New Unit Forming at Fort Jackson, South Carolina

A new unit of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps (USAC) is in initial formation stages at Fort Jackson, SC, home of the largest Basic Combat Training site in the United States.

Former Army National Guardsman Richard Davis, who works in the defense industry in his civilian career, has made application to become an Officer Candidate in the U.S. Army Cadet Corps. Upon approval, he will become the unit's Officer-in-Charge.

MAJ Bill MacDonald, Commander, Army Cadets of Fort Stewart, traveled to Fort Jackson on May 17th, along with a total of three recruits, to support the formation of the unit. The team's efforts - which included a display at the Fort Jackson Armed Forces Day celebration - resulted in ten recruit applications, with another 25+ who are interested in the USAC.

Army Cadets of New York Conducts Unit Training Assembly

The U.S. Army Cadet Corps (USAC) conducted a Unit Training Assembly May 17th at the Kelley Army Reserve Center, Fort Dix, NJ.

Cadets and officers from Fort Hamilton, NY, Camp Smith, NY and Fort Dix, NJ trained together, led by MAJ Andrew Chen, Project Officer, Army Cadets of New York.

COL Joseph M. Land, Sr., Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Cadet Corps, attended part of the Unit Training Assembly, sharing information regarding Annual Training and other happenings within the U.S. Army Cadet Corps.

Army Cadets Attend Drill Nationals: Compete in Drill-down

Officers and Cadets of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps attended the 2008 National High School Drill Team Championships at the Ocean Center Arena in Daytona Beach, Florida the first weekend of May. This is the largest known gathering of Cadets from across the country, with 3,300 participating this year.

The U.S. Army Cadet Corps provided information regarding the program to JROTC and ROTC leaders from across the country. USAC personnel from Army Cadets of Camp Blanding, Army Cadets of Tampa Bay, Army Cadets of Fort Rucker and Army Cadets of Fort Stewart participated in the event.

The U.S. Army Cadets weren't registered to compete, as most competing JROTC units practice 10+ hours a week. However, five U.S. Army Cadets did compete in the "Drill Down" without arms. With over 700 Cadets on the drill floor - and a team of 40 Army Drill Sergeants, Marine Corps Drill Instructors, Navy Honor Guardsmen, and Air Force Training Instructors acting as judges - all of the the U.S. Army Cadets survived to be in the final 15% of competitors. Of note, the U.S. Army Cadets were invited to floor at the last minute, with no warm-up prior to competition.

American Cadet Alliance Celebrates 99 Years of Developing Youth

The 2008 Leadership Symposium and the American Cadet Alliance's Annual Birthday Ball was conducted in Appleton, Wisconsin, April 10-13, with over 140 ACA personnel and guests in attendance.

A variety of break-out sessions - ranging from fund-raising to training on the Engagements Skills (marksmanship) Trainer - provided Cadets and members of the Officers' Corps with valuable insight to a variety of skills.

Cadets and Officers from as far away as California, Puerto Rico, Oklahoma and Florida braved the bitter cold of Wisconsin for the four days of meetings and training. Unfortunately, several officers were unable to attend due to extreme weather and the cancellation of flights by a major airline.

The program was hosted by the Military Cadets of the Fox Valley, who made arrangements for all aspects of the program, ranging from meals to transportation.

The Annual Birthday Ball, arranged by COL Ed Wassserman, Deputy National Commander, and choreographed by INST Virginia Dueso, Military Cadets of the Fox Valley, included a very moving tribute remembering the lost and injured during the tragic events of 9/11. Dr. Naomi Verdugo, Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) represented the Department of the Army.

Cadet SFC Robyn Haake, Army Cadets of Fort Dix, and Chaplain (COL) J. Delano Ellis, II, National Chaplain, were recognized as the Cadet and Officer of the Year, respectively. Additionally, Chaplain Ellis and COL Joseph M. Land, Sr., Chief of Staff, was promoted to rank of Colonel. Earlier, BG Charles Tornow, USAC, Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Corps, was promoted to his current rank by the USAC Board of Advisors, chaired by MG(Ret) Ron Markarian.

WOW! So Much Going On!

It seems like just a few days ago since this blog was updated...unfortunately, it has been four months! There is a LOT of activity going on within our program, and I'd like to share several updates over the next few days.

