DAHLONEGA, GA -- Sixteen University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets have been named Distinguished Military Students (DMS) for the 2022-23 academic year. They were honored at the Sept. 25 DMS Review on the Gen. William “Lipp” Livsey Drill Field on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus.
“These cadets’ transition to university life and studies, as well as the Corps of Cadets, was greatly impacted by COVID during their first two years. They persevered in spite of the increased challenges and excelled in their field of study, physical fitness, and Advanced Camp performance this summer,” Col. Bryan Kirk, UNG’s professor of military science, said. “Consistent involvement from exceptional UNG faculty along with the professional cadre of the ROTC set conditions for success, and these dedicated students and leaders deserve recognition.”
To be selected, a cadet must be in the upper half of the academic class, the upper third of the ROTC class, and the upper third of UNG’s Order of Merit List, established by the professor of military science. Additionally, cadets are chosen based upon interest and aptitude for military service, outstanding qualities of leadership, and high moral character as demonstrated by participation and achievement in campus, civic and military activities.
This year’s DMS honorees are Brian Aguilar Jimenez, William Allen, Jordan Armstrong, Andrew Flournoy, Jacob Hughes, Noah Isley, Devin Krass, Anthony Linatoc, Phillip Ly, Harrison Markham, William Morgan, Jordan Ryan, Nathan Sawyer, Joseph Stover, David Vinci, and Warren Walker.
Stover is from Clarkesville, Ga.
Armstrong, a senior from Kaiserslautern, Germany, pursuing a degree in kinesiology, attended high school in Augusta, Ga. She is a four-year Army ROTC Scholarship winner.
“I hope I can be that inspiration to other females in the Corps of Cadets,” Armstrong said. “If they put in the work, their dreams are possible.”
Aguilar Jimenez, a senior from Canon, Ga., pursuing a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration, appreciates the support he has received from those in the Corps of Cadets, along with his friends and family.
“I’ve been blessed enough to have great leadership throughout my four years here,” Aguilar Jimenez said. “They have influenced me to become the best I can.”
Isley, a senior from Milledgeville, Ga., pursuing a degree in criminal justice, said his time in the specialty unit Mountain Order of Colombo has made a major impact on his trajectory.
“It helped me learn a lot about myself mentally and physically,” Isley said. “We went through things together that I will never forget, and this unit encouraged me to become an ambitious person.”
The cadets and their families were honored Sept. 24 during the annual DMS Banquet. The DMS Review and Banquet were part of the seventh annual Boar’s Head Brigade-Corps Alumni Weekend, which brought together current and former cadets.
Retired Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia spoke Sept. 23 at the Convocation Center to start the weekend. Bellavia is a Medal of Honor recipient for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Positioned in the fastest-growing region of the state, the University of North Georgia comprises five campuses united by a single mission focused on academic excellence and academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. The University of North Georgia is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and is The Military College of Georgia. With almost 19,000 students, the University of North Georgia is one of the state’s largest public universities. The university offers more than 100 programs of study ranging from certificate and associate degrees to doctoral programs.