The Benton High School ROTC Cadets celebrated at their annual Military Ball recently.  In addition to having a great time at dinner and socializing, many of the cadets received special awards and recognition at the event.

Winners of the Awards distributed at the Military Ball were:
Chief Master Sergeant Jimmie L. Blackmon, Jr. Award, Clinton Camp; Lt. Colonel James L. Straughn Memorial Award, Britnie Mahoney; Distinguished Air Force Junior ROTC Cadet Award, Kassidee Canfield; Louisiana Army National Guard Volunteer Award, Olga Georgia; Knights of Columbus Junior ROTC Award, Cody Craft and Taisha Allen; Tuskegee Airman Air Force Junior ROTC Award, Matt Taylor and Kashondria Brown; Air Force Sergeants Association Award, Chris Goetz and Lenise Stephens; Military Order of the Purple Heart Award, Nick Sewell; Scotish Rite Southern Jurisdiction Award, LaKrystal Bell; Sons of the American Revolution Award, Wesley Adams; National Sojourners Award, John Porter; Veterans of Foreign Wars Awards—VFW Post 5951, Russell Bull and Dominique Jennings and VFW Post 5099, Evan Searing and Delebra Johnson; Military Officers Association of America Award, Christie Jones; Military Order of World Wars Award, Amber Hays; Reserve Officers Association Award, Brian Dean and Brittany Wright-Bryant; American Veterans Award, Clinton Camp; Daughters of the American Revolution Patriotism Award, Daniel Barks; Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award, Olga Georgia; American Legion Military Excellence Award, Cornelius Blackmon and Marissa Townsend; American Legion Scholastic Achievement Award, Heather Ashton, Tasha Yates and Josh Thornton; American Legion Oratorical Award, Alexander Parmater; Daedalian Award, Alexander Parmater; Air Force Association Award, Kassidee Canfield.

In addition, as part of a program in ROTC called “Promotions for Exceptional Performers (PEP)” which recognizes outstanding cadets by rewarding them with early promotions, Kassidee Canfield was promoted to the rank of Cadet Captain.

Benton High’s ROTC program is led by Lt. Col. John Collier, MSgt. Tim Martin, and MSgt. David Milner.