New Walla Walla High School JROTC cadet colonel leads regiment

Freshly minted cadet Col. Melinda Locke is leading fellow Walla Walla High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Blue cadets who are in Spokane today for a three-day leadership and adventure training exercise.

Melinda currently commands the Blue Devil Battalion, according to a Wa-Hi JROTC Public Affairs release.

She received her third diamond in a surprise ceremony this week from Lt. Col. Bill Bialozor, Wa-Hi’s JROTC senior Army instructor, during a pre-departure planning review.

“I don’t know who was more proud and excited, my mother or myself,” Melinda said. “My mom, Karen, has always been my biggest supporter and fan and I know much of my success has to be credited to her for all she’s done for me.”

Melinda will command the cadet regiment of 45 Wa-Hi students who were selected for the training because they’ve demonstrated exceptional efforts in the program throughout the academic year.

Fifteen cadets from the Wellpinit (Wash.) High School Army JROTC program are training with them.

Melinda has been a standout cadet since beginning in the program four years ago.

She won Cadet of the Month as a freshman, served as a company first sergeant as a sophomore, was a company commander as a junior and earned the battalion command this year.

She has also received awards from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command for leadership and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for outstanding academics and leadership excellence.

She’s also the first battalion commander to command the Armed Drill Team in more than 10 years. During her command, the Blue Devils celebrated their 100th anniversary as an Army JROTC program and recently won the distinctive gold star of an Honor Unit with Distinction for the first time in more than a dozen years.

Melinda and the combined cadet staff and other participants will train at the Washington National Guard Readiness Center with their peers from Wellpinit.

They’ll camp at the readiness center in sleeping bags and eat Army-style ready-to-eat meals.

The cadet training plan includes rappelling from the Spokane Fire Department’s fire tower, a high-ropes course with Eastern Washington University senior ROTC cadets, participate in a team-building exercise, go swimming, and compete in a laser-tag event and do physical fitness training each morning.

The combined camp and cadet regiment will be conducted with the Walla Walla and Wellpinit JROTC battalions represented in dual formations.