Cadets present colors at Great U.S.A. awards

Dick Benoit

Thursday, June 27, 2002 | 8:40 a.m.

Four cadets from the Navy League's Bruce A. Van Voorhis Memorial Squadron of Sea Cadets pitched in to demonstrate American flag etiquette during the Great U.S.A. Awards program at Cunningham Elementary School in southeast Las Vegas.

The cadets, Roxy Vera of Advance Technologies Academy, Erik Lizar of Palo Verde High School, Joey Meugniot of Chaparral High School and David Warner of Advance Technologies Academy presented the colors in traditional military fashion for the fourth and fifth graders during opening ceremonies of the awards program.

Children at the school receivedcertificates, medals and trophies for varying degrees of knowledge and proficiency in reciting historic American documents such as the Preamble to the Constitution and Gettysburg Address. They were also rewarded for their knowledge of American presidents and ability to give the capital of each state.

Participation by the cadets in Cunningham's first patriotic program of this sort was arranged by retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Milt Jones, who works as an instructional assistant at the school. Jones, who presented Honorable U.S.A. and Great U.S.A. awards to the Cunningham students, has served as administration officer for the squadron since 1998.

Air Force navigator wings

Air Force 2nd Lt. Corey C. O'Tool, the son of Dennis O'Tool of Las Vegas, has graduated from undergraduate navigator training at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and earned the Air Force navigator wings.

During 36 weeks of training the new lieutenant learned navigation systems and procedures, which included instrument, global and celestial. He also received electronic warfare officer training, which included instruction in navigation systems and procedures, radar operations, electronic countermeasures, strategic combat and air defense systems, and signals analysis.

O'Tool is a 2000 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

In brief