One is the loneliest number

Dick Benoit

Thursday, March 30, 2000 | 10:23 a.m.

UNLV graduate 2nd Lt. Nakia Reddin represents a transition between the old UNLV program -- which closed in 1993 -- and the new program that allows Southern Nevada students to take advantage of ROTC.

The only member to be commissioned in December in a class of 10 cadets who began the Army ROTC program at CCSN four years ago, he is the first UNLV graduate to get an ROTC commission since the Army closed its UNLV detachment in 1993.

ROTC offers two-, three-, and four-year scholarships to students at CCSN and UNLV. Students enrolled in the program receive military leadership, management and fitness training while they continue individual courses of study in their chosen major. Students who successfully complete the ROTC education and training are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army upon graduation.

Reddin, now serving as a "Gold Bar Recruiter" for the ROTC office at CCSN's West Charleston campus, is awaiting his reporting date to the U.S. Army Chemical Warfare Basic Officer Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

The Faith Lutheran Junior/Senior High School graduate, son of Renate and Robert Reddin of Las Vegas, enrolled in the ROTC in 1995 while attending classes at CCSN. He later transferred to UNLV, where he majored in kinesiology in the College of Health Sciences and commuted to CCSN for his upper division Military Science courses.

The others who signed up with Reddin dropped out for various reasons. So by the time he received his degree at UNLV's winter commencement on Dec. 18, he was the only cadet remaining to be commissioned in ceremonies at the CCSN that same day.

Nellis receives top award: The 99th Civil Engineering Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight, received the highest award the Air Force bestows on such units -- the Senior Master Sgt. Gerald J. Stryzak Award -- during recent ceremonies at Fort Myer, Va.

The unit was recognized for its members' EOD support of U.S. air units in Europe while deployed to Kosovo -- including work with the all-purpose robotic transportation system, which recovers unexploded ordnance without risking human life.

The unit is also the only one in the Air Force to work with the laser neutralization system, an advanced technology system that is mounted on a vehicle and shoots suspect objects with a laser beam to cause low-speed detonation.

The unit is led by flight chief Master Sgt. Timothy Rearich.

IN BRIEF

Dick Benoit covers individual and unit accomplishments of Southern Nevadans serving in the active duty and reserve armed forces. He can be reached at (702) 641-8664 or by e-mail at dickb@vegas.com.