Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

At Missouri Military Academy

Battalion Commander Andrew Deon, a senior from Prescott, was named Missouri Military Academy's (MMA) 16th General Douglas MacArthur cadet of the year on January 26 the late General of the Army's birthday. MMA is a military school in Mexico, Mo.

The annual award for upperclassmen is sponsored by the MacAruthur Foundation, which is presided over by 1944 MMA graduate Robert M. White II, former editor and publisher of The Mexico Ledger and a former member of MacArthur's staff.

The MacArthur award is presented for the "best performance up to January by an upper class cadet in academics, athletics and leadership."

In accepting the award, Deon thanked the selection committee and urged his fellow cadets to continue to strive toward worthwhile goals not only at MMA, but in life. He said he was honored to be likened to MacArthur, seen by admirers and detractors alike as one of the greatest generals in U.S. history.

"For me, this award is an honor simply because general MacArthur was such a great general and he is greatly appreciated," Deon said. "The medal symbolizes a lot of accomplishments and a lot of work for the three years I have been here, and it's something nice to build on for the future."

Deon, a four-year cadet at MMA, is a member of the cadet council and the cadet choir and is a captian on the MMA varsity football and basketball team.

He is the son of Harding and Hyacint Deon of Prescott. MMA is rated an "exemplary high school" by the U.S. Department of Education.