, William Jensen, Ethan Lewis, GEnnyfer Pena, Adrian Vandiver, Clayton Casner, Alyah Cortez, Daja Easter, Caleb Krikorian, Trenton Malmay, Madison Miller, Seth Ozsoy, Cole Spooner, Dylan Trueblood, Terran Turner, Alex Wade and Katelyn Watson.
Cadet Caleb Krikorian received the Sons of American Revolution Award presented to a meritorious cadet who has displayed good standing militarily and scholastically. He or she must be enrolled in the first year of the program and show a high degree of merit with respect to leadership qualities, soldierly bearing and excellence.
Four MS 4 senior cadets were recognized by Lt. Col Wendell Bender.
Cadet Logan DeOre served as the Command Sergeant Major and received the Field Training Exercise Award and the National Sojourners Award presented in recognition of the highest attributes of Americanism and support of the United States as a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
Cadet John Ham served as Executive Officer and Co0captain of the Ranger Challenger Team for three years. He received the Cadet Scholar GP Award, the Field Training Exercise Award and the AUSA Military History Award.
Cadet Brandon Homan received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Karl Marzahl served as the Demon Battalion Commander this year and co-captain of the Ranger Challenge Team for three years. He received the Silver Medal Athlete Award, the Recruiting Athlete Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. He also received the award for the Most Outstanding Cadet, Cadet Leadership Course, and the Colonel Tomas Baker Award annually presented to an outstanding senior cadet who exhibits exemplary traits of dedication and leadership. He also received the Lion’s Club Award presented annually to a cadet who has shown excellence in leadership. The selected cadet must have excelled over the course of the year in all facets of military science and must uphold the highest ideals of patriotism and fidelity.
MS-3 junior-level cadets were recognized.
Cadet Justin L. Broussard received the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Mackenzie Buie-Grace is the Battalion’s Executive Officer and the Detachment Commander for LSU-S, a partnership school. He received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. He also received the AUSA ROTC Medal given to an outstanding junior cadet who contributes the most towards advancing the standing of the Military Science Department and is in the top 10 percent of their class in ROTC and the top 25 percent of their class in other subjects.
Cadet Larancion Magee is the Assistant S1, Administrative Officer. He received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Joseph S. Orchi is the S-3 Operations and Training Officer. He received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. He also received the award for Most Outstanding Cadet, Cadet Initial Entry Training, Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Cadet Eboni C. Phidd is the S1 Administrative Officer. She received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. Phidd also received the American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award presented by Gordon Peters Post 10. The award is presented to the cadet in the top 10 percent of his or her class in academic subjects, is ranked in the top 25 percent of ROTC classes and has demonstrated sound leadership potential.
Cadet Maria-Magdalena Bansil-Torres will be the 2019-20 Battalion Commander and Ranger Challenge Captain. She received the award for the most improved GPA, the Silver Medal Athlete and the Field Training Exercise Award. Bansil-Torres also received the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree Patriotic Award presented to a junior who has been selected for patriotic standards above and beyond all others, and the Military Officers Association of America Award for an outstanding junior-level cadet who has demonstrated exceptional potential for military leadership.
Cadet Terran D. Turner is the S-2 Military Intelligence Officer. He received the Cadet Honors GPA Award and the Field Training Exercise Award.
MS-2 sophomore-level cadets were recognized.
Cadet Tanner Delphin is the S-6, Communications Officer. He received the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Neil Garcia is the Assistant S-4, Logistics Officer. He received the Cadet Honors GPA Award and the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Ronesha Johnson received the Recruiting Award.
Cadet Ethan P. Lewis is the 2019-2020 Battalion Command Sergeant Major and Ranger Challenge Co-Captain. He received Cadet Honors GPA, Recruiting Award and Field Training Exercise Award. He also received the AMVETS medal and certificate presented to an outstanding cadet for diligence in the discharge of duties and the willingness to serve God and country for the mutual benefit of all.
Cadet Jordan Loyd is the Platoon Sergeant. He received the Recruiting Award and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Award that recognizes a cadet who has contributed most among cadets on campus to encourage and demonstrate patriotism by deeds or conduct during participation in extracurricular activities or community projects with demonstrated academic excellence and potential for outstanding leadership.
Cadet Deasheneire Payne received the award for most improved score on the Army Physical Fitness Test.
Cadet Gennyfer Pena is the Assistant S-3, Operations and Training Officer. She received the Gold Medal Athlete Award for scoring the highest of all cadets this semester, the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. Pena also received the award of the General Society of the War of 1812 that recognizes an outstanding sophomore of high moral character and good academic standing.
Cadet Robert Sneed is the Detachment Commander for LSU-A, a partnership school. He received the award for the Most Improved Cadet, MS II class.
Cadet Adrian Vandiver received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. Vandiver also received the award of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War given to a cadet who has shown a high degree of patriotism to the nation and has demonstrated a high degree of academic performance and leadership.
MS-1 first-year cadets were recognized.
