Riverside Introduces New Senior Army Instructor:
LTC Kenny Payne, USA (Ret) First, I would like to say thank you to Colonel Benson and the Riverside Military Academy teachers, cadets, and staff for allowing me to be part of a great team. We have had a very successful school year so far. I’ve experienced my first Admissions Open House, ROC Parade, Homecoming Weekend, and Atlanta Veterans’ Day Parade where the Corps of Cadets brought home its 6th consecutive President’s Trophy for best marching unit. Our Raider Team did an outstanding job this season with six 1st place overall winners at seven competitions and one 3rd place overall win. The RMA Raider team placed 5th overall in the state competition out of 77 teams and then went on to claim 1st place overall in the male division of the National Raider Championship out of 44 schools across the United States!
Out of 44 schools across the United States, the RMA Raider team placed 1st overall in the male division of the National Raider Championship!
Prior to my assignment at RMA, I was the Senior Army Instructor (SAI) at Lumpkin County High School for four years. Earlier, I served as the ARSICNorth and Task Force North Commander, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and I served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Desert Storm. The mission and philosophy of the JROTC program is “To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens.” JROTC does not recruit for any branch of the military but works to instill the values of citizenship, service to the community and the U.S., personal responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment in secondary grade level students. Program participants acquire a strong knowledge base of self-discovery and leadership skills applicable to many managerial and leadership situations. As an active member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign War, the Lions Club, and several other community service agencies in North Georgia, I hope to lead by example and encourage our outstanding young men to give back to their communities. I look forward to working with many more RMA Cadets and their families as we continue to build our successful Academy! Go Eagles!
LTC Kenny Payne Senior Army Instructor, JROTC
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