The UNC NROTC Alumni Association Awards Committee (Butch Bracknell ’92, Chair, Pat Riordan ‘87 and Dave Jackson ‘87) is soliciting nominations for the Distinguished Alumnus (Alumnae)Award and the Distinguished Service Award. 

The Distinguished Alumnus (Alumnae) Award is a graduate of the UNC NROTC program who has distinguished himself or herself in contributions to our Nation, the armed services, industry or business, the arts, philanthropy, or other social contributions.  This is not a “distinguished member of the military” award, and the individuals need not have been career members of the armed forces.  The board will consider the achievements of a non-military professional with an NROTC pedigree on equal footing with a career officer.  The Committee will receive nominations and vote out a recommended candidate to the full Board of Directors, though the Directors may accept or reject this nomination in favor of a different candidate. 

The Distinguished Service Award is a graduate (or former staff member), usually a Member of the Association who has distinguished himself or herself in contributions to the NROTC Alumni Association.  This criteria is intentionally nonspecific, and can include any manner of contributions to the efforts of the NROTC Alumni Association.  Current Directors are ineligible for selection.  The 2016 awardee is YNCM Donald R. Ledford, USN (Ret.) who served for many years as the Unit’s Admin Officer while on Active Duty and the University’s Administrative Supervisor once retired from military service. Don was instrumental in helping establish the Alumni Association in 1990, and has later served as an elected Director and the Association’s first registered agent upon incorporation in 1997.

Nominations should be forwarded as a narrative describing how the nominee meets the criteria for the award nominated, including supporting documentation such as a CV, published articles or noteworthy judicial opinions, newspaper articles about the nominee, Nobel certificates, Navy Cross citations, or photos of the nominee holding the Claret Jug.  There is no prescribed format; please just provide enough detail to allow the Committee to make an informed recommendation, and the Board to make an informed decision. Nominations should be sent to: secretary@uncnrotcaa.org NLT 31 May 2017.