Grantham University has selected Master Sergeant Reginald Hurt as its 2012 Outstanding Graduate. MSG Hurt completed his Bachelor of Science - Multidisciplinary Studies degree in December 2010 and his Master of Business Administration - Project Management degree in April 2012, graduating Summa Cum Laude in both degrees.

2012 Outstanding Graduate, MSG Reginald Hurt

I wanted to not just attend college, but to retain and use my lessons throughout my career and future endeavors.

Kansas City, Mo. (PRWEB) April 18, 2012

Grantham University, a 61 year old institution delivering accredited online degrees to working adult students around the world, has selected Master Sergeant Reginald Hurt as its 2012 Outstanding Graduate. MSG Hurt completed his Bachelor of Science - Multidisciplinary Studies degree in December 2010 and his Master of Business Administration- Project Management degree in April 2012, graduating Summa Cum Laude in both degrees.

On April 17, 2012, Dr. Jeffrey Cropsey, vice president for strategic initiatives at Grantham University, presented MSG Hurt with the Outstanding Graduate Award at the Distance Education and Training Council's (DETC) 86th Annual Conference.

"I was honored to present this award to such an outstanding candidate," said Dr. Cropsey. "Reggie truly embodies what it means to be a successful working adult student. He started his courses at Grantham with a goal in mind - to obtain his undergraduate degree and graduate with honors - and went on to achieve that and so much more."

Since the inception of the DETC Outstanding Graduate Program twenty-nine years ago, Grantham University has awarded this honor to one of its graduates each year. Criteria for this award include a GPA of 3.5 or higher, evidence that the graduate has made significant contributions to society and his/her chosen profession, as well as an essay submission demonstrating the graduate's application of knowledge and skills acquired in the online classroom to his/her career and community.

"I realized the importance of a valid and useful degree," commented MSG Hurt. "I wanted to not just attend college, but to retain and use my lessons throughout my career and future endeavors."

MSG Hurt has served proudly in the Army for the past 28 years. While on tour in Afghanistan, he provided input for sewage, roads and infrastructure improvements for new facilities for Afghanistan soldiers and police forces. MSG Hurt also served as the lead engineer for the force protection analysis, planning and upgrades of Kabul's voting sites during Afghanistan's first ever election.

In August 2011, while pursuing his master's, MSG Hurt was selected for Sergeant Major. He currently serves as a senior enlisted advisor in the Army Sustainment Command. MSG Hurt holds the Bronze De Fleury Medal, which is presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a Bronze Star amongst his military awards.

For more information about Grantham University and its online degree programs, visit: http://www.grantham.edu or call 800-955-2527.

About Grantham University:
Established in 1951, Grantham University is a private institution that specializes in online education for the working adult student. Its mission is to provide accessible, affordable, professionally relevant online degrees in a continuously changing global society. Grantham University's online undergraduate and graduate degree programs include : Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Engineering Technology, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Medical Coding and Billing, Nursing, Human Resource Management and Business Intelligence. Grantham University offers military scholarships for active duty, reserve, guard, veterans and military family members, as well as scholarships for law enforcement professionals. Grantham's courses are 100% online, allowing students to study at home, at work, on Temporary Duty (TDY) or from almost anywhere in the world. Accredited since 1961 by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, Grantham University has compiled a distinguished record as a respected and accredited distance learning university spanning six decades of service to education.

They met upon a concrete battlefield in the heart of our nation's capital.  There was no roar of cannon fire, no explosions, no ground to be captured or defended.  All that was heard was the steady cadence of rifle buts striking the ground, heels snapping together and gloved hands smacking in unison the wooden hand guards of rifles.  Each branch of the armed forces was represented; each came to test honor, courage, skill, and precision - not to eliminate an enemy or save a life - but to demonstrate the discipline, skill and mettle necessary to be part of an elite community within an elite community.

Brass, chrome and leather gleamed brightly in the noon sun.  Every uniform was crisp and pristine, reflecting the pride and attention to detail possessed only by those who know what it means to render honors, carry on the finest traditions of military customs and courtesies, provide solace to grieving families, and celebrate our nation's triumphs.

