Published May 17, 2017 at 4:58 p.m.

KINGSPORT, Tenn. – The Dobyns-Bennett High School Air Force Junior ROTC has earned the Air Force JROTC Distinguished Unit Award (DUA) with Merit for the 2016-2017 school year, the tenth consecutive year to receive such honor. Of those ten DUA’s, this year marks the third “With Merit” add-on. The DUA is the highest level unit award for the AF JROTC awarded by Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Headquarters, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.

This award places Dobyns-Bennett in the top 8 percent of all 897 AF JROTC units in world.

“These awards recognize the personal growth and accomplishments of the cadets, contributions of the instructors as mentors, and the support of the school and local community,” wrote Colonel Bobby Woods, AF JROTC Director in his congratulatory letter to Colonel Eric Vogt, US Air Force (Retired) and D-B Senior Aerospace Science Instructor. “Certainly, numerous AFJROTC units are doing great things their respective communities, but these units truly represent the best of our 897 AFJROTC and NDCC units worldwide. The cadets, instructors, and schools are to be commended for earning their award.”

Colonel Vogt and Senior Master Sergeant Angelo Pellitteri, US Air Force (Retired) and D-B Aerospace Science Instructor were also awarded the AF JROTC Outstanding Instructor Awards by AF JROTC Headquarters. This places them in the top 7 percent of AF JROTC Instructors worldwide.

All first and second semester D-B Cadets will receive the DUA with Merit Ribbon for their uniforms, the guidon (or unit flag) will have another streamer added to their honors and Dobyns-Bennett will retains its designation as an Honor Military School for the 2017 – 2018 School Year.

“Our staff and student leadership have worked to provide a program of excellence with very high expectations and strong character development,” said Dobyns-Bennett Principal Dr. Chris Hampton. “Earning the unit of distinction each year speaks volumes to the culture that has developed throughout our AFJROTC program. This program serves as a game changer for many of our students.”

For the current school year, D-B Cadets have performed over 2,200 community service hours and collected over 5,900 pounds of food for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Since the D-B AF JROTC program was established in 2006, over 500 D-B students have participated in at least one semester. Of the D-B cadets who were active all four years, approximately nine percent joined the office or enlisted ranks of the Armed Services. Of those cadets, one is currently at the US Air Force Academy and one attended the US Coast Guard Midshipman. 

This year’s D-B AF JROTC graduates include cadets planning to join the US Naval Academy (Meaghan Allen) and the US Merchant Marine Academy (Willow Hunely-Bota). 

Kingsport City Schools (KCS) is a public school district located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre-K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, a high school program of choice and an alternative learning program; with total enrollment over 7,500 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.

KCS has been named the top school district in Tennessee as winner of the 2014 SCORE Prize District Award by the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) and has earned the 2014 Achievement Award in the annual Excellence in Tennessee Recognition Program by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE).

For more information on KCS, visit k12k.com, listen live on WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, read our blog, We Are KCS, or call (423) 378.2100. We’re social too; follow us on Facebook (Kingsport City Schools), Twitter (@KCS_District) and check out our YouTube Channel (KPTSchools).

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