Eleven are Distinguished Military Graduates
Eleven University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets have been named Distinguished Military Graduates (DMG) for 2022-23.
DMGs are commissioning cadets who finish in the top 20% of Army graduates on the national Order of Merit List by achieving superior grade-point averages, strong performance in the Army Combat Fitness Test, and proving their worth as exceptional leaders in their college ROTC training. The DMG designation will remain on their Army record throughout their military career.
"The DMG recognition from U.S. Army Cadet Command is a testament of exemplary performance from the first semester a cadet joins UNG and the Boar's Head Brigade. These cadets have maintained a level of focus and performance that extends through all facets of a college student's career," Col. Bryan Kirk, UNG's professor of military science, said. "Their scholastic success is a vibrant tribute to the unrelenting support and expertise of our UNG professors, faculty and staff, while their ROTC success speaks to the devotion and experience of our cadre. DMG students have taken up the challenge to maximize their leadership growth at UNG and earn success."
UNG's DMG honorees are William Allen, Jordan Armstrong, Michael Blumthal, Andrew Flournoy, Quinn Griffith, Chase Grover, Jacob Hughes, Noah Isley, Anthony Linatoc, Phillip Ly, and David Vinci.
The DMG recognition from U.S. Army Cadet Command is a testament of exemplary performance from the first semester a cadet joins UNG and the Boar's Head Brigade. These cadets have maintained a level of focus and performance that extends through all facets of a college student's career.
Col. Bryan Kirk
UNG professor of military science
Armstrong, a senior from Kaiserslautern, Germany, pursuing a degree in kinesiology, didn't meet her goal of earning a Recondo badge for high performance at Advanced Camp this summer. That couldn't keep her from moving forward.
"I kept pushing and doing the best that I possibly could and learning about my leadership style," Armstrong said.
A four-year Army ROTC Scholarship winner, Armstrong looks forward to using the skills she has learned in the Corps of Cadets when she graduates, including a servant leadership mentality and seeing the Army as a "people business." For now, though, she is grateful for the DMG designation.
"It was a lot of work. It's not easy to accomplish these things, especially the fact that we're performing in a male-dominated field," Armstrong said. "I set a goal to always try my hardest, and if I tried my hardest, that's all that mattered. This is the Army recognizing me."
Ly, a senior from Forest Park, Georgia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, previously earned the nationally competitive Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, Boren Scholarship, Freeman-Awards for Study in Asia scholarship, and a Fund for Education Abroad scholarship. He also participated in the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program in 2022. Now, DMG is added to his list of accomplishments.
"It is a testament to my dedication to the process and unrelenting work ethic to always improve myself," Ly said.
Lambert leads Operation Inherent Resolve
Maj. Gen. Kevin Lambert recently took command of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, becoming the fourth UNG alumnus to lead the multinational coalition, and in January he was promoted to a two-star general.
Ranger Challenge team advances to Sandhurst
UNG's Ranger Challenge team is returning to the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition for the first time in four years after a second-place finish at the 6th Brigade Titan Ranger Challenge.
Mental health grad assistant program starts
Two UNG students in the Master of Science in counseling program are serving as mental health graduate assistants for the Athletic Department, and one is serving in the same capacity for the Corps of Cadets.
Experiences prepared cadets to commission
Almost 40 members of UNG's Corps of Cadets are commissioning as second lieutenants in the active-duty Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve in a Dec. 9 ceremony.