On this crystal clear April afternoon, tourists, veterans and local residents gathered at the steps of the Jefferson Memorial to cheer for their favorite service and to witness the grace that is military drill.

The Joint Service Drill Exhibition, held this year in conjunction with the Centennial of the Cherry Blossom Festival, showcased the talents of the silent drill teams of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine Academy and the Coast Guard.  Each team had 15 minutes in which to demonstrate their skill, strength and control in hopes of earning a competition trophy.  Consistent with military engagements, there was no award for second best.

The Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard's Silent Drill Team is composed of 16 members who are selected from the Ceremonial Honor Guard, based in Alexandria, Va.  At a current strength of 75, the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard - much like the service as a whole - is significantly smaller in size compared to its DOD counterparts.

According to Lt. Jason Himsey, Ceremonial Honor Guard officer in charge, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps teams have a strength of about 200 members each.  It gives them the advantage of having a broader base of candidates from which to choose when selecting silent drill team members.

Himsey also noted that the smaller size of the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard means that the silent drill team has fewer opportunities to train and practice together as a unit because, unlike the DOD teams, the Coast Guard's silent drill team is a collateral duty, meaning team members must also handle other missions assigned to the Honor Guard.

The ability to train together is critical to success and to building confidence and trust.

"There's a certain element of danger involved with what we do," said Himsey.  "There's a 13 and a half pound weapon with a fixed bayonet moving at high speed so that presents a cutting hazard.  The air-toss movements present the risk of stabbing."

Those risks became pointedly clear as the silent drill team's drill master, Petty Officer 1^stClass Andrew Hammersmith marched between two columns of drill team members as they spun and passed weapons inches in front and behind him.  Later in the drill, Hammersmith stood motionless and unflinchingly as four bayonets stopped inches from his face.

There was an air of confidence and maturity about the silent drill team members that belies their young appearance.  Himsey said the average age of an Honor Guard member is now about 24, which he noted is a change from when he first served on the team as a seaman, noting that some are married and others have degrees.

But it stands to reason that a unit whose mission is to represent the Coast Guard would mirror the service as a whole.  Just as boat crews and aircrews train to achieve proficiency, so too do members of the Honor Guard.  In addition to embodying the core values of the Coast Guard, members of the Honor Guard must embrace the unit's core values of Pride, Poise and Perfection.  "They practice for hours and hours," said Himsey, "and then there is lots of solo practice, where members work on maneuvering the weapon, maneuvering it around themselves, working on hand placement and points of release, which are critical for executing the maneuvers safely."

For all their training, practice and effort, the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard's Silent Drill Team put on a great show for an appreciative crowd, but it was the Air Force's team that earned the competition trophy this year.  But there is no time to for the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard to dwell on this moment, for them it's on to the next detail - this time in New Orleans - for an event that is part of the nation's Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

Pentagon will implement several elements of Holley Lynn James Act

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) joined Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey today to announce new Department of Defense directives that will implement several provisions of Braley's Holley Lynn James Act - almost a year to the day after the bill's introduction.k,

The announcement came after Panetta and Dempsey joined Braley and a small group of House members to discuss addressing sexual assault in the military.

Braley introduced the Holley Lynn James Act last April to strengthen the legal process for addressing claims of sexual assault in the military and improve policies to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence.  The bipartisan bill is named after Holley Lynn James, a constituent of Braley's who was killed by her husband while both were in the service.  James had filed complaints against her husband, who was supposed to be restricted to his barracks the night he murdered her.

"The Pentagon's new directives incorporating aspects of the Holley Lynn James Act to improve the military's response to sexual assault in their ranks is a positive development," Braley said.  "Today's announcement is an important step in creating the zero-tolerance atmosphere that commanders and leaders frequently talk about with regards to these crimes.  I will keep pressing the Department of Defense to put their words into action when they say one sexual assault is one too many and to better care for the victims of these crimes."

The directives announced by the Pentagon today in many instances were based on language contained in Braley's Holley Lynn James Act.

