The Air Force Junior ROTC program at Osceola High School celebrates its 30th year this year.
The unit is numbered FL-921 — marking its start in 1992, and the first AFJROTC corps in Osceola County.
In this anniversary year, the corps honored over two dozen of its cadets with national awards at a ceremony Friday.
This 30th year has been a “challenging” one, according to OHS aerospace teacher Lt. Col. David LaTour.
“But it’s a group that’s risen to every challenge,” he said. “In light of everything going on, they still have delivered over 2,400 hours of community service, and completed 640 documented events in support of the school and the community.”
The OHS cadets welcomed some honored guests to deliver a few of those awards: Air Force Lt. Col. Susan Branch, Vice Regents Kim Tennison and Debra Main from the Daughters of the American Revolution, and retired teacher Joe Marcheggiani representing the American Legion.
National ROTC award recipients were:
Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War Award: Cadet 2nd Lt. Michael Cerpa;
Air Commando Association Award: Cadets Master Sgt. Matthew Bicovny, Master Sgt. Joseph Fernandez, Col. Jacob Carter;
Special Forces Association Excellence Award: Cadet Sgt. Arlyn Pujols;
Celebrate Freedom Foundation Award: Cadets 2nd Lt. Heysha Florez, 1st Lt. Gabriel Pomeroy, Capt. Jaireliz Rodriguez, Col. Jacob Carter;
Retired Enlisted Association Award: Cadet Sgts. Benny Lugo, Samuel Remesal, Theresa Rabourn, Rodniel Ocasio;
Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated Award: Cadets Master Sgt. Ernesto Diaz and Joseph Fernandez;
Air Force Sergeants Association Award: Cadet Capt. Luke Dooling;
American Veterans Award: Cadet 2nd Lt. Derek Roman;
Military Order of World Wars Award: Cadets A1C Ashlee Resto, Sgt. Barbara Fernandez, 2nd Lt. Juliana D’Aurio, Capt. Daniel Grove;
Sons of the American Revolution Award: Cadet 2nd Lt. Anthony Gonzalez;
Military Order of the Purple Heart: Cadet Master Sgt. Matthew Bicovny;
Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction: Cadet 1st Lt. Cindy Rodriguez;
National Sojourners Award: Cadet Lt. Col. Angel Trejo;
National Society U.S. Daughters 1812: Cadets Sgt. Ana Villalobos, 1st Lt. Gabriel Pomeroy, 1st Lt. Alanis Miranda, Col. Giselle Rivera Lopez;
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Award: Cadet Capt. Anthony Arana;
Military Officers of America Award: Cadet Master Sgt. Eleni Gonzalez;
Reserve Officers Association Award: Cadet Col. Jacob Carter;
American Legion General Military Excellence: Cadet Lt. Col. Donovan Bohanon;
American Legion Scholastic Award: Cadet Capt. Abiezer Escude;
Daughters of the American Revolution Award: Cadet Col. Giselle Rivera Lopez (w/$500 scholarship from the DAR)
Daedalian Award: Cadet 1st Lt. Jamie Suarez;
Air Force Association (AFA) Award: Cadet Capt. Jaireliz Garcia Rodriguez;
AFJROTC Graduation Honor Cords (four years of ROTC with 3.0 GPA): Cadets Col. Giselle Rivera Lopez, Col. Jacob Carter, Lt. Col. Donovan Bohanan, Capt. Anthony Arana, Capt. Abiezer Escude.
Additionally the OHS Foxtrot Flight and Charlie Flight were honored with the HUA Flight and Outstanding Flight awards respectfully.
The ceremony was just a part of a very busy week for FL-921. Over the weekend of April 8-10, its cadets honored the memory of the 78,000 Americans and Filipinos prisoners of war who endured the Bataan Death March during World War II, by completing a 14-mile hike over the course of one, two or three days. Major Ryland Tecson, an active-duty pilot from MacDill Air Force Base, joined the cadets on the last day. Eighty years ago, the major’s grandparents were forced to endure the Bataan Death March. It was their story that inspired him to join the Air Force. The cadets donated a wreath and were honored to have Major Tecson place it at the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial at Kissimmee Lakefront Park.
“Thirty-eight percent of the cadet corps participated in the memorial hike,” Lt. Col. LaTour said. “I am confident impact of the experience will have a positive and lasting effect each one of them.”
