Campus Connection

Four retired officers among the inaugural class.

Four former UW-La Crosse ROTC cadets are in the inaugural class of the Eagle Battalion Hall of Fame. The U.S. Army Cadet Command established the National ROTC Hall of Fame this past summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The UWL ROTC Battalion is establishing its own Hall of Fame to locally recognize the department's distinguished alumni. Inductees will receive a plaque and have a display dedicated to them. Each display will include their military awards, biography and picture that will permanently hang in the Department of Military Science. Honoring those who have been in the program is important, says LTC Jane E. Brannan, chair of the UWL Military Science Department. “Starting a Hall of Fame allows us to honor our alumni and our legacy at the university,” she explains. The Eagle Battalion includes cadets from UW-La Crosse, Viterbo University, Winona State University and St. Mary's University of Minnesota. The induction ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition. The ceremony will be followed by a BBQ at 11 and the UWL football game at 1 p.m., where Hall of Fame inductees will be honored. The first four inductees into the Eagle Battalion Hall of Fame include:

• [caption id="attachment_47264" align="alignright" width="300"] Col. Gerald W. Meyer, U.S. Army Retired.[/caption] Col. Gerald W. Meyer, U.S. Army Retired, a 1973 graduate of UW-La Crosse. He served 32 years in the Army as an armor and adjutant general officer, culminating with participating in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. During his career he commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels. For his service, he was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.
• [caption id="attachment_47266" align="alignright" width="300"] Col. Eric D. Kerska, U.S. Army Retired.[/caption] Col. Eric D. Kerska, U.S. Army Retired, a 1987 graduate of Winona State University. He was commissioned into active duty as an armor officer out of Army ROTC. He served as a tank company executive officer in 3^rd Armored Division during the legendary 100-hours of ground combat during the 1991 Gulf War. He later commanded a headquarters company before returning to the Minnesota Army National Guard in 1994. In the Minnesota National Guard, he commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels. He was deployed twice to the Iraq War with the 1^st Heavy Brigade Combat Team and 34^th Infantry Division, serving as the brigade’s commander during his second deployment. During his 32 years of service, he was given three Legion of Merit awards and two Bronze Stars.
• [caption id="attachment_47262" align="alignright" width="300"] Capt. Timothy E. Hornik, U.S. Army Retired.[/caption] Capt. Timothy E. Hornik, U.S. Army Retired, a 2002 Graduate of Viterbo University. He was commissioned as an air defense artillery officer out of Army ROTC. He was deployed to Iraq with the 1st Cavalry Division, and while on combat patrol on Veteran's Day 2004, he was shot in the head by a sniper, leaving him permanently blind. For his sacrifice, he was awarded the Purple Heart. In recognition of his bravery he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in therapeutic sciences from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
• [caption id="attachment_47261" align="alignright" width="300"] Capt. Jason L. Church, U.S. Army Retired.[/caption] Capt. Jason L. Church, U.S. Army Retired, is a 2011 graduate of UW-La Crosse, where he played fullback three years and was a starting defensive end and team captain his senior year. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an infantry officer. After completing training, including Ranger School, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the 2nd Infantry Division. While leading his infantry platoon on a combat patrol, he was struck by an improvised explosive device and lost both legs. He was awarded the Purple Heart. After earning a master's in U.S. security policy from Georgetown University while recovering from his wounds, he began attending law school at UW-Madison. He currently works on the staff of U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson.