President Bush chooses BYU-I grad as ‘Top Cadet’ for Idaho
- posted: 29 May 2007
- scrollnews@byui.edu
Not many BYU-Idaho graduates can boast that they have been personally commended by the president of the United States himself—but Abe Dummar can.
Fifty-five cadets of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) were commissioned by President George W. Bush to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the United States military on May 17. This is the first time that the president has commissioned cadets from the ROTC.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Defense, one ROTC cadet was chosen from each U.S. state. One cadet was also selected to represent each of the four U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Dummar, a Rexburg native, was the cadet chosen to represent the state of Idaho. “BYU-Idaho, Boise State, Idaho State, Northwest Nazarene and Albertson College are all in the same ROTC unit, and Abe was the top cadet from all those schools,” said Major Harmon Esplin, officer-in-charge of the ROTC at BYU-I.
Dummar, who graduated from BYU-I in April, has been involved in the ROTC for three years.
“My father served in the Vietnam War as a [captain in the] Green Beret Special Forces. I have always looked up to those honorable men and women who serve our country,” Dummar said.
“Abe was an excellent cadet and I am confident that he will make an excellent officer,” Major Esplin said.
The cadets were chosen for commission based on several criteria.
“They were selected [for] their merit—that is, GPA, ROTC performance, and level of physical fitness, as measured by push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run. [Abe] qualifies for this honor because he had top grades, excellent physical fitness, and demonstrated a high degree of leadership potential,” Esplin said.
“Through the process … I was selected, and it was pretty exciting,” said Dummar when he was interviewed by KIDO, a radio station in Boise.
“[Dummar] is a friendly person, yet at the same time a serious person. He understands that leadership is choosing the hard right over the easy wrong; it is leading through example, and it is providing inspiration and encouragement to those he leads,” Major Esplin said. Dummar’s older brother, Dan, agreed. “[Dummar] is a well-rounded, happy, hard-working guy. [He is] easy going, and a kind and loyal friend.”
Dummar and his father are not the only family members interested in the military. Dummar’s wife, Jessica, is also in the United States Army. When asked about his wife, Dummar said, “We actually joined the military together—we joined the Idaho National Guard … a few weeks after we were married. We went to basic training together—quite the honeymoon!” Dummar and his wife now have a two-year-old daughter, Charity.
Dummar will report for training on July 1 at Fort Sill, Okla.
When the cadets were commissioned at the White House ceremony on May 17, President Bush commended them for their desire to serve and advised them on proper behavior in their new positions.
“Bring honor to the uniform. Set high standards for yourself. Do not ask of those under your command anything that you would not ask of yourselves,” Bush said. “If you do all these things, your career will take care of itself, your service will be a source of pride, and you will help build a safer and more hopeful world for your fellow citizens.” 
