Cadets Honored At Center Ice

    CDT Keith Harper      CDT Glory O'Neil     CDT Tommy Wong

On Sunday, October 18, 2009, Cadets earning the distinguished RECONDO badge and the top scholar-athlete were honored at center ice before the UVM vs. Boston College hockey game. Dr. Daniel Mark Fogel, President of the University of Vermont, and Mr. Charles Zabriskie, Jr., presented the Zabriskie Cup to the top scholar-athlete, Cadet Glory O’Neil. The RECONDO pins were presented by Major General Michael Dubie, UVM Alumnus and the Commander of the Vermont National Guard, President Fogel, and his wife Rachel Kahn-Fogel to Cadets Glory O’Neil, Tommy Wong, and Keith Harper.

The Zabriskie cup is an annual award, awarded to the Senior ROTC Cadet with the highest average in ROTC Physical Fitness Test Scores and Cumulative GPA.  This year, the Zabriskie Cup was awarded to Cadet Glory O’Neil. Last semester, Cadet O’Neil not only maintained a 3.5 Grade Point Average, but she also scored the highest Physical Fitness Test score for all Female Cadets throughout the Nations ROTC programs, 373. Mr. Charles Zabriskie, an alumnus from the class of 1953, and President Fogel presented the coveted Zabriskie Cup to Cadet O’Neil. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Palaza, University of Vermont Professor of Military Science, presented Cadet Glory O’Neil with a Vermont plaque in honor of her achieving the highest physical fitness test score in the nation among all females attending LDAC with a score of 373. 373 is a new (female) LDAC record to date. This score also beats all males to date as well, save one. Top overall score is 374.

Each summer, at the end of their junior year, over 5000 ROTC Cadets from Universities nation-wide attend Warrior Forge at Fort Lewis, Washington – a high stress, leadership evaluation and development exercise that lasts five weeks. 

During this past summer’s Warrior Forge, three University of Vermont Cadets were awarded the coveted RECONDO badge – an award earned by only 10% of Cadets nation-wide.  To earn this award, which signifies demonstrated excellence in training, the cadet must achieve each of the following:

1. Execute all confidence training presented to the prescribed standard, to include water safety tasks.
2. Have no non-medical waivers on any event throughout LDAC.
3. Score 270 or above on the Army Physical Fitness Test, without retest, with a minimum of 90 points per event.
4. Achieve a score of 80 percent on written and practical Land Navigation proficiency tests without retest.
5. Complete the following First Aid tasks to specified standards: CPR, evaluate a casualty, manage the airway, and control bleeding.
6. Pass both Squad STX lane evaluations with a minimum rating of satisfactory or higher.
7. Successfully complete Warrior Forge without a performance waiver. Medical wavers are acceptable.
8. Receive satisfactory or higher summary ratings for all 16 scored leadership dimensions and values, as reported on the Cadet Command Form 67-9, Cadet Evaluation Report.
9. Meet height/weight or body fat standards IAW AR 600-9.

The President of the University of Vermont, Dr. Daniel Mark Fogel, Rachel Kahn-Fogel, and UVM Alumnus and the Commander of the Vermont National Guard, Major General Michael Dubie presented the RECONDO badge to:

Cadet Keith Harper of Swedesboro, New Jersey

Cadet Thomas Wong of Lake Grove, New York

Cadet Glory O’Neil of Norwich, Vermont

The Green Mountain Battalion would like to extend thanks and gratitude to Mr. Charlie Zabriskie as an alumni and sponsor of the Zabriskie Cup. As well as, MG Dubie, President Fogel and Rachel Kahn-Fogel, for their participation in the presentation of the awards and their outstanding support of the Green Mountain Battalion Cadets throughout the year.