ROTC cadet Frimel among finalists for All-American Scholarship

Ohio University Army ROTC cadet Nate Frimel is one of 15 finalists in the Navy Federal Credit Union ROTC All-American Scholarship Program, a national competition among all ROTC cadets across all branches of the military.

Navy Federal Credit Union launched the ROTC All-American Scholarship Program in 2018 to honor the best and brightest ROTC seniors across the nation. The Scholarship Program highlights students who best embody the pillars of the program: Leadership, Military Excellence, Scholarship and Service.

Frimel embodies these qualities in numerous ways. He maintains a 4.0 cumulative GPA as a History Pre-Law and Political Science double major in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is in the top of his ROTC class, ranked in the top three of his platoon of 40 this summer in Germany, and will likely be in the top 10 out of 6,000 cadets in ROTC programs across the country.

“He’s a great ambassador for our Bobcat Battalion, as well as Ohio University and Army ROTC,” said Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion commander Maj. Troy Lovely. “The leadership he has developed and demonstrated over his four years here will pay off in dividends in the responsibilities he will assume once he commissions at the end of this year.”

Frimel said his experience in the Army ROTC program has been rewarding.

“I’m trying to be as successful as possible,” he said. “The better you do with GPA, physical fitness, military knowledge, and tactical ability, the more likely you are to get what job you want in the Army. I want to be a pilot, which is competitive.”

Last spring, Frimel was selected to complete Cadet Troop Leader Training. Following his required training at Fort Knox, Frimel traveled to Nuremberg, Germany for training with the Charlie Company in the 1-214 General Support Aviation Battalion.

“I have always wanted to serve as a pilot in the US Army and Ohio University’s Army ROTC program afforded me the opportunity to shadow an active-duty aviation unit,” Frimel said.

According to Lovely, Frimel is a role model for other cadets and students at OHIO.

“We have aspirations that all of our cadets will be at his caliber; he’s special in that way,” Lovely said. “There is no doubt that he’s ready to carry out the responsibilities that we ask of him in safeguarding our freedom and leading the young men and women that have volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army.”

Frimel will receive a $1,500 scholarship for being selected as a finalist, and Navy Federal Credit Union will donate $1,000 to OHIO’s ROTC program. The final interview will be in October, and If he is selected as the Army ROTC Student of the Year, Frimel will earn an additional $4,500 scholarship.