Right before Veterans Day weekend, the UF Air Force ROTC was awarded a trophy for being the top medium-sized unit in the United States.
In its 65 years of existence, this is the first time the UF program has been ranked No. 1.
Maj. Jim Bodnar, associate professor of aerospace studies, said the timing of the news was appropriate for future veterans.
"The fact that the country sets aside a day for those serving and those who have served in the past is an honor," Bodnar said. "The relationship between the two and the timing of the two couldn't be better."
The unit did not officially participate in any Veterans Day activities but celebrated the day privately with friends and family, he said.
Bodnar said with steady hard work, UF's program will have a fair chance to receive high rankings every year.
"We don't work specifically toward that goal, but we know we want to be one of best detachments in the country," Bodnar said.
The cadets are the key to the program's success, Bodnar said.
Maureen Hartney, a 21-year-old UF student who was named the Air Force Association's Outstanding Cadet of the Year, agreed.
"It's supposed to be a cadet-run program," Hartney said. "We are allowed to run the program, which gives us a better chance to show our leadership."
Hartney said receiving the news of the program's awards just before Veterans Day was nice, but it's not the awards that are important.
"We're trying to do our best every day and so are the veterans who are serving now and who have served in the past," she said.
Bodnar said this year's achievements were also marked by the initiative of upper-class cadets.
"We would be sunk without them taking charge and feeling the responsibility to take charge and do their best," he said.
Col. Hubert "Griff" Griffin added that ROTC cadets are all volunteers.
Bodnar said the program leaders really care for the cadets, who will be veterans one day.
"When I go back into the Air Force, I'm going to be working with some of these folks," Bodnar said. "I want to make sure they know what they're doing."
Bodnar said UF's program is functioning "above and beyond" other Air Force detachments in the Southeast.
Retention efforts are important to the program, he said.
Bodnar said cadets are provided with guest speakers, special trips and community service projects.
In the past, Korean War and World War II veterans have come to UF as guest speakers for cadets.
Bodnar said there are other attractive aspects of the program that allow for bonding among cadets.
About two weeks ago as part of a trip with ROTC, 20 cadets sat with astronauts' families in the viewing area for a space shuttle launch.
UF's Air Force ROTC also participated in the homecoming parade for the first time this year with a float built by cadets.
They invited local high school ROTC cadets to march with them so they could show the younger cadets where they could be after high school, Bodnar said.
He said the morning before the parade, UF cadets gave 100 high-school cadets a tour of the campus and talked to them about the differences between ROTC in college and high school.
"Every single person we talked with afterwards, they were psyched," Bodnar said. "They thought it was the greatest thing."
