2007 ROTC Recognition Night

8 November 2007

Sponsored by the Department of Minnesota Reserve Officers Association

Held at the 934th Airlift Wing (Ft. Snelling) Officers Club, Post Road & Hwy 5, St. Paul

The Department's annual ROTC Recognition Night is dedicated to the ROTC units and their members within the state of Minnesota.

The Master of Ceremonies was Col Marilyn Chambers, USAFR, who also planned the event.

The program this year consisted of three features: Introduction of ROTC Units present and a report from those units on their activities; a speaker LTC Joe Repya, U.S. Army (Retired); and the announcement of the 2007 Merit Award recipients

Each ROTC detachment gave a report on the status of activities and cadets at their campus.  These cadets continue to exemplify commitment to both their academic pursuits and their ROTC development.  Detachments present were University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Air Force and UM Duluth, Air Force; University of St Thomas, Air Force; Minnesota State University, Army; and St. Johns University, Army. 

Three detachment commanders were in attendance, Lt Col Sylvia Taylor from U. St. Thomas, LTC Thomas Cooper, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato; and Lt Col Allan Chromy, U of Minnesota, Duluth.

The featured speaker was Lt Col Joe Repya, U.S.A (Ret).  His presentation focused on the five principles of leadership, with an exceptional blend of personal experiences in how he put each of these principles into practice.   His down to earth style and acknowledgement of today’s service environment being a challenging one made this program directly applicable to cadets right now.  In addition, he stressed the importance of being a student of military history and he left a suggested reading list for the audience.  All military members present recognized many of the books. 

This is the third year that Merit Awards have been provided by the Major Dan Anderson Freedom Fund. The program was open to cadets and midshipmen who were ROTC students in the seven programs in the State of Minnesota.

The Merit Awards submission period began in the fall of the academic year when applications were solicited and later received. This period was followed by selection of the recipients by the Board of Directors of the Freedom Fund.

The selection of the recipients followed the submission of application packages from outstanding applicants from Minnesota ROTC units. For 2007 there were four merit awards presented for $500.00 each.

2ndLt Andrew Williams, USAFR, Secretary of the Major Dan Anderson Freedom Fund, 2007-08, announced the 2007 Merit Award recipients:

●	Cadet David Burt, Air Force ROTC, St. Thomas University
●	Cadet Issac M. Landecker, Air Force ROTC, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus
●	Cadet Britt Nemeth, Air Force ROTC, University of Minnesota, Duluth
●	Cadet Ross Puffer, Army ROTC, Minnesota State University, Mankato

This is the third consecutive year for Merit Awards. In prior years of 2005 and 2006 a total of seven $500.00 Merit Awards. The total given to date including 2007 is $5,500.00.

The Freedom Fund is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. The Fund has existed since 2002 and serves the needs of ROA junior officer members as well.  For example, scholarships for the ROA-sponsored RC JOPDS and RC JOLDTS training have been awarded to Minnesota ROA members in recent years. See the Freedom Fund button on web site at http://www.mnroa.org

Congratulations to the 2007 Merit Award Recipients!!

Thanks to all who participated in and attended this event.

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