Student Jonathan Kvernen, a member of the NDSU Army ROTC Bison Battalion, received the prestigious Sinclair L. Melner Award at the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Leader Development and Assessment Course.
Kvernen, a junior from Fargo who is majoring in construction management at Minnesota State University Moorhead, was ranked third in his training regiment of 435 Army cadets at the 29-day Leader Development and Assessment Course, also known as Operation Warrior Forge. It is the capstone training and assessment exercise for the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Kvernen also ranked first in his company of more than 200 cadets.
“He did particularly well as a field leader, receiving high marks in his ability to lead soldiers in a tactical environment. Jonathan has a bright future in the North Dakota National Guard, where he is slated to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in May 2013,” said Lt. Col. Bueno Santiago, professor of military science. “As a whole, the Bison Battalion has once again exceeded all measurable U.S. Army Cadet Command statistics at LDAC. The battalion is primed to once again finish among the top programs in the nation. Last year, the Bison Battalion ranked third in the 3rd ROTC Brigade and in the top 10 percent in the nation.”
Cadets at Warrior Forge are tested on their physical stamina, endurance, ability to navigate difficult terrain, and their team-building and leadership skills. A plaque to signify the Sinclair L. Melner Award was presented to Kvernen at a graduation ceremony July 21 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
More than 6,000 college students from around the country attend the course each summer. Supporting the massive training event are more than 3,000 cadre and staff from all Army components, including active duty, Reserves, National Guard, civilian employees and contractors. The combination of personnel makes the Leader Development and Assessment Course one of the largest training exercises in the Army.
NDSU recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.
