2015 Distinguished Service Medal: JROTC Cadet Miranda Cardona

A senior at Chicago's Prosser Career Academy, where she serves as Battalion Executive Officer in the JROTC, Cadet Cardona was honored at the 2015 Liberty Gala.

Deeply committed to her Battalion, Cadet Cardona participates in the Drill Team and Drum & Bugle Corps.  Her role as a leader extends beyond JROTC as she serves at captain of the cheerleading team and captain of the softball team at Prosser Career Academy.  Her future plans include pursuing a degree in nursing and serving as an Army nurse.  

The Pritzker Military Museum & Library is proud to contribute the education enrichment and career development of Chicago Public School’s JROTC students; providing unique opportunities for student to learn about and engage with the military on a broader scale beyond JROTC.  In 2015, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library hosted its first military history academic competition in which seven teams researched and presented on pivotal moments in U.S. military history. Through the support of the Tawani Foundation,  JROTC cadets were provided the opportunity to visit U.S. service academies and battlefields, as well as travel the beaches of Normandy to learn about the D-Day Invasion in WWII. The Museum & Library has donated thousands of books on military history and affairs to Chicago JROTC schools.

Past Recipients 
Cadet Gregory Holmes, Chicago Military Academy – Bronzeville, 2014
Cadet Brandon Wilson, Chicago Public Schools JROTC City Corps, 2013