The Minuteman Scholarship Campaign was first put in place in March of 2015 in order to fuel competition and increase awarding of Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarships. The Campaign is sponsored by the United States Army Cadet Command with each Army National Guard Adjutant General nominating candidates for the scholarship.
The guest speaker at the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis, adjutant general of the LANG, addressed the awardees with a combination of admiration and guidance for the future.
“Some people will say that you are lucky to have received these scholarships, but I for one don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work … And I believe that’s why the six of you are here this morning, because you have worked very hard,” said Curtis.
The hard work the awardees produced during their academic careers, as noted by Curtis, was prodigious and reflected a serious commitment to personal excellence.
Each of the awardees had to have a minimum ACT score of 19, or a minimum SAT score of 870, or a minimum Army ASVAB GT score of 110. In addition, each had to have a minimum high school grade point average of a 2.5 and a passing Army Physical Fitness Test score of 180 or better.
Each met the mark.
This highly qualified group of recipients had a range of ACT scores from 23 to 35, GPAs from 3.43 to 4.6, ASVAB GT scores from 112 to 132, and APFT scores from 219 to 294.
The scholarship allows recipients to serve in the LANG under the Simultaneous Membership Program while a member of ROTC at their chosen university. The cadets receive E-5 pay for their drill pay one-weekend a month and two-weeks a year, as well as a stipend of $300 - $500 a month plus a $1,200 annual award for text books and fees. They may also will receive $10,000 annually for room and board or uncapped tuition exemption and fees.
Under regular ROTC contracts, cadets are only allowed a three-year contract; the Minuteman Scholarship provides the recipients with an additional 6 months to one year of benefits.
According to Curtis, the award works out to about $150,000 in scholarship monies between state tuition exemption from service in the LANG and Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps benefits.
One awardee, Lars Jensen III, a 2016 graduate of Haynes Academy in Metairie, LA, who will begin his LANG service with the storied 1-141st Field Artillery Battalion (Washington Artillery), 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, seemed to sum up the awardees’ sentiments.
“I’m thankful. It’s a great opportunity. I always wanted to join the military, and now I have school paid,” said Jensen, who will be attending Louisiana State University this fall.
The commander of the LANG’s Recruiting and Retention Command, Col. Kenneth P. Donnelly, shared the adjutant general’s admiration for the awardees as well.
“I am amazed to see the winners of this year’s Minuteman ROTC Scholarship Campaign in person. After hearing their bios [biographies] read out loud and the listed achievements of these six young men and women, I am not surprised to learn they were the best of the best,” said Donnelly. “I am truly grateful that they answered the call to serve our great state and this great nation. This is a win-win for them and for the Louisiana National Guard.”
The awardees, their high schools or college, colleges of choice and units of assignment are as follows:
High School Senior Jacob G. Broussard, St. Paul’s School, Covington, La., Tulane University, 205th Engineer Battalion
High School Senior Lars Jensen III, Haynes Academy, Metairie, La., Louisiana State University, 1-141st Field Artillery Battalion
High School Senior John Z Maurer, H. L. Bourgeois, Gray, La., Louisiana State University, 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion
High School Senior Helena M. Palmisano, Fontainebleau High School, Mandeville, La., Tulane University, 205th Engineer Battalion
College freshman and ROTC Cadet Lauren K. Williams, McKinley Senior High School, Baton Rouge, La., Louisiana State University, 769th Brigade Engineer Battalion
College freshman and ROTC Cadet Nicholas B. McDowell, Live Oak High, Watson, La., Southeastern State University, 3-156th Infantry Battalion