Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia -- On July 21 four of the six Marine Corps Junior ROTC Cadets selected to receive the 2006 Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement arrived in Washington, DC.  This award is presented annually to one cadet from each of the six Marine Corps Districts.  Cadets are nominated during their junior year by the Senior Marine Instructor (SMI) only after it has been determined that the stringent qualifications required to receive the award have been met.  Nominees from each district are reviewed by a panel of Active Duty Marines and a winner is selected based upon an evaluation of academic success in all classes to include MCJROTC.  Cadets must also have demonstrated exemplary leadership while performing duties as a cadet and as well as outside of the uniform in other scholastic, community and academic endeavors.

This year’s award was presented by Dr. William E. McHenry, the MCJROTC National Director aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico.  After a gathering for dinner at the Marine Corps Clubs’ Marathon Room, the group was transported to the Marine Corps War Memorial for a brief visit and then on to Marine Barracks, Washington, DC to observe the Evening Parade.  The entire evening turned out to be wonderful tribute to the 2006 recipients for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the MCJROTC program.

The Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement is sponsored annually by The Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc.  The Legion of Valor was organized on April 23, 1890, in Washington, DC, by a group of Civil War and Indian War Campaign veterans who were recipients of the Medal of Honor. At its inception, the name was "The Medal of Honor Legion". The membership was augmented following the Spanish Campaign of 1898 and following the Philippines Insurrection. The membership was never large and with the passage of years and subsequent demise of members, on November 25, 1918, the recipients of the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the second ranking Army decoration for extraordinary heroism, were admitted to membership. In 1933, members of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, who were recipients of the Navy Cross, the second ranking Navy decoration for extraordinary heroism, were invited to join the membership and the name of this prestigious organization was changed to "The Army and Navy Legion of Valor". On August 4, 1955, Public Law 224, 84th Congress, incorporated The Army and Navy Legion of Valor of the United States. With the creation of the Air Force Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross, the membership invited the recipients of these medals to become members and on June 21, 1961, with P.L. 87-56, the name of this elite organization became the "Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc".

The Legion of Valor has maintained a consistent interest in recognizing outstanding performance. In 1957, at the 67th National Reunion, the Legion of Valor created a Silver Cross for Heroism and a Bronze Cross for Achievement. In establishing these awards, members of the Legion of Valor concluded that the Silver Cross should be reserved to recognize actions involving the saving or preservation of life and that the decoration could be conferred on any person whose conduct met such standards. On the other hand, the Bronze Cross for Achievement should be available to those cadets of the Reserve Officers Training Corps who have demonstrated excellence in military, scholastic, and civic affairs.

The Bronze Cross for Achievement program began of a limited scale in 1951 when the District of Columbia Chapter established an incentive for excellence in the Washington High School Corps of Cadets. The national body of the Legion of Valor ordained that the program be converted to a nationally-sponsored program in 1957. Thus it was extended to the Fifth U.S. Army in 1959, to the Third U.S. Army in 1960, and in 1961 to all Army ROTC and NDCC cadets. In 1962, college-level cadets of the U.S. Air Force ROTC became eligible to receive the Bronze Cross, and in 1975, college-level midshipmen of the U.S. Navy were given the privilege of competing for the Cross. High school cadets of the Junior U.S. Marine Corps ROTC also participate in the program.

 

The 2006 recipients of the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross for Achievement are:

Representing the First Marine Corps District is Cadet Eric Fitzgerald of Wilby High School in Waterbury, Connecticut.  Cadet Fitzgerald’s MCJROTC instructors are First Sergeant Weber and First Sergeant Violette.

Representing the Fourth Marine Corps District is Cadet Jacqueline Muslin of Beaver Local High School in Lisbon, Ohio.  Cadet Muslin’s MCJROTC instructor is Major McGrath.

Representing the Sixth Marine Corps District is Cadet Amy King of Newton High School of Covington, Georgia.  Cadet King’s MCJROTC instructors are Lieutenant Colonel Stanford and Gunnery Sergeant Smith.

Representing the Eighth Marine Corps District is Cadet Cody Dunavan of Sturgis Brown High School in Sturgis, South Dakota.  Cadet Dunavan’s MCJROTC instructor is Master Sergeant Pope.

Representing the Ninth Marine Corps District is Cadet Rachele Cejka of Romeoville High School in Romeoville, Illinois.  Cadet Cejka’s MCJROTC instructors are Major Vorgang, Master Gunnery Sergeant Arvin, and Master Sergeant Mercado.

Representing the Twelfth Marine Corps District is Cadet Emily Ricci of El Camino High School in Oceanside, CA.  Cadet Ricci’s MCJROTC instructor is First Sergeant LaRue.

Source: Legion of Valor, Inc. and MCJROTC Operations