ROTC cadets honored during spring awards program

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Military Science and Leadership hosted a spring awards program for the 76th Demon Battalion

During the program Cadet Kyra Cole of DeRidder took the Oath of Enlistment to demonstrate their commitment to serving in the Army following graduation.

May 2026 commissionees are Cadets Todd Gladish, Christian Holmes, Ethan Jones, Lawson Turner and Layla Wood. They will take the oath of office in a ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 13 in the Student Union Ballroom in conjunction with spring commencement exercises.

Cadet awards are as follows.

Cadet Arch Bandin of Rodessa – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Bronze Medal Athlete, American Veterans/AMVETS ROTC Award, Color Guard Award, Ranger Challenge Team

Cadet Jayce Blanchard of New Llano – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Leah Brown of Seguin, Texas – Leadership Excellence Award

Cadet TaMiya Brown of Shreveport – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Desirae Buck of Leesville – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Military of Foreign Wars Award

Cadet Makayla Butler of Gloster – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Military Order of World Wars, First Place Squad Competition

Cadet Brendan Campbell of Pearland, Texas – President’s List, ROTC Honors, the PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, the PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Bronze Medal Athlete, American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award, Ranger Challenge Team, Harris Family Scholarship, NSU Demon Regiment Honorary Membership

Cadet D’Anthony Chambers of Mansfield – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Kyra Cole of DeRidder – PMS Achievement Medal, Platinum Medal Athlete, Military Officers Association of America Award, ROTC Honors, Cadet Honors, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Award, Ranger Challenge Team

Cadet Mia Cole of DeRidder – Silver Medal Athlete, USAA Spirit Award, ROTC Honors, PMS Commendation Medal, Leadership Excellence, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Award, Hero of the Battlefield Award

Cadet Rebecca Deaton of Leesville – PMS Commendation Medal

Cadet Thomas Demar of West Monroe – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Color Guard Award

Cadet Jayden Diggs of Fort Polk – Award of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, First Place Squad Competition

Cadet Joseph DiMaggio of DeRidder – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS PT Attendance Award, Platinum Medal Athlete, Veterans of Foreign Wars Award, PT Stud Award, Joker Award

Cadet Joao Dos Santos of Fort Polk – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Gold Medal Athlete, American Legion General Military Excellence Award, Intramural Team Captain, Color Guard Award, Ranger Challenge Team, Happy Camper Award, Motivator Award

Cadet Miguel Flores of Ball – Platinum Medal Athlete, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence, Cadet Honors, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Ranger Challenge Team Co-captain

Cadet Skylar Fontenot of Kinder – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Silver Medal Athlete, Ranger Challenge Team

Cadet Christilyn Ford of Opeloousas – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Megan Franchino of Santa Rita, Guam – Silver Medal Athlete, Superior Cadet Award, ROTC Honors, Leadership Excellence Award, Intramural Sports Recognition Award

Cadet Todd Gladish of Willis, Texas – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Shelton Guerrero of Bossier City – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Silver Medal Athlete

Cadet Evyn Goree of Pineville – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Gold Medal Athlete, Superior Cadet Award, Reserve Officers Association Award, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Award, Ranger Challenge Team, Intramural MVP Award, First Place Squad Competition Leader, James A. Noe Memorial Scholarship

Cadet Camryn Huff of Leesville – ROTC Hoors, PMS Scholastic Excellence, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon,Helping Hand Award, First Place Squad Competition, Color Guard Award

Cadet Jillian Huff of Fort Polk – PMS PT Attendance Award, ROTC Hoors, PMS Scholastic Excellence, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Tin Huynh of Morgan City – Society of the War of 1812 Award, ROTC Honors, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Sergeant, Ranger Challenge Team, Hero of the Battlefield Award, First Place Squad Competition

Cadet Layden Jack of Denham Springs – Leadership Excellence Award

Cadet Jazmyn Johnson of Shreveport – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, National Sojourners Award

Cadet Ethan Jones of Montgomery – Bronze Medal Athlete, AUSA Military History Award, Ranger Challenge Team

Cadet Morgan Lee of Shreveport – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Lost and Found Award, I’m Here Award

Cadet Passion Lemelle of Ville Platte – Daughters of the American Revolution Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Color Guard Award

Cadet Jackson Lester of Iowa – ROTC Honors, Leadership Excellence, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Color Guard Award, Hero of the Battlefield Award

Cadet Mariah Marks of Carencro – ROTC Honors, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Miriam McDaniel of Natchez– President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Military Order of World Wars

Cadet Aniyah Miller of LeCompte – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Lanai Miller of LeCompte – ROTC Honors, Cadet Scholar, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet William Moore of Leesville – PMS Academic Award, Military Order of the Purple Heart Leadership Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Jacob Mullican of DeRidder – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Platinum Medal Athlete, AUSA ROTC Award, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Award, Ranger Challenge Team Co-captain

Cadet Joseph Resendez of Bossier City– Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, God Medal Athlete, Superior Cadet Award, Sons of the American Revolution Award, Ranger Challenge Team, Hero of the Battlefield Award, First Place Squad Competition, Ted Fowler Scholarship

Cadet Joseph Rodriguez of Bossier City – President’s List, ROTC Honors, Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Silver Medal Athlete, Color Guard Award

Cadet Madison Scott of Shreveport – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors. PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Outstanding Service Award (RSO Treasurer), Ground Assault Cadet Award

Cadet Anaiya Simon of Lake Charles – ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award

Cadet Ja’Nika Stanley of Baton Rouge – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Madison Tate of Bunkie – PMS Athletic Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Destiny Theriot of Gheens – Dean’s List, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Sergeant York Award, Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry ROTC Award, Color Guard Award, Outstanding Service Award (RSO Secretary/Public Relations Officer), Jeanice Leadership and Excellence Scholarship

Cadet Lawson Turner of Haughton – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, Leadership Excellence Award, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, National Society of Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Andrea Cespedez Above the Best Scholarship

Cadet Hailey Viator of Maurice – Cadet Recruiting Ribbon

Cadet Lorena Williams of Lafayette – President’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Bronze Medal Athlete, Military Order of World Wars, Color Guard Award, Nellie Marshall D’Ray Educational Scholarship

Cadet Colton Wood of Ragley – Dean’s List, ROTC Honors, PMS Scholastic Excellence Award, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, PMS PT Attendance Award, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Color Guard Award, Outstanding Service Award (RSO) Vice President, Malcolm Daisy Scholarship

Cadet Layla Wood of Gheens – Major General Urban W. Wise Touchstone Award, PMS PT Attendance Award, Superior Cadet Award, Lions Club Award, Cadet Honors, PMS Commendation Medal, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Intramural Sports Recognition Award, Outstanding Service Award (RSO President)

Cadet Alexander Youngblood of Coushatta – ROTC Honors, Cadet Recruiting Ribbon, Color Guard Award

ROTC’s mission is to recruit, educate, develop and inspire cadets with a focus on academics. Information on NSU’s Department of Military Science and the ROTC program is available at https://www.nsula.edu/rotc/.