Army honors three JROTC cadets killed in Parkland high school shooting

Source: Washington Examiner | February 20, 2018 | Melissa Quinn

The U.S. Army has awarded medals to the three Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets who were killed during last week’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

The Army presented the JROTC Medal of Heroism to the families of the slain teens, a spokesman for the Army confirmed to the Washington Examiner.

The family of Alaina Petty was presented her medal during a memorial service Monday, and the family of Peter Wang will be presented his medal at a service Tuesday. The Army said Wang’s family requested the 15-year-old be buried in his JROTC uniform, which will include the Medal of Heroism. The family will also receive a second “keepsake” medal.

Wang reportedly held a door open for his fellow students to get out of the school ahead of him. A White House petition launched in the wake of the shooting called for Wang to be buried with full military honors. The petition currently has more than 56,000 signatures.

The family of the third JROTC cadet, Martin Duque, will receive his medal Saturday.

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In addition to receiving the Medal of Heroism, Wang was posthumously offered admission to the U.S. Military Academy. The school said Wang had a “lifetime goal” of attending West Point.

“It was an appropriate way for USMA to honor this brave young man,” the U.S. Military Academy said in a statement. “West Point has given posthumous offers of admissions in very rare instances for those candidates or potential candidate’s whose actions exemplified the tenets of Duty, Honor and Country.”

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