12/5/2002

Contact: K.E. Schwab  -- 724-738-2199;  e-mail: karl.schwab@sru.edu

 SRU’S NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING ARMY ROTC PROGRAM TO COMMISSION THREE OFFICERS

          SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University’s national award-winning Army ROTC Program will commission three cadets as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army at ceremonies preceding Saturday’s [Dec. 14] winter commencement.

          The 9 a.m. commissioning will be held in SRU’s Strain Behavioral Science Building.

          The new officers will be:

•     Andrew Koss,a graduating senior in safety and environmental management from Lock Haven. He earned a minor in leadership and will next attend the Armor Officer Basic Course at Ft. Knox, Ky., before assignment as a platoon leader;

•     Matthew Harding,a communication major from Springfield who will next attend the Field Artillery Office Basic Course at Ft. Sill, Okla., and then serve as a fire-support officer; and

•     Michael Stutts,a park and resource management major from Cannonsburg who minored in leadership. He will next attend the Aviation Officer Basic Course at Ft. Rucker, Ala., then serve as a platoon leader.

          All three earned their commissions through participation in the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

          The Army recently announced that SRU’s ROTC unit had been named recipient of the First Region’s Gen. Douglas MacArthur Award proclaiming it as “Best Small School” in the region. The award, named for the
World War II military leader, recognizes exemplary performance in training Army officers. This is the third time SRU’s unit has received the award which is annually given jointly by the MacArthur Foundation and the U.S. Army Cadet Command to the top program in each of the Army’s three Cadet Command regions.

          In addition, the program, which consistently ranks in the nation’s top 10 percent of all ROTC units, received two Liberty Brigade Commander’s Certificates with one including $1,000 cash for attaining the third-highest mission percentage within the second brigade. The funds will be used for equipment and cadet travel.

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