MILWAUKEE, WI – Wing Commander, Col Don Haffner, presented the Ira Eaker Award to C/Lt Col Joshua Just and Amelia Earhart Awards to C/Captains Niko Ruud and Benjamin Unger at Milwaukee Composite Squadron #5’s Dining Out on Thursday, June 26th.  The triple awards came as part of the “surprise” dining out ceremony, which was held to “send off” Cadet Just to the Merchant Marine Academy in early July. 

Thinking he was attending the SE Group meeting, Just was startled and surprised to find his parents, grandparents, and girlfriend, as well as squadron, group, and wing personnel gathered at Benny’s Café on Milwaukee’s south side.  The ceremony also included recognition of squadron members who participated in recent disaster relief efforts, a promotion for C/A1C Chinedu Ozodi, and a change of command ceremony, turning command of the Cadet Squadron over to C/Capt Niko Ruud.

As is the tradition for a dining out, Mr. Vice (Vice President of the Mess), a position ably filled by Lt Col Steve Michaels, kept the ceremony rolling with droll comments about individuals and rules of the mess, instructed those present in the proper behavior at a Dining Out, and responded to claims that certain members were out of uniform, or infractions of the rules requiring fines.  C/Lt Col Joshua Just was fined not once but twice for breaking the rules of the mess.  The second time required him to borrow money in order to pay his fine!

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