By Ed Simmons, Jr.
cpreporter@lcs.net
Arrayed in trim Army uniforms, smartly disciplined, and with their camaraderie at full glow, the cadets of Caroline High School's "Cavalier Battalion" were showered with awards, medals and ribbons at the 17th Annual Army JROTC Awards Banquet, Friday evening at the Elks Club in Fredericksburg. Principal Harper Donohoe, referred to by the cadets as "our very own Commander-in-Chief," praised the cadets for setting a tone of superb conduct and high achievement among their fellow students, and saluted the skill of their instructors, LTC Bob Pyner and 1SG Ioane Fuata.
LTC Pyner is a 25-year Army veteran and a Green Beret advisor to a 460-man Cambodian Infantry Battalion during the Vietnam War in 1972. He won the Bronze Star. 1SG Fuata, with 26 years service, holds master aviator's wings and served in Korea, Germany and Honduras, earning the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal among other awards. LTC Pyner credited the leadership skills of his cadets for their accomplishments which include winning Honor Corps with Distinction for the 15th consecutive year. Among those present to pin medals on the cadets were Superintendent Greg Killough, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Maxie Rozell, School Board Members Margaret Watkins and Wendell Simms, Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Broaddus, Director of Instruction Cathy McConnell and Assistant Principals Rocky Lewis and Robert Baldwin.
Pinning medals as well were Post Commander Jim Fullem and Ron Curlings of the American Legion and Pat Driver of the Scotchtown Chapter of the DAR, among many others. Winning the Superior Cadet Decoration, the highest JROTC award presented by the Army, were Cadets 2LT Dakota Johnson, 1LT Tara Selfe, SGM Sherri Ridge, LTC Gabriel Studvent and LTC Tyler Williams. Then the highly-decorated cadet commander Tyler Williams turned over command of the battalion to rising senior Gabriel Studvent.
The evening concluded as the cadets warmly cheered LTC Pyner and 1SG Fuata for their leadership, guidance, inspiration and friendship.