Drill-team members win competition, accept resolution

Staff report

columbus

Emily Conroy of Canfield, a freshman electrical engineering major at Youngstown State University, accepted a resolution before the Ohio House of Representatives this fall on behalf of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station Composite Squadron 051 Drill Team, which placed first at the 2013 National Cadet Competition.

“We’re very honored, and thank you for having us here today,” Cadet Capt. Conroy said after she and Cadet Sgt. Matthew Chamberlain accepted the resolution of commendation from state Rep. Sean O’Brien. “It was a great honor to represent the great state of Ohio and the Great Lakes region and to go on to nationals.”

“Everybody here would agree that it has been quite an invaluable experience to help build us up as cadets but also as people and leaders of the country,” she added. “We’re all looking very forward to competing again this next season and hope to do the state proud.”

Conroy is a member of the drill team that competed in the national contest in Dayton. Also competing were top teams from California, Colorado, New Jersey and North Carolina.

The Youngstown group is the first team from Ohio to win the National Cadet Competition. The competition consists of in-ranks inspection, standard drill, innovative drill, a written examination, panel quiz, a volleyball tournament and a team mile run.

The team is coached by Civil Air Patrol Maj. William Hrinko Jr. and 1st Lt. Diana Beatty.

In addition to Conroy, team members are Cadet Maj. Megan Beatty (Austintown); Cadet 2nd Lt. Vanessa Betz (Greenville); Cadet Staff Sgt. Matthew Chamberlain (Wellsville); Cadet 2nd Lt. Caleb Durfee (Salem); Cadet Airman 1st Class Christian Durfee (Salem); Cadet Capt. Nathaniel Forrider (Leetonia); Cadet Tech. Sgt. Michael Gentile (Niles); Cadet Tech. Sgt. Brian Haight (Salem); Cadet Lt. Col. Aubry Lindauer (McDonald); Cadet Staff Sgt. Ethan Lint (Cortland); Cadet Airman 1st Class Cyrel Newcome (Salem); and Cadet Tech. Sgt. Connor O’Kane (Poland); and Cadet 1st Lt. Austen Peters (Poland).

Cadet Staff Sgt. Brian Hunter Jr. (Brookfield) was on the team at the state and region level. Forrider served as the team commander, leading the team through all seven events.