Unit Piedmont Student Receives Silver DAR Outstanding Cadet Medal

by Sankey Blanton | Flotilla 9-8, FS0-PA

Jamie Ramos

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s service organization dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, patriotism and honoring Revolutionary War patriots. Founded in 1890, it has been supporting military organizations for over 125 years. 

ROTC programs really got going prior to America’s 06 April 1917 entry into World War One and comes from the "Plattsburg Idea." In 1915, Major General Leonard Wood instituted the Citizen's Military Training Corps, the first series of training camps to make officers out of civilians. The DAR has been recognizing Outstanding Cadets since then.

The U.S. Coast Guard has no ROTC, but in 2007 began the Auxiliary University Program (AUP) to help prepare college graduates for Officer Candidate School (OCS). In the fall of 2012 the Piedmont AUP Unit was established at UNC-CH under the direction of Baskin Cooper. Piedmont AUP graduates have gone on to jobs in the Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, and Environmental or Maritime Science fields.

On April 19th, representatives of the North Carolina Society DAR, Davie Poplar Chapter, presented the Silver DAR Outstanding Cadet Medal to Jamie Marie Ramos. This presentation was the first to an AUP Cadet in North Carolina. Presenting the Award Certificate was Ms. Jane Forbes who was instrumental in bringing the AUP Cadet program to the attention of the DAR. Presenting the Silver Medal was Ms. Jean Lusted, the Regent of the Davie Poplar Chapter.

It is just possible that this was the first time this medal has been awarded in any of the 20 AUP Units in the United States. No matter, it makes this Tar Heel proud.