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University of North Georgia (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û) Cadet Benjamin Smith earned Distinguished Honor Graduate recognition in his class this summer at Air Assault School at the Warrior Training Center at Fort Moore, Georgia. He was the best student out of the class of roughly 230, which included mostly cadets and some active-duty personnel.  

"The hallmark of Air Assault is attention to detail," Smith said. "My two years at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û through regular Corps of Cadets leadership and the Mountain Order of Colombo prepared me for success in dealing with the unfamiliar." 

Col. Bryan Kirk, Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û professor of military science, said Smith's performance at Air Assault School was the culmination of a long process.  

"I am very proud of the standard of excellence that he demonstrated," Kirk said. "This achievement did not come because he tried hard or because he wanted it. He earned this because he worked hard to prepare and then exceeded the standard when tested." 

Air Assault School included 10 days of instruction. Smith, a junior from Decatur, Tennessee, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, said he was just getting started when the 12 hours of daily instruction were over. He and his fellow Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û cadets would study more and take advantage of the additional training offered by instructors. 

The award came through a combination of success on a pair of written tests and a 4-for-4 mark in the hands-on activity of examining different slingloads for deficiencies.