Yunhui Voelker, an Elementary Education major and a distinguished Cadet in the MSU Army ROTC program, was selected to represent the university at the 31st George C. Marshall Award Seminar. Cadets are selected by the cadre of their college or university Army ROTC Detachment as the outstanding Army ROTC cadet for the year.
In November 1976, then Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Bernard Rogers and Marshall Foundation lifetime trustee retired General Maxwell Taylor agreed to “the establishment of an annual George C. Marshall Award for outstanding members of the Army ROTC.” Since that time, the Marshall Foundation, in partnership with the United States Army, has brought close to 9,000 outstanding college seniors to the Foundation in Lexington, Virginia to receive the Marshall ROTC Award and participate in the Marshall Seminar on the National Security of the United States.
On April 15, 2008, 276 senior cadets from colleges and universities with ROTC detachments and cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point, will gather in Lexington again for the 31st annual George C. Marshall ROTC Award Seminar.
Throughout the week, the cadets will participate in various roundtable discussions on topics such as Peacekeeping and the U.S. Military; Homeland Security and the Role of the Military; the Media and the Battlefield; Ethics: An Officer’s Character; Conflict in the Persian Gulf; Southwest Asia – Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India and Security Issues for Latin America. Cadet Command will also provide Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers to lead a series of roundtable discussions on the Role of the Platoon Leader and the Non-Commissioned Officer.
Cadet Voelker is most deserving of this selection. She carries a 3.78 grade point average and is very active on campus. Besides her extensive ROTC responsibilities, she is or has been a Resident Assistant in the dormitories, a Learning Community Coordinator, and an intramural sports coach. She also participates in the ROTC Color Guard, Ranger Challenge Team, and on the Bataan Death March Team. She is the most physically fit female in the ROTC program with a 312 score on the Army’s Physical Fitness Test.
Cadet Yunhui Voelker is ranked #1 in her senior class of 19 cadets. Her goal is to be an elementary school teacher while fulfilling her commitment in the Army National Guard.
On April 20th, 2007 the Army ROTC program was honored to welcome Major General Dennis J. Hejlik to campus during a ceremony recognizing superior alumni achievement. MG Hejlik, Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, received Minnesota State University, Mankato's Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award as a result of his contributions to the Marine Corps and broader defense community.
During his visit MG Hejlik spoke to the Army ROTC Corps of Cadets about today's military and the importance of effective leadership. Reflecting on nearly forty years of service, MG Hejlik briefly introduced and commented on his experiences while simultaneously stimulating a current events discussion. Having served at every level of command in a variety of diverse positions, MG Hejlik offered a comprehensive overview of what it means to be a Commissioned Officer in today's military.
Cadets actively engaged MG Hejlik by asking questions relating to the differences between Marine and Army Officers and more complex issues such as the Global War on Terror. Nicolas Fougner, a senior Geography major who commissioned this past May, reflected, "MG Hejlik was very knowledgeable in topics ranging from the War in Iraq to domestic security concerns. Furthermore, he provided valuable insight into future regional and international conflicts."
Aside from providing invaluable guidance to the future leaders, MG Hejlik left a momento during his visit of the Army ROTC program. Singling out Senior Nicolas Fougner for his leadership as the Cadet Battalion Commander, the General handed the aspiring officer one of his personal coins. The challenge coin, a tradition dating back to World War I, was immediately recognized as a sign of respect and admiration.