National Cadet Training Center: Refurbishment has been slow and steady. Frankly, it's expensive to refurbish this beautiful old building, and we're committed to doing the job with quality. Therefore, it's taking more time than we had hoped. We've recently received some significant donations, which will allow us to continue to move forward. Also, the cold of Pennsylvania's winter is starting to fade as we move into the spring. Expect to see more outside work in the next several weeks. We have a real need for donated skills and materials:

** Building Materials: Wood, drywall and floor tile (LOTS of floor tile!).

** Talent: Plumber, electrician, builders and roofers.

We have two teams coming in this spring (construction and roofing) from within the U.S. Army Cadet Corps staff; however, there's still a LOT to do. If you wish to assist, please contact me at joseph.m.landsr@armycadets.org .

Local Unit Growth: Welcome to Warrant Officer Candidate "B.J." Simmons, of Dayton Computer and Sign, who has recently put on the uniform and joined the U.S. Army Cadet Corps. He's a welcome addition to the team! The local unit has 12 Cadets/recruits and is still growing. If you know of young people who might wish to join, please contact 1LT Hammer at NCTC.

Relations with the Army: We've had huge movement in our relations with the Army, which will eventually have an impact on the National Headquarters staff and the community of Dayton. Stay tuned for details....

"Where is Colonel Land?": I'm told that local folks are wondering what's happened to the Chief of Staff. Well, I'm a southerner ("thin blood")and not much for the cold! However, I plan to be back into town over the Memorial Day weekend for several days.

I'll make several entries in the next few days to get folks caught up. Of course, thanks for your support of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps!

U.S. Army Cadet Promoted by 22 Generals!

Cadet Staff Sergeant Robyn Haake, 17, of Princeton, NJ, was promoted to Cadet Sergeant First Class on Sunday, 9 Mar 09 by Major General Mari K. Eder, Deputy Chief, Army Reserve at the General Officers' Steering Committee (GOSC) in Crystal City, Va. MG Eder was joined in promoting the Cadet by CSM Raymond Schnabel, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the National Commander of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps.

C/SFC Haake, a high school senior, has served as a U.S. Army Cadet for four years and is a recent recipient of a four-year ROTC college scholarship at the Indiana University in Pennsylvania (IUP).

MG Eder and 21 other general officers - Army Reserve commanders from across the country - stood at attention as the Cadet NCO received his stripes. It is believed that this is the largest gathering in history of general officers during a Cadet promotion ceremony.

Support the ACA While Saving on Travel!

We have recently partnered with YTB Travel Network, so that when you book your travel with the below website, you will not only be getting a great deal, but you'll also be contributing to the American Cadet Alliance in a way that really matters. For everything you book on our site, a portion of the travel commissions you generate will be given to the American Cadet Alliance. You can arrange for airfare, cruises, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages and more.

Quite often, what distinguishes one travel site from another is simply which one happens to be offering the lowest price. As long as they can find a good deal, most travelers don't care where they book their travel.

By visiting our new travel website, you can take advantage of great low prices - comparable to Expedia or Travelocity - while lending your support to American Cadet Alliance. For details, go to:

www.travel.armycadets.org

Support the American Cadet Alliance today by booking with YTB Travel. Units can also saving by using their Group Reservations Department.

Exterior Refurbishment Slows Down Due to Winter

After months of focusing on the exterior of the National Cadet Training Center, in an effort to return the former Dayton High School to its historic beauty, we must now completely focus on the interior due to Pennsylvania's bitter cold weather.

Exterior projects have run the gamut, including painting the exterior trim, replacing the security lights, relighting the front entrance (right), replacing the entranceway for the Quarters (former Home Economic building), removing dead trees and replanting new trees. We still have a lot to do, with the refinishing of the Old Main doors high on our priority once the weather breaks.

Interior work has been difficult and tedious. With the building sitting vacant and unheated for seven years, a great deal of damage occurred. The National Headquarters permanent personnel, COL C. R. Tornow, MAJ Joe Gorman and 2LT Clay Hammer, have spent countless hours repairing the damage due to past neglect. This is a costly and tedious process, which is moving slower than desired.


The living quarters have been refurbished, with baseboard heating installed as a temporary measure. The former library and former art room are also heated and functional for our purposes. The size and age of the building's heating plant make it cost prohibitive to heat the entire building until we are fully operational. Further, donations have not come in as anticipated, making the project slow down. Our primary focus during the Winter is the functional use of the spaces mentioned, as well as to refurbish and open one or two of the classrooms.

