Over 200 North Texas area high school graduates who now attend US Service Academies celebrated at a Holiday Ball held in their honor while home for the holidays.  The 15^th Annual Military Service Academies Ball was held Dec. 23 at the Dallas Hyatt Regency and special recognition was given to those who will graduate in 2009.   The cadets and midshipmen from North Texas are currently attending one of our nation’s five military service academies:

• U.S. Military Academy – West Point, NY
• U.S. Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY
• U.S. Coast Guard Academy – New London, CT
• U.S. Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, CO

Many of Our Nation’s finest military leaders have been trained at the U.S. military service academies, including former presidents, generals, and other leaders of government and industry. The event was a formal affair with cadets and midshipmen in full dress uniform. Graduating seniors were recognized and acknowledged during the dinner, with formal toasts from each of the academies following the Grand March.  An honor reading was given in remembrance of War POW and MIA.  The static memorial included a single small candle lit table with empty seating for one.   

US Air Force Lt. Gen (Ret.)Thad Wolfe was the guest speaker.  Entertainment for the evening included singer, Paul Salos, games, casino and dancing to music provided by Peter Silander (The Motivator DJ). 

 

 

The ball was sponsored by a joint committee of representatives from North Texas Chapters of the parent’s clubs for all five of the military service academies (West Point, U.S. Naval, Merchant Marine, Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force).  This collaborative committee is called the North Texas Coalition of Uniformed Service Academies. 

 

Other guests included family and friends of the cadets as well as area congressional representatives, who nominated the majority of the cadets and midshipmen for their appointments to the U.S. Service Academies.  Pictured in the attached photos are:

 

 

U.S. Military Academy class of 2009 Cadets recognized at the Dec. 23 Holiday Ball include: 

(Left to right) Jonathon Dietz (Prosper); Diana Duke (Nacogdoches); Trey Leddy (Grand Prairie); Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thad Wolfe USAF; Micah Lockhart  (Dallas); Ronald Ludwick (Meridien); Christopher Villarreal (Allen).

 

 

 

 

U.S. Naval Academy class of 2009 Midshipmen recognized at the Dec. 23 Holiday Ball include:

(Left to right seated) Erica Young (Dallas); Andrew Treat (Dallas); Thomas Tellson, Jr. (Bedford); Jacob Schlachter (Lancaster); Joseph Proffitt (Rockwall); John Oldenkamp (Coppell); Kellen Odom (North Richland Hills); Brandon McNally (Glen Rose).  (Left to right standing) Joshua McMinn (Crockett); Kevin McAdams (Coppell); Andrew Knudson (Flower Mound); Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thad Wolfe USAF; Chester Hewitt III (University Park); Maile Cornish (Crowley); Haylee Coffey (Dallas); Nash Bagby (Waco).

 

 

 

 

U.S. Coast Guard Academy class of 2009 Cadets recognized at the Dec. 23 Holiday Ball include:

James Daffer (Sterling, VA); Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thad Wolfe USAF; John Fitzgerald (Colleyville).

 

 

 

 

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy class of 2009 Midshipmen recognized at the Dec. 23 Holiday Ball include:

(Left to right) Hunter Blue (Carrollton); Cooper Duffy (Woodway); Donald Finnie, Jr. (Wylie); Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thad Wolfe USAF; Alexander Knowles (Palestine); Peter Moser (Grand Prairie); Gerald Schroeder (Highland Village); Evan Troop (Frisco).

 

 

 

 

U.S. Air Force Academy class of 2009 Cadets recognized at the Dec. 23 Holday Ball include:

(Left to Right seated) Nathan Smith (Mesquite); John Schrader (Murphy); Randy Rogers (Ft. Worth); Julie Luce (Denton); Michael Koepke (Richardson); Bruce Hrabak, Jr. (Grapevine); Benjamin Gardner (Mansfield); (Left to right standing) John Lee (Bedford); David Day (Coppell); Thomas Coker (Colleyville); Kyle Bruton (Hurst); Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Thad Wolfe USAF; Steven Beaulieu (Bedford); Jordan Barber (Carrollton); Ainsley Allen (Grand Saline); Scott Adamson (Durant, OK).