FORT BENNING, Ga. (May 8, 2013) -- One outstanding officer candidate has been selected from a year's worth of students to receive the 2013 Patterson Award.
At the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame dinner Thursday, 2nd Lt. Kyle Goodroe will be recognized as this year's award winner.
Goodroe was born in Detroit, Mich., and joined the Army in May 2006 and attended one station unit training at Fort Benning to begin his career as an Infantryman.
During his career, Goodroe has served as a Signal Detachment NCO, Junior Special Forces Communications Sergeant, and Senior Special Forces Communications Sergeant. He has participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and the Global War on Terrorism.
Goodroe has been assigned to the U.S. John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, N.C., the Group Support Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Ky., 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, and is currently assigned as a student at the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course here.
Goodroe's military and civilian education includes U.S. Army Airborne School, the Warrior Leader Course, Survival Evasion Resistance Escape School, the Advanced Leader Course, the Special Forces Qualification Course, U.S. Army Ranger School, the Army Combat Life Savers Course, the Equal Opportunity Representative Course and U.S. Army Officer Candidate School. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in criminal justice from Mercyhurst University.
Goodroe earned a place on the Commandant's List when he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course and was named the distinguished military graduate when graduating from OCS.
His other awards and decorations include the Parachute Badge, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantry Badge, Joint Service Commendation Award, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.
While nominations are open to all Infantry officer candidates, the award typically falls to a Soldier who has prior Army service. The distinction reflects the career path of Judge Robert Patterson, for whom the award was named, who served as an enlisted Soldier before receiving his commission and deploying for World War I, where he earned the Distinguished Service Cross.
The Award
The Patterson Award was established in 1952 by friends of Judge Robert Patterson, who set up a trust fund for the presentation on his behalf. The award was presented by Patterson to honor the most distinguished Infantry branched graduate of the preceding year. The award consists of a certificate of achievement, a monetary sum, engraved pistol and a letter of commendation by the commandant of the Infantry School.
The History
Patterson enlisted Oct. 21, 1915, in the New York National Guard. He was assigned to border patrol duty as a private. By December 1916, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. He was promoted to captain Aug. 15, 1917, and left for duty in France early in 1918.
Because of his actions on Aug. 14, 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with this citation: Capt. Patterson, accompanied by two NCOs, made a daring daylight reconnaissance into enemy lines. He surprised an enemy post of superior numbers and personally destroyed the outpost. Later, he again had an encounter with another outpost in which several of the enemy were killed or wounded. The enemy advanced toward them and Capt. Patterson covered the retreat of his patrol, dropped into a depression and feigned being killed in order to escape capture. Here he lay until able to escape to his lines under the cover of darkness.
Patterson served his country in both world wars. He received the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his combat service. Patterson went on to serve on the U.S. District Court and the Court of Appeals and as the undersecretary of war and the secretary of war.
SOURCE: Officer Candidate School
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