Photo By Donnie Ryan | Maj. Joseph Lucas (left) and Maj. Dustin Freeman (far right), both assigned to the...... read more read more
Two former Soldiers with strong ties to Seminole County, Florida, who each received the Medal of Honor posthumously following their heroic service in the U.S. Army, were honored on March 29 with the unveiling of new plaques at the Seminole County courthouse in Sanford because of the efforts of a local 17-year-old working on his Eagle Scout project.
The names of Army Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe, who graduated from nearby Oviedo High School in 1988 and is buried in Sanford, and Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller who is buried in Casselberry, Florida, now appear prominently outside the courthouse courtesy of William Watts, a local high school student from Scouting America Troop #854.
Watts’ Eagle Scout project gathered interest from Soldiers and civilians assigned to the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) in Orlando, Florida, as well as Seminole County government officials and other community leaders who attended the unveiling ceremony. The project also took more than a year of planning and fundraising.
“Getting to honor the sacrifice and heroism of Sgt. 1st Class Cashe and Staff Sgt. Miller and working with the families and the county on a way to honor these heroes has definitely been the best part of this project,” Watts said. “I received a lot of support from the county and my community. The county commission was very supportive of the project and helped provide the support of a location for this memorial.”
Watts said he has been interested in the military since a fourth-grade history lesson about World War II sparked an interest in the armed forces, especially the Army. He later learned Sgt. 1st Class Cashe, a local Medal of Honor recipient, was buried at nearby Restlawn Cemetery, a place where his troop distributed flags every Memorial Day.
“During my research, I learned of Staff Sgt. Miller, another Medal of Honor recipient from Seminole County,” Watts said. “I actually saw a news story where his mother was bringing recognition to his heroics with a plaque at the local VA [Veterans Affairs] hospital. This prompted me to do research about how these men have been honored in our county and thought that I could do more.”
Watts said he worked with a previous scoutmaster for approval of the project and then focused on getting the blessing of the Sanford County Commission. Once the country commissioners approved, he said he submitted the project to be reviewed by the Seminole District Eagle Review Board.
“Upon getting their approval, I reached out to the families; I did not want to approach the families until I knew that the project was possible,” Watts said. “Both families gave their approval, and the process really began at that point.”
One member of the Seminole District Eagle Review Board is Jeff Ketts, an Eagle Scout himself, an active scout leader and current Army civilian who works at PEO STRI. Ketts said he saw an opportunity to help Watts promote awareness and gather support for his project from the local Army workforce.
“When this young man presented this project and indicated that he had spoken to the parents of both Medal of Honor recipients, I realized the importance of this project,” Ketts said. “I wanted to make sure that William understood from the military point of view the importance of a Medal of Honor ceremony.”
Ketts reached out to PEO STRI and Naval Support Activity (NSA) Orlando leadership last year to see if they would support having Watts attend the base colors ceremony. This process involved more than 20 emails to coordinate both Army and Navy approval and coordinate base access.
“I thought it would benefit him to see how PEO STRI does this during a colors ceremony,” Ketts said, who has worked as an Army civilian and contractor for both the Army and Navy for more than 20 years, and his family’s long line of military service includes the Navy, Army, and Coast Guard. “My family is a military family,” said Ketts.
Watts showed up to morning colors at the NSA Orlando in his scout uniform on Jan. 31, 2024, ready to take part in the weekly Medal of Honor recognition ceremony. He read the medal citation for Cashe to a large crowd of Army, Navy, and Marine Corps service members and civilians who fully embraced his Eagle Scout project.
“Getting to read the citation to active-duty members as part of a regular ceremony honoring Medal of Honor recipients is something I will never forget,” said Watts, whose experience with the Army had been limited to reading books and watching documentaries. “Afterwards, I realized I was a 16-year-old telling officers and grown adults to come to attention, that was awesome!”
Watts said the early stages of the project included working with the families of the two Soldiers and a local bronze foundry on the initial design for the plaques. The cost estimate was around $12,000 for the plaques and needed to be collected through fundraising efforts. Watts said both his mother and father, an Eagle Scout himself and current scoutmaster of Troop #854, helped with fundraising.
“I reached out to local organizations to speak in an effort to fundraise, and my dad and I designed a challenge coin to sell as a way to raise funds as well,” Watts said. “I attended various events around town and brought attention to the project.
Watts said he recorded a video to help get the word out to friends and family and his mother posted it to her social media sites. In addition to the support from family and local Soldiers and Army civilians, he was also able to gain the financial backing of V3 Capital, a local business pledging to match up to $5,000 in donations.
“When half of the project money was raised, the foundry began casting the plaques,” Watts said. “Thanks to the generous donation by V3 Capital, I was able to pay off the remaining balance for the plaques and begin plans for the unveiling ceremony.”
The March 29 unveiling ceremony was attended by a large crowd of people including Soldiers and Army civilians from PEO STRI, county government officials, members of Troop #854 and Troop #529, family members of Cashe and Miller, and other invited guests.
As a show of local Army and PEO STRI support, Maj. Dustin Freeman read the medal citation for Cashe as part of the ceremony. Freeman knew of Cashe’s heroism having later served in Cashe’s unit, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, in Iraq. Maj. Joseph Lucas, also from PEO STRI, read Miller’s medal citation. Lucas also served in the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment in Iraq.
“I have also met people who knew Sgt.1st Class Cashe or Staff Sgt. Miller,” Watts said. “I went to lacrosse camp at West Point last summer, and one of my coaches was in the Third Infantry Division in Iraq at the same time Sgt. 1st Class Cashe served.”
Watts’ scouting journey started 11 years ago when his father encouraged him to join the Cub Scouts while in elementary school. The Longwood, Florida, native is currently a junior at Lake Brantley High School and will graduate in 2026.
“Scouting has given me the ability to grow as a person and a leader,” Watts said. “If you are planning on joining scouts it will definitely be a benefit to you and your community. Get your friends to join with you and you will have even more fun.”
Watts said he hopes to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point upon graduation next year so he can serve his country like Cashe, Miller, and the thousands of others who have worn the uniform.
“I was able to experience West Point twice, this past summer for Lacrosse camp and then in November for the Army/Air Force Academy football game,” Watts said. “I have wanted to join the Army since elementary school."
Watt’s plaque unveiling ceremony was coordinated to take place just a few days after National Medal of Honor Day, celebrated each year on March 25. A total of only 3,547 Medals of Honor have been awarded to 3,528 recipients, with 19 individuals recognized as double awardees. The first Medal of Honor was awarded in 1863, and there are 61 Medal of Honor recipients who are alive today.
Adding additional focus on Watts’ local Eagle Scout project, the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, officially opened its doors on March 25 after a three-year construction effort with a ribbon cutting attended by 32 Medal of Honor Recipients, national and military leaders, celebrities and musical guests.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2025 11:05 |
| Story ID: | 494139 |
| Location: | SANFORD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 367 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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