First, the Pentagon will now require sexual assault allegations be immediately reported to senior commanders, who will then consider if the case should proceed to a court martial.  This provision ensures that sexual assault cases are considered by officers with maturity and experience and that these cases are not dismissed as a result of personal bias.

Second, the Pentagon also recognized the need for better prevention and oversight of the Department sexual assault policy.  The Pentagon will take steps to improve the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases by setting up Special Victims Units in each service branch that are trained to investigate sexual assault crimes, appropriately counsel victims and interview offenders, and give them the ability to better recognize the characteristics and behaviors of offenders. The Department of Defense will also require all servicemen and women to receive training on the Department's Sexual Assault Prevention policy within 14 days of entering service.

The Pentagon also agreed to support Guard and Reserve members who may be sexually assaulted while on active duty but who have seen the investigation and prosecution of their assault go cold when they return to their civilian lives.  The new directives will create a way to ensure these individuals have full access to the same resources available to active duty members to seek justice.

A number of provisions of the Holley Lynn James Act focusing on the prevention of sexual assault were previously enacted into law as part of the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

JOLIET, IL (04/11/2012)(readMedia)-- A collection of eight clergy and community-based church leaders from the Chicago area gathered at the Joliet National Guard Armory April 10 to kick off a five-event Partners In Care campaign.

"The purpose is to bring clergy as well as community-based church leaders together to offer training in terms of how they can better support military members in their congregation as well as their community," said Chaplain (Capt.) Vincent C. Lambert of Chicago, with 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery in Chicago. "So the idea is that we want to provide them with tools, resources and training that better equips them to serve the military population."

This training is in light of the vast amount of people in Illinois who are connected to the military. There are more than 750,000 people living in Illinois who have either served or are serving in the Armed Forces.

"Military personnel are a significant chunk of the population, here in Illinois and if we can get as many partners as possible to help support the population I think the state is better for it, those families are better for it and ultimately the people who provide that support are better for it," said Lambert.

Martin R. Stidham of Chicago and pastor at the Chicago International Church initially expressed interest in the Partners In Care training to understand and help his son who is in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Illinois. He walked away with a larger vision of how beneficial this training could be.

"I would say we are more equipped now," said Stidham. "I, at least, feel more compassionate toward them, more understanding of what they've gone through. I feel that I have a much greater understanding than before. Understanding is a good tool to help listen better."

Those in attendance received instruction to help servicemembers with traumatic physical and mental injuries to deal with post traumatic stress disorder. Instructors then addressed secondary traumatic stress disorders and the pain family members can go through, with the goal to effectively support servicemembers facing the reality that there is a "new normal."

"What we want is to make sure that we're offering resources that helps individuals be emotionally healthy, spiritually healthy, and to have a good family," said Lambert. "So the idea is to offer up resources that are spiritual, emotional and mental so that people will be whole and healed."

The Partners in Care program looks to take advantage of a unique connection between institutions of faith and the military.

"I think the military benefits greatly from the stability and support that is provided by religious communities and by people of faith," said Tony J. Sorgi of Chicago, a doctoral student at the Adler School of Professional Psychology in the military psychology track. "I think it can provide a measure of mental resilience from a psychological perspective and I think that's very important. On the flip side I think the military communities make enormous contributions to the religious communities they are a part of in civil society. The experience of war is profound and for the people who work their way through that experience, they bring a strength to democracy and civil society that we badly need."

The Partners In Care campaign will continue with a stop at the Chicago Armory April 12, the Mount Vernon Armory April 17, the Elgin Armory April 18, and the Illinois Military Academy at Camp Lincoln in Springfield April 25. All instruction beginning at 9 a.m.

"The more partners we have, the more points of support we have throughout the state," said Lambert. "The more points of support we have the better we are at being able to support our military personnel and their families. We are always looking for more partners and houses of faith that would be committed and want to become a part of the program."

Date Location

April 12 Chicago Armory; 5200 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago

April 17 Mount Vernon Armory; 205 7th St., Mount Vernon

April 18 Elgin Armory; 254 Raymond St., Elgin

April 25 Camp Lincoln Illinois Military Academy, 1301 N. MacArthur Blvd., Springfield