It is our desire to open the gym up to the community once we have the funding to heat it and repair the damaged pipes in the locker rooms. We anticipate opening the gym 2-3 nights a week to community young people once that can occur.

We have installed our donations recognition sign in the front yard, and look forward to receiving continued support from the community, ACA and Dayton alumni, as well as the business community.

If you have not purchased a brick, block or other , please do so today. New names cannot be added to the sign until Spring due to the cold; however, we still need your assistance. Our plan is to operate our first training programs during the Summer of 2009.

Cadet Corporal Hansen Chosen for U.S. Military Academy

Cadet Corporal Cale Alexander Hansen, 17, of the Military Cadets of Fort Rucker (AL) has been selected as a member of the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2012.

The son of Michael and Carolann Hanson, C/CPL Hansen is a resident of Niceville, Florida and attends Niceville High School.

He is shown (left) being promoted to Cadet Corporal by his Company Commander, CPT Jimmy Macon. C/CPL Hansen is a graduate of ACA's two-week Recruit Training and the three-week Basic Leader Course.

The U.S. Military Academy is renowned as an historic and distinguished military academy, and a leading, progressive institution of higher education. The Academy's "Long Gray Line" includes some of our nation's most famous leaders: Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, and Norman Schwarzkopf.

Cadet Hansen will report for Cadet Basic Training at West Point late this summer.

American Cadet Alliance Recovers Historic Artifacts

With a heritage that dates back to April 10th, 1909, the American Cadet Alliance (ACA) is the oldest nationwide Cadet Corps in the country. Despite such a long heritage, ACA National Headquarters has only a small inventory of artifacts from our nearly 100 years of serving America’s youth.

Through the diligent efforts of NHQ staff, several significant items were acquired last week, including the unit colors and a guidon from the Fort Pitt Battalion of the American Nautical Cadets, as well as a second older guidon from when that unit was an element of the Junior Naval Reserve. Additionally, a brass bugle, stamped with the seal of the Junior Naval Militia was also acquired.

The American Cadet Alliance was founded as the Colonel Cody’s Boy Scouts by Captain James H. C. Smyth on April 10th, 1909, at the First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York. Shortly thereafter, the Colonel Cody’s Boy Scouts was reorganized as the American Naval and Marine Scouts. The American Naval and Marine Scouts continued to evolve and on August 16th, 1927 the organization was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York as the New York Junior Naval Militia, Inc. Early in 1929, the organization split and our founder, as well as a number of senior officers, incorporated the Junior Naval Reserve, Inc., on February 19th, 1929.

Early in 1938, during the heightening of World War II, the War Department instructed the Secretaries of State to require all organizations using the words Naval, Militia and Reserve as a part of their corporate name to rename their organizations so as not to cause public confusion regarding their relationship to the Armed Services. To comply with this request, the Junior Naval Reserve, Inc. reincorporated on June 14th, 1938 as the American Nautical Cadets, Inc., and on November 2nd, 1938, the New York Junior Naval Militia, Inc. changed its name to the Maritime Brigade, Inc.

As a result of reorganization, due in part to a number of mergers with other smaller Cadet organizations, the American Nautical Cadets, Inc., reincorporated on October 3rd, 1956 as the American Nautical Alliance, Inc. The organization came full circle on September 15th, 1960 when the American Nautical Alliance, Inc. and the Maritime Brigade, Inc. merged to become the American Cadet Alliance, Inc. On April 10, 2009, the American Cadet Alliance will officially become the U.S. Army Cadet Corps.

Therefore, the American Nautical Cadets flag and guidon are no less than 50 years old and the Junior Naval Reserve guidon and the Junior Naval Militia bugle are no less than 70 years old. These are significant acquisitions of our program's nearly 100 years of history.

All of these items, as well as hundreds of other patches, uniforms, etc., depicting the history of Cadetting in the United States, will eventually be displayed at the National Cadet Training Center in Dayton, Pa.

Benefactors are needed to help preserve these and other historic items. If you would like to support this endeavor, please go to www.headquarters.militarycadets.org to make a generous donation.

Army Cadets of Tampa Bay Travel to Plains Georgia: Meet President Carter

The Army Cadets of Tampa Bay (FL) recently traveled to Plains, Georgia to provide a Color Guard and attend Sunday School with former President Jimmy Carter and the former First Lady Rosalyn Carter. This invitation came through the family of C/PV2 Caitlin Kennedy. Her uncle Rick, who lives in Plains, is a retired Army helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam with the First Air Cavalry as a Chief Warrant Officer.

