Suwannee High Senior NJROTC Cadet Christian Dixon received the “Legion of Valor” award in the Suwannee High School Atrium on August 15, 2018.

The “Legion of Valor” is a federally chartered corporation created to promote patriotic allegiance to the United States, fidelity to the U.S. Constitution, and popular support for civil liberties and the permanence of free institutions.

According to Master Sergeant Doug Aukerman, this award is given to only one in 36,000 cadets from 4,000 brigades. The annual award is for achievement of scholastic excellence in military and academic subjects. Aukerman says, “This is a rare and outstanding honor.”

Dixon was one of 22 cadets throughout NJROTC programs in the United States, Japan, and Italy to receive the award. Lieutenant Debra Kleinsmith says, “This is one of the highest awards a cadet can earn in the program and, when you consider that there is 89,000 plus cadets in the program, this is a major accomplishment for any cadet.” Kleinsmith went on to say, “This award has never been awarded to a Suwannee High cadet in the 46 years of our existence so we are excited about it and so very proud of Christian Dixon.”

Dixon, who was overwhelmed with emotion while receiving the award, says, “I was honestly star struck. ROTC is something that has been really important to me and I have always wanted to succeed and do the best I can. Getting something that is the best you can get is mind blowing. I was in a trance.”