Three Findlay Students Receive Air Force Scholarship, Commissioned into Air Force as Second Lieutenants

The University of Findlay hosted an Air Force Commissioning Ceremony on Dec. 22, 2011, in Ritz Auditorium in Old Main, during which three College of Pharmacy students were commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force.

Pharmacy students Brett Christy, fifth-year; Kyle Dresbach, fourth-year; and Ave Orlando, fourth-year, were selected for the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). Upon graduation, the Air Force will promote all three students to the rank of captain.

According to the Air Force website, HPSP provides scholarship for its Biomedical Science Corps specialties. The scholarship pays for all of the students’ tuition, fees, textbooks, small equipment items and supplies required for their studies. Additionally, the scholarship provides a monthly allowance for living expenses.

The HPSP requires the students to serve 45 days of active duty during college in the Air Force and to serve a minimum of three years in the Air Force on active duty after graduation. Only 24 students in the nation are accepted into the competitive program yearly.

“I was very excited to have that many of our students make it,” said Donald Stansloski, R.Ph., Ph.D., dean of the College of Pharmacy. “The quality of the students involved was high.”
Retired Air Force officer and assistant registrar at The University of Findlay, Leroy Morgan, presented the oaths to each of the honored students. Their recruiter, Master Sgt. Jonathan Reed, gave them their first salutes. Christy, Dresbach and Orlando presented Reed with a silver dollar in honor of the Air Force tradition.

The silver dollar salute is a long-standing tradition in the Air Force. A newly commissioned officer must pay for his or her first salute, and then earn salutes from their subordinates thereafter.
“Actually taking part in the traditions was really nice; much better than just reading about it,” said Christy.

By Evan Rowland