Beginning on 9 November 2007, the unit of 25+ Officers, Cadets and Instructors traveled by caravan with six vehicles set out for a 7+ hour drive from St. Petersburg, FL. to Plains, Ga.

ACA personnel, following the strict security set forth by Secret Service, had the opportunity see President Carter as he taught a Sunday School service. Upon conclusion of the services, the Former President and Former First Lady were gracious enough to allow photographs to be taken with the unit. This was a great honor and certainly was the highlight of the trip.

The unit's once-in-a-lifetime journey included a trip to Andersonville, Georgia, home of the infamous civil war prison and National Cemetery. They performed an Honor Guard ceremony at the grave of a recently fallen soldier who was killed in Iraq.

Recreational activities included a visit to a peanut processing plant, where the Plant Manager led the unit to a storage building where Cadets and recruits climbed several three story peanut mounds that were waiting to dry and processed. The unit also stopped by a cotton field and visited the Jimmy Carter museum.

During the trip, C/PV2 Caitlin Kennedy's uncle made a special presentation. With tears in his eyes he presented her with his Calvary Stetson Cowboy hat. Ceremonial wear of the traditional blue Calvary Stetson, adorned with crossed Calvary sabers, is a long-held tradition within the Army's Calvary units, and a great source of pride for Calvary Soldiers.

ACA to Transition to All-Army by 2009

As announced in ACA Notice 0705, the Board of Directors of the American Cadet Alliance, at their annual meeting on 15 Nov 07, voted to stand formally stand-down the U.S. Naval Cadet Corps and U.S. Marine Cadet Corps in conjunction with the Corps' 100th anniversary on 10 Apr 09.

Effective immediately, no further personnel - including both officers and Cadets - will be enrolled in the U.S. Naval Cadet Corps (USNCC) and U.S. Marine Cadet Corps (USMCC). The expansion of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps is the primary focus of the program.

The ACA is moving towards full alignment with the Department of the Army whereby the U.S. Army Cadet Corps (USACC) will become the official community-based Cadet Corps of the Army. This puts the USACC into a relationship with the Army similar to that which exists between the U.S. Navy and the Naval Sea Cadet Corps, as well as between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Young Marines. Currently, less than 15% of the ACA's members are enrolled in the USNCC and USMCC.

The U.S. Army Cadet Corps Authorization Act is expected to be presented to Congress in early 2008. This legislation will provide funding and regulatory support for Army Cadetting.

Major Recruiting Drive for Army Cadets of the Fox Valley

The Army Cadets of the Fox Valley (WI) held a major recruiting drive last month, resulting in approximately 15 new recruits enrolling in the American Cadet Alliance.

The unit used a number of innovative approaches to informing the public about their program. A television spot was aired hundreds of times during television shows which would be of interest to young people. Also, the published inserts in a local community advertising package, giving information on the event.

Cadets and officers had a "Heavy Metal" display of vehicles of other military equipment outside of their drill site at the Appleton Army National Guard Armory during the open house. Cadets were prepared to explain their program to potential recruits.

The Army Cadets of the Fox Valley, commanded by LTC Brian Blahnik, will have another open house in early 2008.

Army Cadet Corps Represented in Washington, DC

The American Alliance had five officers and two Cadets travel to the National Convention for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). The AUSA is the largest military fraternal organization in the world, with several thousand Soldiers and Army-supporters attending.

(Right) Cadet Staff Sergeant Robyn Haake meets General George W. Casey, Jr., the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, who is the most senior officer in the Army.

ACA personnel visited the various memorials and sites within the Washington, DC area. They also met with several military leaders, explaining the benefits of the organization to America's youth.

(Left) CSM Raymond Schnabel, Senior Enlisted Adviser to the National Commander, is shown at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, while paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.

ACA To Washington, DC for Association of the United States Army Conference

The American Cadet Alliance (specifically, representatives of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps), will be at the Annual Conference for the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) beginning this Saturday, through October 10th.

This is the third year that ACA has been represented at AUSA, and it marks the continuation of Army support and awareness of our program AUSA has been instrumental in the development of ties with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the National Guard Bureau, and the U.S. Army Reserve. Further, our networking has resulted in steps towards legislative endorsement of the U.S. Army Cadet Corps, expected to go to Congress within the next 180 days.

