SRU Army ROTC cadets receive branch assignments, Distinguished Military Graduate awards

Senior cadets from Slippery Rock University’s U.S. Army ROTC program recently received their branch assignments, including 10 cadets who ranked in the top 20% of their national class, earning them National Distinguished Military Graduate recognition.

Dec. 22, 2020

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Senior cadets from Slippery Rock University's U.S. Army ROTC program recently received their branch assignments, meaning that their next step after leaving SRU has been determined. All but one of the 29 cadets received branch assignments.

Cadets are assessed into one of 17 branches of the Army based on their preferences and where they rank on the Army Cadet Command's Order of Merit List, which consists of more than 5,000 senior ROTC cadets at colleges and universities across the country. The criteria for the OML includes GPA, physical training scores and service in leadership positions. SRU had three cadets ranked in the top 10% and 10 in the top 20%, the latter percentage earning them National Distinguished Military Graduate recognition.

"We have a wonderful group of cadets and where they rank among their peers nationwide is an indication of what type of ROTC program we have here at SRU," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Martin, professor of military science and head of SRU's ROTC program. "They are already leaders here at SRU and they're going to be great leaders as Army officers. We wish them well and we are grateful for their contributions to our program."

The three cadets ranking in the 10% nationally and earning DMG status are Sean Aston, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Avenel, New Jersey; Austin Reep, a senior philosophy major from Butler; and Anthony Rosati, a senior safety management major from Aliquippa. The remaining seven cadets earning DMG honors are Dawson Ambrose, a senior homeland security major from Slippery Rock; Ian Bain, a senior political science major from Seneca; Kurt Bandow, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from York; Travis Braund, a senior petroleum and natural gas engineering major from Butler; Jordan Confer, a senior computing major from Howard; Jonathan Durban, a senior safety management major from Prospect; and Zachary Vandyke, a senior safety management major from Harrisville.

   MARTIN

Three cadets have already completed their degrees at SRU and are now commissioned as officers with the rank of second lieutenant. The remaining 26 are scheduled to graduate and commission in May 2021. The fall 2020 graduates include Matthew and Michael Lugowski, natives of Crescent, who completed their degrees from SRU in psychology and political science, respectively, and Timothy Nicotra, a 2020 graduate from Gibsonia with a degree in secondary education-social studies/history.

The following is a list of SRU senior cadets and their branch assignments:

• Ambrose assigned to active duty, Military Intelligence.
• Aston assigned to active duty, Armor.
• Bain assigned to active duty, Armor.
• Bandow assigned to active duty, Infantry.
• Jeffrey Bennett, a senior management major from Harrisville, assigned to active duty, Chemical Corps.
• Brayden Black, a senior political science major from Marion, assigned to active duty, Armor.
• Braund assigned to National Guard, Field Artillery.
• Joshua Campbell, a senior corporate security major from Connellsville, assigned to National Guard, Quartermaster.
• Confer assigned to active duty, Signal Corps.
• Danny Dinh, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Franklin, assigned to National Guard, Chemical Corps.
• Becca Drake, a senior corporate security major from Somerset, assigned to National Guard, Military Intelligence.
• Durban assigned to active duty, Infantry.
• Taylor Hamilton, a senior communication major from Greencastle, assigned to active duty, Field Artillery.
• Chloe Johnson, a senior chemistry major from Kittanning, assigned to National Guard, Medical Services.
• Rachael Klipa, a senior political science major from Pittsburgh, assigned to active duty, Chemical Corps.
• Jake Lewis, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Pittsburgh, assigned to National Guard, Field Artillery.
• Matthew Lugowski assigned to active duty, Quartermaster.
• Michael Lugowski assigned to National Guard, Infantry.
• Nicotra assigned to National Guard, Field Artillery.
• Daniel Pennell, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Harmony assigned to active duty, Signal Corps.
• Jordan Pigott, a senior health and physical education major from Canton, Ohio, assigned to active duty, Quartermaster.
• Tanner Pitman, a senior homeland security major from White Haven, assigned to active duty, Corps of Engineers.
• Reep assigned to active duty, Aviation.
• Dean Reinhardt, a senior criminology/criminal justice major from Denville, New Jersey, assigned to Army Reserves, to be determined.
• Rosati assigned to active duty, Chemical Corps.
• Paul Scott, a senior accounting major from Erie, assigned to active duty, Military Police.
• Gavin Terwilliger, a senior safety management major from Butler, assigned to active duty, Armor.
• Vandyke assigned to active duty, Aviation.
• William Wain, a senior computing major from Cranberry Township , assigned to active duty, Signal Corps.

For more information about SRU's Army ROTC program, visit the Military Science Department webpage.

MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu