Cadets traded in their training gear for finely pressed uniforms Saturday night as they celebrated the accomplishments of the Bobcat Battalion.
About 300 friends, family and members of Ohio University’s Army ROTC filled The Convo to recognize 75 years of service and the achievements of one man who made the program possible.
Thomas Marshall, a retired colonel of the United States Army, was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame for his work with the Bobcat Battalion and the creation of the Simultaneous Membership Program. The program allows incoming freshmen to enroll in both the university’s ROTC program and the Ohio National Guard, revitalizing the battalion from the four members it had in the 1970s to the over 100 it has today.
“I was told to go here and do the best that I can,” Marshall said. “It is incredible to see the expansion of this program over the years from that little seed we planted back in ’76 and ’77.”
Also honored were the 20 graduating seniors, each escorted by a guest as they walked through the saber arch, remembering years of early mornings, sweat and dedication.
“ROTC has been a lot about the relationships I have made with the other cadets,” said senior cadet Jessica Growney, who also served as cadet battalion commander. “I hope that (others) see how close our class has become and how hard we have all worked together to become the team that we are.”
Guest speaker Maria Kelly, Brigadier General, addressed the seniors in her remarks.
“One difference between the rest of the student body and you … (is that) you are already a part of a profession … a calling,” Kelly said. “You will be faced with decisions far more difficult ... decisions that could result in life or death.”
The event cost between $12,000 and $20,000, according to junior Gwen Storch, co-chairman of the Military Ball Committee. The evening also served as a fundraiser through both silent and live auctions, raising close to $4,000.
As the seniors reflected on their years in the Bobcat Battalion, many also took time to thank the man who had brought them there — John Hansen, a recruiting officer for the battalion.
“The trick is to get them here,” Hansen said. “You can come here and be a real college student … and still get some of the best officer training in the army.”
Awards honoring the academics, leadership and patriotism of the cadets were presented, along with the Col. Leo A. Codd Memorial Award to operations officer Tim Green, the U.S. Army’s most prestigious teacher award.
“It’s our goal every year here to continue our OU tradition by recognizing hardworking cadets and showing the seniors that are about to commission one last good time,” Green said.
oh271711@ohiou.edu
