31 July, 2009
CSU Fresno's Air Force ROTC Detachment 35 won the mid-size detachment High Flight Award for AFROTC’s Southwest Region last year, and just found out that for the second year in a row, Detachment 35 is the "Best in the Southwest", now in the small detachment category (1-60 cadets). The award honors the best unit of the year in the region, which extends from Mississippi to Hawaii, including all of California and Texas.
Fresno State’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 35 won the High Flight Award for AFROTC’s Southwest Region. The award honors the best unit of the year in the region, which extends from Mississippi to Hawaii, including all of California and Texas.
“This honor is a direct reflection of the hard work our cadets put toward their dreams of becoming Air Force lieutenants and future leaders for our nation,” said Lt. Col. Sam Vandiver, commander of the Fresno State detachment.
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The Air Force ROTC at California State University, Fresno has been named the best midsized unit in the country.
The 61-cadet unit was awarded the prestigious Right of Line Award for "Best Detachment in the Nation" in the medium-size category. Col. Kevin Martin, the AFROTC Southwest Region Commander from Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, presented the Right of Line Award to Fresno State during the university´s Veterans Day observance today (Nov.10).
There are 144 detachments nationwide, 50 of them in the medium size category, which includes programs with 60-99 cadets. Baylor University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology won in the large- and small-school categories, respectively.
The Right of Line Award is given to three schools in large, medium (60-99 cadets) and small categories. Fresno State, with 61 cadets, was named the No. 1 medium-sized Detachment, beating 50 other detachments in the category.
"This is the most prestigious award given in ROTC as it recognizes the nation´s best overall unit in outstanding performance," said Lt. Col. Sam Vandiver, commander of Fresno State´s detachment, who accepted the award. "This award is especially pertinent as it is the second top honor this year and helps mark six decades of service with Fresno State."
In July, the Fresno State AFROTC was presented with the High Flight Award for Best Detachment in Air Force ROTC´s Southwest Region for the medium-size category.
The distinction was earned at the annual AFROTC Commanders´ Conference Oct. 29 in Atlanta and comes on the 60th anniversary of Detachment 35´s establishment as a military unit based in Fresno.
For the fifth year in a row, the Air Force ROTC cadets of Detachment 35 at California State University, Fresno have won the AFROTC Warrior Challenge - a competition among four Northern California Air Force ROTC detachments in leadership, athletic and team skills.
Each detachment competes in four to six athletic events. The winner with the most points and event victories is the champion of the challenge, which has been held for more than 20 years among future Air Force officers.
Fresno State´s Air Force ROTC Detachment 35 won the High Flight Award for AFROTC´s Southwest Region. The award honors the best unit of the year in the region, which extends from Mississippi to Hawaii, including all of California and Texas.
"This honor is a direct reflection of the hard work our cadets put toward their dreams of becoming Air Force lieutenants and future leaders for our nation," said Lt Col Sam Vandiver, commander of the Fresno State detachment.
Atlantis shuttle astronaut Rex Walheim visited California State University, Fresno´s NASA Educator Resource Center May 10. Col. Walheim shared his experiences as an astronaut, including "walking" in space during a workshop for middle and high school science and mathematics teachers.
Walheim, an Air Force colonel, has participated in five spacewalks during 12 years as an astronaut, most recently during the STS-122 mission earlier this year.
He was joined by NASA education specialist Anthony Leavitt for the workshop, "Space Exploration: Earth, Moon, and Beyond," presented by the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Leavitt is in charge of NASA education programs in the northwestern United States and Hawaii and has presented other workshops at Fresno State.