The University of Wisconsin Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps was honored with the Right of Line award for best small detachment, officially marking it as one of the best in the nation.

The Right of Line award distinguishes outstanding performances based on university and community involvement, military preparedness and an ability to meet Air Force ROTC goals, according to a statement from UW.

It was announced this past month at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama and awarded to Detachment 925, which encompasses ROTC programs at UW, UW-Whitewater, Edgewood College and Maranatha Baptist Bible College, according to the statement.

Additionally, the award looks at inspection scores each detachment receives, according to Major Barry Crook.

Inspections are given every two to three years with a 60-day notice. Detachment 925 only had a 30-day notice, he said, but “still did really well.”

UW Senior Cadet and Wing Commander Andrew Schnell said the award reflects not just on the detachment, but UW as well.

“I think that it sheds a great light on the university,” Schnell said. “It’s an honor for both cadets and the university. It shows we’re doing all the right things to get that award won.”

Schnell added the UW Air Force ROTC program differs from others in the area through its ninth placement for physical training nationally, fifth rank for high GPAs and also through the variety of activities cadets participate in.

These activities include collaborations with the Air National Guard to take cadets up in KC-135 planes allowing them to experience the air refueling of F-16 fighter jets, according to Crook.

Cadets also participate in homecoming activities and sporting events, in addition to organizing a 5K run and other fundraisers benefiting veterans, Crook said.

Capt. Jesse Somann emphasized how these opportunities only add to the experience of cadets.

“We are probably more active in some ways than other detachments,” Somann said. “We’re giving [cadets] opportunities other programs may not offer … [while putting] extra emphasis on the training and physical fitness.”

Individual efforts also contributed to the detachment’s achievement, and the award of Distinguished Graduate was given to three of the Wisconsin cadets sent to Maxwell Air Force Base for required field training.

UW-Whitewater junior and Detachment 925 cadet Gavin Pease was one of these three.

Pease said in an email to The Badger Herald the number of cadets returning with the Distinguished Graduate awards “speaks volumes” for the level of training cadets receive from UW.

“Our cadre and senior cadets work very hard around the clock to create a training environment that is unlike any other nationwide,” Pease said. “Our detachment is a big family, and we do the best we can to take care of one another. If we happen to win the Right of Line award along the way, then it means we’re doing something right.”