Middletown native receives top honors at military academy

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicole Foguth | Cadet Benjamin Rasz a Middletown, Md., native, earns a spot on the most prestigious honors list at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Rasz was selected for the list due to exceptional performance in athletics, military performance and academics. Official U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicole Barger.  

MIDDLETOWN, MD, UNITED STATES

11.17.2016

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicole Foguth 

U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Cadet Benjamin Racz, a Middletown, Md., native, has exceeded expectations at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, one of the smallest of the nation’s five federal service academies.
The Academy, located in New London, Conn., holds cadets to high standards of physical fitness, leadership and professional development. The institution trains officers for the U.S. Coast Guard, one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security.
Recognized as one of the top institutions of higher learning by U.S. News & World Report, cadets there must complete 200 weeks of college education and military indoctrination.
Racz earned a spot on the Board of Trustees Honors List and has become a part of a select group who receive the honor. Between one and two percent of the more than 1,000 cadets that make up the corps make the list.
“I would contribute my success to my hard work and dedication. There have been times when I have been challenged, but I stayed positive and did everything I could to get the job done,” said Racz. “My parents have also been a great support system and they have definitely helped me along this tough, but extremely rewarding journey.”
To be included on the list, cadets must earn three uniform stars for excellence in military, academic and athletic performance during the semester. This means a cadet must simultaneously attain a term grade point average above 3.15, be in the top 25 percent of their class in military performance and obtain a score of 270 or higher on the Physical Fitness Examination.
Racz is on the volleyball team and part of the Academy Cadet Blog Club. He is scheduled to graduate from the Academy in 2017 with a degree in Operations Research and Computer Analysis.

• Date Taken: 11.17.2016
• Date Posted: 11.17.2016 12:39
• Story ID: 214945
• Location: MIDDLETOWN, MD, US