WCHS JROTC Awards 15 Cadets With Honors

Award winners from JROTC.

WARSAW — Parents slowly filed into Warsaw Community High School’s Performing Arts Center Tuesday, May 2, in anticipation of the 3rd annual WCHS Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps award ceremony. Fourteen cadets were honored with awards.

The awards presented are based on a cadets standing both in the JROTC program and in other academics, with most awards requiring the cadet be in the top 25 percent of their academic class.

A new award was added this year – Cadet of the Year. This was given to Cadet Zachary Arnett. Cadet Commander Madison Waggoner stated that Arnett was chosen because after being extremely quiet and reserved in the program last year, Arnett stepped up and became more involved.

After individual awards were given out, the award for best company was announced. This is awarded to a team based on their wearing of the dress uniform, their PT participation and overall spirit. The winner was Company Charlie.

Major Friedrich Josellis, Senior Army Instructor, presented the awards to cadets with a few guest presenters.

: Cadet Trenton Day – American Legion’s “Military Excellence” medal, with guest presenter Raymond Bledsoe, Post 49 Commander of the American Legion.

: Cadet Jamie Gerkin – American Legion’s “Scholastic Excellence” medal, with guest presenter Raymond Bledsoe, Post 49 Commander of the American Legion

: Cadet Dulce Ortiz – “National Sojourner” award

: Cadet Emily Puckett – “Scottish Rite” medal

: Cadet Andrew Owens – “US Army Recruiting Command” award

: Cadet Johnny Davila – “Sons of the American Revolution” medal

: Cadet Brianna Blanton – “Daughters of the American Revolution” medal, with guest presenter Kathy Gawthrop representing Daughter of the American Revolution.

: Cadet Nathan Smith – “Association of the US Army” medal

: Cadet Kaitlin Wood – “Military Officers Association of America” award

: Cadet Tyler Karbach – “Reserve Officers Association” award

: Cadet Madison Wagoner – “Military Order of the Purple Heart” award, with guest presenter Wayne Ithier, SGT, USMC. SGT Ithier served in Vietnam and received four purple hearts awards while in Vietnam.