Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets recognizes cadets at Annual Military Awards Ceremony
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets recently held their Annual Military Awards Ceremony. Service specific and joint service awards are presented by the Virginia Tech ROTC units as well as various military and veteran’s organizations.
The support of many local chapters of these organizations makes it possible to recognize the outstanding efforts of many cadets.
In addition, the corps presents awards during this event. In total more than 170 awards were presented to cadets this year.
The most prized award is the Beverly S. Parrish Award, also known as the Gold Cord, which is presented each year to the top company in the corps.
For the second year in a row the Gold Cord was awarded to Hotel Company. This highly competitive award is based on the academic performance of the unit, recruiting efforts, cadet retention, discipline, room and uniform inspections, drill performance, and the results from individual competitions such as the Jaffe Eager Squad competition and Squad Tactical Challenge.
Hotel was commanded in the fall by Cadet Scott Phelps of Vienna, Va., a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering in the College of Engineering with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development. Phelps is a member of the Citizen-Leader Track and is a recipient of the G. Scott Francis Commandant’s Scholarship.
Cadet Rebecca McAfee of Oakmont, Pa., a senior majoring in economics in the College of Science with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development commanded Hotel in the spring. McAfee who is the recipient of the Ronald M. Holt ’69 Emerging Leader Scholarship and will commission in the U.S. Army in May.
The Jaffe Eager Squad Trophy, presented to the winner of the Annual Eager Squad Drill competition and named in honor of Jeff Jaffe, Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Class of 1942, was awarded to Delta Company.
The winning squad was led by Cadet Cory Mitchell of Catawba, Va., a junior cadet majoring in political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development. Mitchell is a member of Army ROTC and is a recipient of the R.B. Pamplin Family Emerging Leader Scholarship.
Each of the 11 members of the winning squad received a $200 award from Jaffe.
Band Company swept the Wyatt Recruiting Award given for doing the most recruiting at home high schools over Thanksgiving and winter breaks, participation in the Spend the Night program, cadet retention rates, and the Kohler Cup. The Kohler Cup recognizes the best drilling company in the corps.
The Highty-Tighties were commanded in the fall by Cadet Kevin Heald of Oak Hill, Va., a senior majoring in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development. He is a member of Army ROTC and is a recipient of the Robert C. and Catherine E. Luckner Emerging Leader Scholarship.
This spring Band Company was commanded by Cadet Jason Conder of Basking Ridge, N.J., a senior majoring in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development. Conder is also a member of Army ROTC and is a recipient of the Tom Dobyns Memorial Emerging Leader Scholarship.
Cadet Philip Norman of Allison Park, Pa., a senior majoring in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering with a minor in leadership studies from the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Rice Center for Leader Development and who is member of Air Force ROTC, was selected as the top company commander this year. He received the Lacy O. Brumback Award, which by tradition is an engraved pocket watch, for his outstanding performance as commander of Delta Company in the fall semester.