Clayton Casner received the Award for Most Improved Cadet in the MS-1 class. He earned the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award.
Cadet Alyah Cortez received the Military of Foreign Wars of the United States Award presented for exceptional leadership potential.
Cadet Daja Easter received the Cadet Scholar GPA Award.
Cadet Trenton Malmay is the 2019-2020 Company First Sergeant. He received the Silver Medal Athlete Award.
Cadet Madison Miller received the Recruiting Award and the USAA Spirit Award that recognizes the cadet who best displays the traits and characteristics that embody the spirit of service to others.
Cadet Seth Ozsoy received the Recruiting Award and the Field Training Exercise Award. He also received the Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership award presented to an underclassman with a positive attitude toward ROTC and country. The cadet must hold a leadership position in the cadet corps and be active in school and community affairs.
Cadet Cole Spooner is an Assistant S-2, Military Intelligence Officer. He received the Bronze Medal Athlete Award.
Cadet Dylan Trueblood received the Cadet Honors GPA Award and the Veterans of Foreign Ward award presented to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated achievement and concentrated effort in military subjects with demonstrated capability and diligence in the ROTC program.
Cadet Alex Wade received the Cadet Honors GPA Award and the Recruiting Award. Wade also received the Award of the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America given to a freshman who has demonstrated potential for good leadership as well as demonstrated similar or related accomplishments reflecting the ideals of patriotism.
Cadet Katelyn Watson also received the Daughters of the American Revolution Award presented to a cadet who shows outstanding ability and achievement and has demonstrated dependability and good character, leadership ability and patriotic understanding of the importance of ROTC training.
Cadets who volunteer to serve in the National Guard Military Funeral Honors program render final honors to service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation. This service is one of the last memories that Veterans’ families will have of that person, so those Guardsmen devote additional time to training. They must know and execute precise drill and ceremony, casket and urn sequences, flag folds, how to conduct a firing party and uniform maintenance.
Cadets Caleb Krikorian and Trenton Malmay were recognized for serving in the Louisiana Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors program.
The award of the Military Order of World Wars is presented to a cadet form each class who excels in all military and scholastic aspects of the ROTC program. Cadets Karl Marzahl, Terran Turner, William Jensen and Trenton Malmay were recognized with the citation from the Lieutenant Tory H. Middle Chapter in appreciation for demonstrated excellence in academic and military studies, application of leadership principles and desire to serve the country. Honorees also exhibited qualities of dependability, good character and adherence to military discipline to bring credit to the NSU’s ROTC unit and the university.
The U.S. Army Sergeant York Award is presented to a cadet who excels in the program and devotes additional time and effort to maintaining and expanding it. This year’s recipient was Cadet Ethan Lewis.
The Leadership Excellence Award recognizes a cadet who demonstrates leadership ability in the program, across campus and in civic activities. This year’s Leadership Excellence Award was presented to Cadet Karl Marzahl.
The Cadet Commendation Medal recognizes those who contributed extraordinary efforts to the program and the Cadet Achievement Medal recognizes those who displayed outstanding efforts to the ROTC program. Cadets who received the Cadet Commendation Medal were Cadets Katelyn Watson, Gennyfer Pena and Mari-Magdalena Bansil. Cadets who received the Cadet Achievement Medal were Cadets Cole Spooner, Ethan Lewis and Mackenzie Buie-Grace.
Tops cadets from each class were also recognized as those who show academic and military leadership and demonstrate strong officer potential. The cadets volunteer, speak up, encourage others to improve and rise above their peers to build their program. This year’s Superior Cadet Award recipients were Cadet Seth Ozsoy, Top MS I; Cadet Ethan Lewis, Top MS-2; Cadet Mackenzue Buie-Grace, Top MS III, and Cadet John Ham, Top MS IV.
Scholarship recipients were also recognized. Cadet Ronesha Johnson earned the Jeanice Leadership and Excellence Schoalrship given to an active ROTC cadet who participates in at least two other activities at NSU, maintains a high GPA and demonstrates leadership Potential.
Cadet Gennyfer Pena earned the Malcolm Daisy Scholarship given as a reward for perseverance against adversity. The scholarship recognizes a cadet’s drive to serve one’s country as a U.S. Army officer and exhibits all Army values on a regular basis.
Cadet Alex Wade earned the James A. Noe Memorial Scholarship presented to a cadet who displays a high degree of leadership potential, a high standard of moral conduct and support of the NSU ROTC program.
Cadet Marzahl was recognized for his leadership as Battalion Commander this past year and an engraved Leatherman multitool.
A Commissioning Ceremony for graduating ROTC cadets who will take the Oath of Commissioned Officers will take place at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 10 in the TEC/Middle Lab School Auditorium. Cadets Dominitra Charles, Logan DeOre, John Ham and Karl Marzahl will take the oath to serve as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. The public is invited to attend. The oath will be repeated during the 3 p.m. commencement program in Prather Coliseum.
Information about NSU’s Department of Military Science and ROTC Program is available at rotc.nsula.edu.