LTC(P) Land, National Chief of Staff; LTC(CH) Ellis, National Chaplain; CSM Schnabel, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the National Commander; CPT Ninness, Training Officer; 1LT Lankford, Special Projects Officer; C/1SG Urban, Senior Cadet Advisor to the National Commander; C/SSG Haake, Acting 1SG for Military Cadets of NJ; and C/SGT Ryan, Acting 1SG for Military Cadets of Fort Bragg, will represent the U.S. Army Cadet Corps at a variety of functions. Last year, ACA personnel had the opportunity to explain our program to a multitude of senior-ranking officials, including the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff and the commanders of several Major Commands.

The AUSA's Annual Conference is the premier gathering of military equipment and displays. The Washington, DC Convention Center is completely overrun by the Army's presence, and ACA is pleased to be represented.

If you happen to be in the area, please feel free to contact us. We can be reached by calling 866-GO-CADETS, x807.

Watch this forum for updates on our activities at AUSA.

Hooah!

Donations Portal Online

We need your assistance with this project. Many of you have said that you would make a recurring donation to the ACA so that we can continue to serve the young men and women of our program. In the past, we didn't have a means to collect the donations, and it's easy to forget. Therefore, I am extremely pleased to announce that our Donations Portal is fully functional and can allow you to make a one-time donation, or a recurring (monthly, quarterly or annual) donation, all posted to your credit or debit card.

Please don't wait for others to step forward. It's easy to say, "I'm sure someone will help them," and think your donation is not important right now. It is. The building sat vacant for nearly seven years, so there is a lot of work to be done. We need your help today.

Any amount is important. A monthly donation of $20, 50, 75 or 100 can have a major impact on our program, and will allow us to continue to serve the extraordinary young men and women who are Cadets in the ACA. For the price of a pizza and a movie, you can have a major impact on our program.

Members of the ACA and Alumni. Whether you are a former Cadet, or a current member of the ACA, please consider what the program have done for you. Today, the program needs your support. Please make a one-time or monthly commitment by going to our Donations Portal today to support our country's oldest nationwide Cadet Corps.

Thank you, in advance, for your support. If you have any questions, or would like to make a donation of real property (boat, car, land, etc.,), please feel free to contact me at 866-GO CADETS, x 807.

Military Cadets of Cape Girardeau (Missouri) Stepping Off

The forming unit Military Cadets of Cape Girardeau of Missouri, under the leadership of 1LT Danny Carter (right), has conducted their first drills, meeting weekly on Tuesday evenings at American Legion Post 63 in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

"Everyone is doing an amazing job," said the Officer-in-Charge in a recent newsletter, "Keep up the great work and there is nothing...that can keep you from your dreams." These motivating words set the tone for the future of the unit, which has plans to train at the Ike Skelton National Guard Training Center, and visit the State Capital, in the near future.

The unit's leading Recruit, RCT Samuel Riehn, a Civil Air Patrol Cadet scheduled to attend RCCI this December, is training the unit's recruits in the fundamentals of Physical Training, military drill, and customs and courtesies.

The unit plans to have several recruits attending RCCI at the National Cadet Training Center in Dayton this December. We look forward to great success for the Military Cadets of Girardeau.

ACA Personnel In Minnesota Respond to Community Needs

The Military Cadets of Olmstead County (Rochester, Minnesota), responded to the community's needs last weekend as they worked alongside Army National Guardsmen in the flood-ravaged southeastern corner of the state.

SGT Jason Albers, NCOIC, Military Cadets of Olmstead County, (shown left briefing AmeriCorps and American Red Cross personnel), along with INST Jack Rector, and Cadets PVT Jacob Recht and PVT Simon Zais, supported the American Red Cross as they conducted house-by-house searches for citizens in need.

ACA personnel worked in teams with the Minnesota Army National Guard knocking on doors and providing emergency food and water when needed. The Cadets were not involved in direct search and rescue or other dangerous activities.

More details can be found in this article by the American Red Cross. Well Done to the forming unit, Military Cadets of Olmstead County!

Dayton Fair a Great Success!

The American Cadet Alliance had a strong showing last week at the annual Dayton Fair. With Cadets and officers from 11 states on-hand, we participated in a number of missions and activities:

* Parking control for the fair. Our Cadets did a fantastic job greeting visitors to the fair, assisting them with parking, and supporting the visitors who were handicapped.

* Recruiting and Information Booth. Several hundred people stopped by our booth - set up in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard - to learn more about the ACA, and our refurbishment plans for the former Dayton High School.

