February 2020: Letter from the president

Fellow Alumni and Friends,

The highlight of the year for both alumni and cadets of Ohio State Army ROTC is only a few weeks away, our Annual Cadet Awards Ceremony and Hall of Fame Reception. This festive and rewarding event takes place from 5–8 p.m. on Thursday, 19 March 2020. Registration opened on 3 February.

Visit the online listing for more details and to indicate/pay for your attendance. Note that registration closes on Wednesday, 4 March. You can also register through the OSUAA Customer Service at 800-762-5646.

Sponsor a Cadet
If you cannot attend (or even if you do), please consider sponsoring one or more cadets for this event at $25 each. This is an excellent way to support cadets if you live far from Columbus. Your financial assistance will support the cost of their meals.

Scholarship Awards
The Society, either as a group or channeling gifts from individual members, will present about $30,000 in scholarships to 15–20 or so cadets. In total, there are more than 50 cadets set to receive a scholarship or an award sponsored by the cadre or a local veteran/military organization.  

AROTC Hall of Fame
An additional highlight of the night will be the brief, yet formal induction of the three newest members of our Hall of Fame. This is to be integrated within the Cadet Ceremony.

We’re pleased to announce that these three alumni will enter the Ohio State Army ROTC Hall of Fame: COL Girard E. Besanceney, ’66, of Hebron, OH; LTC George K. Gamble ’79, of Tampa, FL; and COL James E. Leonard, ’60, of Beavercreek, OH.  

We’ll host all of them at the reception that follows, with plenty of food, cash bar, and more importantly, planned opportunities for interactions among cadets, their parents, cadre, Society members, and many former Hall of Fame Inductees.

More details about each inductee will be provided in my next newsletter and much more information about them will be provided in the printed program, along with the continually-running slide presentations throughout the reception. Please come and meet them for yourself!

Senior Breakfast
The same Sponsor-a-Cadet opportunity exists for the Senior Breakfast, held early next morning, 20 March. We’ll have the largest number of graduates in recent times, nearly 50, receiving their gold bars and free first-year membership in the Society. 

Seating for that event is limited; please contact me if you’re interested in attending (740-504-4497, littledavymcg@gmail.com).

Future Events
• The Buckeye Battalion’s Military Ball will be held Friday, February 28, in the Ohio Union.  That is coming soon, so please contact Mr. Pace at the Dept of Military Science (pace.31@osu.edu, 614-292-6075 / 800-292-7682) to reserve your place and select your entree, and/or contribute to the Military Ball Donation Fund  (# 312948).

• The Tri-Service Pass in Review on the Oval Wednesday, 15 April 2020, estimated time 3:30 p.m.

• Spring Commissioning on Saturday, 2 May 2020, in Hitchcock Hall, probably 9:30 a.m.

Thank you for your attention and support. If you have any questions or comments, I can be reached via cell phone or text at 740-504-4497 and by email to littledavymcg@gmail.com.

We hope you will join us on the 19 March

Buckeyes Lead The Way!

David Greer, ’67, President