Military science instructor wins top Army ROTC award

UD military science instructors continue to win awards placing them among the best in ROTC programs in the country. Maj. Paul Yager has been awarded the Leo A. Codd Memorial Award, given to the most outstanding commissioned officer in the U.S. Army at the rank of major or below who is serving as an ROTC instructor on active duty. Last year, then Capt. John Casper, who was posted at UD, received the award as the nation's best ROTC instructor for all services.

The competition for the award is keen as there are 270 programs in the nation, but "lightning occasionally does strike twice," Lt. Col. Paul Pusecker, military science, who nominated both Yager and Casper, said.

Calling Yager a "soldier, scholar, teacher and mentor" who "does it all with excellence and character," Pusecker wrote in his nomination that Yager "motivates his cadets to achieve excellence" and is "totally devoted to their professionalism and person growth." Since Yager's arrival, Pusecker noted, the UD Army ROTC unit has risen to fifth place in the nation.

Yager said that he is pleased with the award, since it also recognizes the UD program and the team effort that makes it successful.

Yager serves ROTC in several capacities–as a military science instructor, revamping the sophomore syllabus to provide more hands-on skills; as battalion executive officer for seven programs in three states; as a mentor for the ROTC-affiliated organizations, such as the Ranger Club, Pershing Rifle Club and Ranger Challenge Team (which came in second out of 28 teams this past year); and as an organizer of a tutoring and mentoring program at a local elementary school.

Thanks to his Yager's efforts, Pusecker said, UD provides ROTC instruction through video teleconferencing and the Internet to all seven ROTC college programs in the battalion.

Volunteering to become the military history instructor, Yager developed a video teleconference class with Old Dominion University. He also coordinated the installation of a high-tech classroom for the ROTC program and developed a cadet-learning resource center, a leadership web page and a multimedia recruiting presentation used for new student orientations and ROTC Basic Camp recruitment.

A graduate of California State University at Sonoma, Yager enlisted in the Army in 1987.

Among his awards and decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Overseas Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Yager has completed his master's degree in management, with a concentration in public administration, from Wilmington College.

–Sue Moncure

Photo by KATHY FLICKINGER