News

Riverhead NJROTC cadet to receive top honor Friday

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | Cadet Anthony Mammina is expected to receive the Meritorious Achievement Award, at Friday’s NJROTC awards event.

Riverhead High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, known as NJROTC, will conduct its annual inspection and hold an awards ceremony this Friday morning.

And Cadet Anthony Mammina is expected to receive the Meritorious Achievement Award, which school officials described as the “highest award a cadet can receive.”

Anthony was chosen for the award after an incident in which he administered first aid to a cross country competitor who had collapsed during a race at Sunken Meadow State Park on Sept. 29.

The runner had suffered an asthma attack and became unconscious.

“Although other competitors continued to run [passed] the fallen runner, Anthony’s first instinct was to stop and help,” Cmdr. J.W. Hankins said in a statement. “After the inhaler was administered and the runner regained consciousness, Anthony and another runner who had stopped to help carried the young man for approximately half a mile to a first aid station.”

In addition to honoring Anthony, the ROTC will conduct its annual inspection, Pass-In-Review and present other cadets with awards.

Friday’s event is open to the public and starts at 9 a.m. in the high school gymnasium.

[email protected]