Naval Sea Cadet Polaris Battalion and Training Ship Trident hosted a Military Ball on January 14, 2023. During the banquet, two cadets were recognized with the Navy League of the United States (NLUS) Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal by the Minnesota Council of the United States Navy League. The ceremony was led by Polaris Commanding Officer Lt. Brent van Hees and Lt. William Pearson.
Sea Cadet Chief Petty Officer Remijia Challander and League Cadet Petty Officer Jonathan Steiskal were presented with these distinguished awards by Minnesota Council President, Cmdr. (Ret.) Joe Fraser and Minnesota Council Vice President, Youth Programs, Capt. (Ret.) Keith Larson.
The Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal recognizes cadets who best exemplify the 26th President’s values of energy, spirit, competition and fair play. As President Roosevelt stated: “the principles for which we stand are the principles of fair play and a square deal for every man and every woman in the United States”. Roosevelt served as President from 1901-1909 and embodied these values when he created the Square Deal, which focused on the conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection.
Cadet Chief Petty Officer Challander and League Cadet Petty Officer Steiskal took Roosevelt’s values and, just as the president did, put them into action through their outstanding performance, strong moral character, personal responsibility, and accomplishments. The award consisted of a medal, certificate, and ribbon bar.
President Roosevelt held the U.S. Navy in very high regard and understood the power behind having great naval force. First published in 1882, Roosevelt’s book The Naval War of 1812, detailed the naval battles and technologies used during the War of 1812 between the U.S. and Great Britain. The analysis changed the course of the military by renewing interest in obsolete forces and to this day, it is still considered the definitive book on naval history. As the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1897, he prepared the Navy for the Spanish-American War (1898), which resulted in the end of the Spanish colonial rule in the Americas as well as the U.S.’s acquisition of strategically located territories in the Pacific and Latin America. During President Roosevelt’s time in the Oval Office, he used the branch to showcase the strength of America’s defense on the international stage. Not only did he double the size of the Navy, which took it from the fifth largest to the third largest in the world, but also sent a fleet of 16 battleships around the globe to send a strategic message of America’s strength to friends and foes alike.
It is of no coincidence such a prestigious award is named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt and part of the USNSCC, which would not exist if it were not for the president’s suggestion and encouragement. The NLUS, dedicated to the advocacy and support of our Navy, marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines, was founded in 1902. President Roosevelt was so passionate about the organization’s mission, he donated $500 his Nobel Peace Prize money, which he earned from negotiating the end to the Russo-Japanese War, to the League’s start up. The organization has 40,000 members around the world.
