ASU Cadet honored as Top Cadet in Southwest Region

Dylan Meador, a cadet in Angelo State University’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 847, was recently honored with the William Randolph Lovelace Memorial Award as the top cadet in the Southwest Region.

The award is sponsored by the Air Force Association (AFA) and will be presented at the annual Arnold Air Society National Conclave in Washington, D.C., April 18-22.  Meador was chosen for the award from 3,500 cadets in the Southwest Region, which contains 11 states and 36 Air Force ROTC detachments.           

“It means a lot to me,” Meador said.  “No. 1 out of the region – I don’t necessarily see myself that way, but it shows the hard work I’ve been putting in has been appreciated.”

Each Air Force ROTC detachment nominates its top cadet for the award.  A selection committee bases its decision on academic achievement, athletics, military performance and other factors, such as membership in the Arnold Air Society national ROTC honor society.

This is the second time in the last three years that an ASU cadet has won the Lovelace Award.  In 2012, the award went to Abraham Morland, who graduated from ASU and received his Air Force commission in May of 2013.

“Being selected for this award is a huge honor, both for Cadet Meador as well as for the detachment as a whole,” said Lt. Col. Pedro Matos, Detachment 847 commander.  “I think that’s a powerful statement about the quality of leaders we produce here at Angelo State University.”

As a recipient of the Lovelace Award, Meador will compete against the winners from the other three regions for the AFA Cadet of the Year Award.  The Lovelace Award also comes with an opportunity to compete for the Olmstead Scholarship Program, which provides an all-expense-paid year of study at a foreign university, once he is on Air Force active duty.  Meador will be notified by the end of the summer if he is the winner.

A graduate of Wall High School, Meador earned his private pilot’s license at age 17 and decided to pursue his love of flying in the Air Force through ASU’s ROTC program.  He is scheduled to graduate in May of 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and has already been selected for Air Force pilot training.

 Meador has also received numerous other honors during his time with ROTC Detachment 847.  He has earned a place on the Dean’s List and the Professor of Aerospace Studies Honor Roll, as well as the AFROTC Academic Honors Award and the Physical Fitness Award, every semester.  At Field Training, he ranked second of 24 cadets, winning Distinguished Graduate and the peer-nominated Warrior Spirit Award.  His military awards include the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Award, the Society of the War of 1812 Award and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Award.

“In addition, Cadet Meador proved his ability to remain calm under duress by saving a 7-year-old from drowning in the Goodfellow Air Force Base pool,” Matos said.

Meador serves the detachment as commander of Charlie Flight and as cadet recruiting officer.  He is also event commander for the annual Drill Meet, scheduled for April 12.  The detachment’s largest event of the year, it includes the participation of 12 high school Junior ROTC detachments, personnel from Goodfellow Air Force Base and local military recruiters.

“Something I don’t forget with this honor is all the people who helped out, all the support, the people who contribute to my life,” Meador said.  “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”