Jay Schools honors soldier (02/21/08)

Sgt. Major Jeffery A. McLochlin was honored Wednesday with the first Star of Character Award to be presented by the Jay School Corporation as part of its Character Counts program.

"Personal courage is what Jeff McLochlin absolutely epitomized," Major Gen. R. Martin Umbarger said to Jay County fourth, eighth, 11th, and 12th graders during an assembly at the JCHS gymnasium.

McLochlin, who was killed in action on July 5, 2006, while conducting a combat patrol, had been assigned to the Portland Armory of the Indiana Army National Guard since 1995.

A veteran of action in Panama and Desert Shield/Storm, he served with the local unit of the National Guard in Bosnia Herzegovina alongside JCHS principal Jeremy Gulley.

Superintendent Tim Long said McLochlin was chosen for the first Star of Character Award because of the service and citizenship demonstrated in his life.

Citizenship is one of the "Six Pillars" of the Character Counts program along with trustworthiness, fairness, caring, respect, and responsibility.

"Actually he embodied all the pillars of character," Long said of McLochlin.

Rich and Cindy McLochlin, Sgt. Major McLochlin's parents, his widow Nicole, and their three children had traveled from their homes in Rochester and were on hand for Wednesday's emotional ceremony.

A crystal award was presented to the McLochlin family, and a duplicate will go on display in the Portland Armory, which is being decommissioned and is being given to the school corporation to be used as a new administrative office building.

Future Stars of Character will be added to the display. In addition, a banner honoring McLochlin was unfurled and will eventually be on display at the armory.

Numerous dignitaries were on hand for Wednesday's event, and all were rich in praise for the McLochlin family and the character education program.

"It's a privilege to be able to stand with Nicole McLochlin" and the family, said Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) "And to say thank you for the extraordinary commitment of your son and your husband and your father."

Pence challenged the students on hand "to grow into the kind of leader he became."

"Let each of us aspire to his example," said Pence.

"This is really what America is all about," said Major Gen. Umbarger. "You should be proud of this day."

State Rep. Bill Davis (R-33) thanked Umbarger for his efforts in making sure the armories being decommissioned are put to good civic and community use. He also recalled being with the general at a rally for Indiana National Guard troops who will soon be deployed in Iraq.

"If you want to talk about true character," said Davis. "To see those men and women with their families, knowing they were going voluntarily to keep us safe."

Mayor Bruce Hosier echoed those remarks. "You need to take a short moment out of every day to be mindful of that," he told the students.

A number of area members of the National Guard were on hand for the event.

School board vice president Greg Wellman said Character Counts was launched locally because "the board of education believes having good character is a central component to leading a productive life."

"Character education is sweeping across our school system," said East Elementary School principal Andy Schemenaur. "It's not enough to be able to pass tests."

Schemenaur quoted Martin Luther King Jr., saying "Anyone can become great because anyone can serve."

Umbarger flew in by Blackhawk helicopter, which landed at the high school's driving range, and toured the Portland Armory with school officials after the program.

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