Department of Minnesota ROA

Volunteer members of ROA Minnesota presented awards for ROA at the ROTC and Junior ROTC ceremonies again this year.

Annual spring ceremonies recognize the institution’s most deserving of the ROTC cadets and midshipmen of the services. For example, at the joint-services University of Minnesota program an ROA award was presented on behalf of ROA by a Department of Minnesota ROA volunteer during the awards ceremony. Army, Air Force and Navy ROTC detachments are present at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus. Awards of the ROA medal may be for academic achievement, leadership, and other traits as determined by school officials. Volunteer members also participated in the ROTC Awards Ceremonies in the other ROTC programs in the state.

The ROA award is given at each of the seven college and university ROTC programs in Minnesota. Those are listed by name on the link to the left "ROTC Liaison".

Similarly there were a number of ROA presentations at various Junior ROTC programs this spring. Awards are typically given to deserving participants at a typical annual spring awards program by the high school. The high school JROTC programs not only provide some of our military's members of the future but are also important to the school culture of those institutions and to the junior cadets themselves regardless of their career choices.

An ROA medal is given along with a certificate to the recipient of a JROTC award at participating schools. The ROA Award is given as determined by school officials. Other awards are typically given by various civic groups including the American Legion, the Navy League, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other organizations. For a list of Junior ROTC units in Minnesota see the button to the left "JROTC Programs".

For example, CAPT Allyn Eaves, USNR (Ret.) attended the U of M, Twin Cities Campus Tri-Service ROTC graduation event on April 29, 2006, and presented on behalf of the Department of Minnesota. CAPT Larry DeVries, CEC, USNR (Ret.) attended the St. Paul Arlington H. S. Navy JROTC event and CAPT Peter DeLong, USNR (Ret.) attended the St. Paul Harding H. S. Navy JROTC event both on May 17. Each presented a JROTC medal and certificate on behalf of ROA to a deserving JROTC cadet. See the the Summer 2006 newsletter.

A summary of all presenters for ROA Minnesota at both ROTC and Junior ROTC programs is as follows:

Program	Institution	Presenter for Minnesota ROA
ROTC
	U of MN Twin Cities Campus	CAPT Allyn Eaves, USNR Ret.
	U of St. Thomas, St Paul	Maj Karla White, USAFR
	St. John's University, Collegeville	Col Al Scheer, USAR Ret.
	U of MN Duluth	Maj Rick Erredge, USAFR
JROTC
	Arlington HS, St. Paul	CAPT Larry DeVries, USNR Ret.
	Cretin-Durham Hall HS	Maj Dave Zenner, USAFR
	Como HS	Col Alan Ruvelson, USAR Ret
	Harding HS	CAPT Pete DeLong, USNR Ret.
	Humboldt HS	Col Alan Ruvelson, USAR Ret
	Johnson HS	Col Martin Coyne, USAFR Ret.
	John Vessey Leadership Academy	Col Alan Ruvelson, USAR Ret
	Park HS	Lt Col Gary Chambers, USAFR
	St. Thomas Academy	Col Martin Coyne, USAFR Ret.
	Woodbury HS	Lt Col Gary Chambers, USAFR

The Department of Minnesota had an active program in 2006 with participation in many of the Minnesota ROTC and JROTC programs during their annual awards ceremonies.

A big thanks to all those who participated as presenters. If you wish to volunteer for the spring of 2007 let an officer know of your wishes.