* Escorts for the Dayton Fair Queen and Princess. The Cadets were on their best behavior as they represented the United States Armed Forces as escorts for the Queen and Princess and their courts.

* Color Guard for the Opening Ceremonies. Many people from the community stopped us to complement the Color Guard for adding an extra patriotic flair to the Opening Ceremonies.

* Construction and Demolition within the Building. Under the supervision of INST Bernier, the construction within "Old Main" continued.

* Received a Bicycle for Toys For Tots on Behalf of the United States Marine Corps. Cadet Cpl Semos was the talk of the town in his Dress Blues!

* Several Meetings to Further the Support of the ACA. We met with State Senator Don White, State Representative Fred Mcllhatten, the Commanding Officer for the PA Army National Guard's Recruiting Company, the Operations Officer for IUP's ROTC Battalion and the Armstrong County School Board.

Congratulations to everyone who was involved with this great week! We really gave the local community a positive view of the ACA and the things that we do. Of note, the following personnel supported the entire period of the fair:

LTC Land, SGM Schnabel, MAJ MacDonald, MAJ Gorman, 2LT Hammer, WO1 Cooke, WO1 Barnette, C/1SG Urban, C/SGT Ryan, C/SN Szydzik, C/PFC Chipman, C/PV2 Whyte

Also attending for several days were:

MAJ Grimm, MAJ Berghorn, CPT Pease, CPT Ninness, INST Berghorn, INST Bernier, C/GySgt Bernier, C/Cpl Pento, C/Cpl Semos

The above personnel have been approved for the ACA Unit Commendation Ribbon, as well as credit towards the ACA Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Further, Cadet SGT Ryan and Cadet PV2 Whyte were meritoriously promoted, with C/SN Szydzik and C/PFC Chipman to be promoted on 1 Oct.

Well Done to everyone who supported the Dayton Fair!

Former ACA Cadet Chosen as Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Soldier of the Year

SPC Hubbard Harvey, a former Cadet in the American Cadet Alliance (ACA), was selected today as the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Soldier of the Year.

SPC Harvey serves as a 19K Armor Crewmember with 16th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Knox, Ky. Harvey is representing the Combined Arms Center. Spc. Harvey has been in the Army for 1 year and 11 months. He previously served as a Cadet in the Military Cadets of North Florida, at Camp Blanding, for two years.

He is a Combat Lifesaver, is a qualified gunner with a score of 798 on Tank Table VIII, and has earned his spurs. He is a native of Taylor, Fla.

"We couldn't be any more proud of Hubbard. He was a great Cadet and - obviously - is an exceptional Soldier," said Lt. Colonel Joseph M. Land, Sr., USACC, the ACA's Chief of Staff.

SPC Harvey will be advancing to the next round of competition in Washington, DC.

Painting Begins Today

Painting began today, with the trim and lamp posts primed, hallways painting and windows painted. Most importantly, our flagpole is freshly painted and soon will be able to proudly fly "Old Glory!"

Our team of eight, lead by 1LT Gus LeBlanc of Maine, is driven to get the exterior looking fresh and clean again. Watch for more over the next couple of days.

Dayton's Barnette and Toy Complete ACA Training

The Barnette family has a history of service, which spans no less than 40 years. The eldest Barnette, 61-year-old John, a veteran of Vietnam, sports an Army 1st Calvary Division ballcap everywhere he goes. His son, Gene Barnette, 37, co-owner of Dayton Computer and Sign, has been active with Dayton's American Legion post since returning from nearly a decade of military service including the Army, Army National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Finally, Gene's step-son, Michael Clouse, a Private First Class on active-duty, is serving today with 630th MP Company in Baghdad. Combined, they have nearly 20 years of military service in the uniform of our country.

When the American Cadet Alliance chose the former Dayton High School as its National Headquarters, Gene and his youngest son, Stanley Toy, 15, were among the first to welcome us to town. It wasn't long before Gene - still a soldier at heart - asked about getting involved. This meant putting back on an Army uniform, not to fight in war, but to pass good values on to America's young people.

WOC Gene Barnette, USAC
is assigned to Headquarters Company,
American Cadet Alliance

Less than a month later, Gene Barnette completed nine days of Warrant Officer Candidate School with the American Cadet Alliance during our Annual Training held at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The course of instruction is patterned after the Army National Guard's program and is designed to prepare the volunteers - known within ACA as "non-paid professionals" - for leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets.

