WWHS JROTC cadets receive awards, promotions, scholarship at recent events
By: Blue Devils Public Affairs (S5)
(Walla Walla High School, 26 May 2017) -- The cadets of the Walla Walla High School JROTC program recently held their final major events of the academic year with two events to present recognition and awards, as well as to announce promotions for next year.
Blue Devil cadets held their annual Military Ball on May 20 with events presided by Lt. Col. Bill Bialozor, Senior Army Instructor for the Wa-Hi Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program, assisted by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Mebes, Army Instructor.
Events began with a formal receiving line and banquet, followed by award presentations. In categories specific to the program, presentations were made by "LET levels," or Leadership Education and Training, corresponding to the number of years the cadet has participated in the program.
Awards announced at the ball were:
Senior Army Instructor Leadership Award: LET 1 – Z Kincheloe [sic.]; LET 2 - Madeline Steinle; LET 3 - Shaun Marek; LET 4 - Jacob Garcia.
JROTC Distinguished Service Award: LET 1 – Jarek Hamm; LET 2 – Viviana Saldana; LET 3 – Kiara Wilhelm; LET 4 – Michael Walters.
Reserve Officers Association JROTC Achievement Award: Elizabeth Baez (who also won the Clark Erdman JROTC Scholarship.)
Non-Commissioned Officers Association Award: Shane Schoessler.
82d Airborne Division Award: Christopher Davin.
Daughters of the American Revolution: Mariam Hart.
Sons of the American Revolution: Sammantha [sic.] Scott.
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War - Luke Matlock.
AMVETS - Spencer Carlyle.
American Legion: Scholastic excellence - Abigail LaPier; Military Excellence - Benjamin Bialozor; Marksmanship - Brock Betzler.
Veterans of Foreign Wars: Daniel Enger.
Military Order of the Purple Heart: Alex Young.
Military Order of the World Wars: David Garza.
Scottish Rite of Freemasonry JROTC Achievement Award: Melinda Locke.
Mike Dunham Distinguished Leadership Award - Adam Grau and Justin Mebes (who also received an ROTC Scholarship.)
Commander’s Commendation Medal: Emmery Daudt.
Leadership Camp awards: Jacob Garcia and Jeffery Warner.
Distinguished Cadet Award: Dakota Buman
Superior Cadet Award (each LET level recipient also earned certificates of achievement from the Military Order of the World Wars):
LET 1 - Grace Anderson, earned Athlete of the Month, Cadet of the Month, and Athlete of the Month.
LET 2 - Sonja Steinle, is a company commander and is a member of the rifle marksmanship program.
LET 3 - Brighlee Fergtuson, was a member of the unarmed drill team and served on our battalion staff and was exceptionally active promoting the JROTC program.
LET 4 - Jeffery Warner, served as the battalion's Command Sergeant Major, and was a member of the nationally competitive sporter rifle marksmanship team, and a member of the physical fitness team.
The final activity of the evening at the military ball was to announce promotions for next year's leaders in the Blue Devil chain of command. All the promotions become effective when classes resume in Fall 2017 except the battalion commander, who was promoted and took command of the battalion from c/Lt. Col. Adam Grau, effective immediately in ceremonies on May 24.
The Battalion Command Team is made up of the senior cadet officer and non-commissioned officer who are responsible for everything the organization does. The cadet Command Sergeant Major will be c/CSM Ben Bialozor (he will also command Color Guard 1) and the new Blue Devil Cadet Battalion Commander is c/Lt. Col. Melinda Locke (she will also command the Armed Drill Team.)
The Executive Officer will be c/MAJ Alex Young, who will oversee the battalion support staff, and will also command the unarmed drill team. The staff will be:
S1 (personnel) - c/Capt. Gavin Acevedo
S2 (security and intelligence) - c/Capt. Dane Armstrong
S3 (operations and training) - c/Capt. Adam Justice
S4 (logistics and supply) - c/Capt. Viviana Saldana (will also serve as the Unarmed Drill Team Executive Officer), assisted by c/1st Lt. Jose Andrade and c/MSG Cameron McFetridge
S5 (Public Affairs, responsible for public information and cadet battalion newsletter) - c/Capt. Taylor Carlile (will also serve as Honor Guard Commander
S6 (Technology) - c/Capt. Kassidee Klem
S8 (Battalion Activities) - c/Capt. Gavin Schaub
S9 (Fitness) - c/Capt. Kyle Martin (will also serve as the Physical Fitness Team Captain)
S10 (Information and Promotion) - c/Capt. Kenneth Schultz.
The new company commanders (will be promoted to cadet 1st Lt.): Madeline Steinle, Brock Betzler, Shane Schloessler, Cara West, Trenton Janson, and Kail Lynn. The new company first sergeants are: Connor Ferguson, Katherine Thompson, Sonja Soto, John Stiffler, Thomas Brashear, and Preston Conrad.
The next Blue Devils Rifle Team Captain will be c/Capt. Christopher Davin.
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