[561] MTSU ROTC cadet earns major leadership award

MURFREESBORO — MTSU senior ROTC cadet Teana Harle represented the Blue Raider Battalion at the prestigious Army Cadet Command George C. Marshall Awards and Leadership Seminar in mid-April.

“Overall, it was a good experience,” said Harle, a psychology major from Murfreesboro, who found herself among 158 cadet peers at the 37^th annual event, held at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. “I learned a lot about myself and what kind of leader I want to be.”

Harle, who will graduate in December and maintains a 3.4 GPA, received the George C. Marshall Award during the annual Blue Raider Battalion spring awards ceremony Tuesday, April 29, in the Keathley University Center Theater.

“As a result of her hard work, especially as the Blue Raider Cadet Battalion commander, Cadet Harle was most deservingly recognized as a George C. Marshall Leadership Award recipient,” U.S. Army Lt. Col. Joel Miller said. “This recognition is a distinct honor and represents the high quality of cadets and students we have in the program.”

In addition to the Marshall award, she was bestowed the USAA Spirit Award. Near the end of the event, Harle participated in the cadet command change of command ceremony, as cadet Kyle D. Wix of Murfreesboro became the new cadet commander.

Just before graduation, Harle, who is married to fellow cadet and spring honoree Scott Harle, will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. She plans to enter the Tennessee National Guard.

As for the entire group of about 25 honorees earning more than 40 awards including scholarships, Miller said the “cadets have worked very hard this year and we are pleased to be able to recognize their considerable achievements.”

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Keith M. Huber of Franklin, Tennessee, served as guest speaker.

While congratulating the cadets for their achievements, Huber also challenged them to be leaders.

“Leadership is not a question of age, rank or physical size,” Huber said. “You can’t order people to follow you. You’ve got to earn that right. The privilege is to serve your soldiers, not them serve you. I expect you to serve, sacrifice, be humble and share hardships.”

At the Marshall seminar, Harle said they experienced “guided discussions with experts in the field.”

Among the keynote speakers were two women — Brig. Gen. Peggy C. Combs, commanding general, U.S. Army Cadet Command, and Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, surgeon general, U.S. Army. They made a lasting impression, as did retired Gen. Richard A. Cody, the seminar chairman; Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, chief of staff; Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins, commanding general of training and doctrine; and Command Sgt. Maj. Edward Mitchell of the 7^th brigade, USA cadet command.