The Warrant Officer Candidate found that returning to the field and living a Soldier's life was challenging and rewarding. "It was much more challenging than I expected.
The standards of the ACA are high and it was great to be with such professionals."

Beginning in September, the ACA will be available to other local young people, age 12-17, who wish to participate in a high-adventure career exploration program. Up to 50 young people will be allowed to enroll as a recruit in the American Cadet Alliance. Recruits and and Cadets from throughout the area will train at the National Cadet Training Center (NCTC), formerly Dayton High School, one weekend each month. The summer training for the Corps' units nationwide will occur at the NCTC beginning in June, 2008.

For more information on how to become a recruit, or if you are an adult who wishes to become involved, please visit us during the Dayton Fair. We will have a large display, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, with a climbing wall, obstacle course, and "Hummer."

Comments from Dayton Almuni...

Thanks to Sheri Jones for the following comments received by email today:

"Good afternoon. I missed seeing you when I was visiting during the July 4th Holiday...Just wanted to let you know what a great job you're doing on the school. The gym floor looks fabulous and everyone in town is really excited. (This) website is so informative and enjoyable to look at. Thanks so much for what you're doing."

Thank you, Sheri, for your support and interest. ACA is proud to call Dayton our new home, in part, because of the warm reception we've received by folks like yourself.

Watch this site for photos coming soon of the painting happening - as I write this - of the trim, flagpole, streetlights and windows. The exterior of ACA National Headquarters should be VERY impressive soon!
.

School Board Approves Donation

From the Leader Times: "The (Armstrong County School) board voted (last night) to donate a metal gate, 100 student desks, 16 cafeteria tables and various kitchen equipment and office furniture from its warehouse facility and the former North Buffalo Elementary School to the American Cadet Alliance for use by the National Cadet Training Center, located in the former Dayton High School."

Refurbishment Continues - Trees and Painting

With Annual Training now complete, the ACA team will get focused once again on the refurbishment of our National Headquarters.

Last weekend, a team gathered together to remove three trees from the front of ACA National Headquarters. The trees had to be removed either because they were dead or causing damage to the building. Two additional trees must come down, as they are dead. We extend our gratitude to:

Owen Byler and Ervin Byler - Chainsaw cutting
Rick Reeseman - Triaxle to remove trees
Gene Barnette - Highlift operation
Barrett Lumber - Provided the Highlift for project

Quite a bit is scheduled for the next ten days, including:

* Painting exterior trim.
* Painting rails, doors and street lamps.
* Install new sign.
* Remove two remaining dead trees.

We plan to have all of this accomplished prior to the Dayton Fair. We'll see you all at the fair!

Gym Floor - Awesome!!!

For the past three weeks, five alumni of Dayton High School have committed hundreds of man hours to the clean-up, refinishing and polishing of the gym floor.

Unfortunately, young vandals had created a real mess on the old wood floor. Some sort of "goop" was tossed around and the wax was a mess. I could see the disappointment in the faces of our visitors as they saw what was repeated described as "...the nicest gym floor in the district."

Former Head Custodian Andy Anderson, Class of 1971, along with Karen Baker, Class of 1972; Gene Barnette, Class of 1987; BJ Simmers, Class of 1995, of Dayton Computer and Sign; and Dave Barnette, Class of 2002 took on the task of making the floor right. Scrubbing, buffing, mopping...scrubbing, buffing, mopping....you get the idea. What seemed like an endless task resulted in the floor looking great! To top it off, the folks at Dayton Computer and Sign produced a 12-foot-wide version of the American Cadet Alliance seal, permanently affixed into the center court circle. The floor is impressive! We're extremely grateful to the folks above who dedicated so much of their time and talent to make the floor look great once again!

Work Continues Over Next Two Weeks

ACA personnel will be leaving Camp Atterbury on Sunday, July 1st en route to Dayton for several days. During the period from 1-7 July we will have five people who will:

• Prepare all windows for painting. This is a significant job since most every window needs glazing and many windows must be replaced.
  
• Meet with military, school and political officials in the area to inform them about the ACA and our programs.
• Coordinate final plans for the Dayton Fair.
  
• Prepare for the enrollment of new recruits in September.

A volunteer paint crew from Maine will be in Dayton next month to paint as much of the outside of the building as possible. This requires stripping off the old paint, repairing any bad wood and then painting. A team of four will arrive on the 11th and depart on the 15th of July.