Army ROTC cadet Frimel selected to Top 10 Order of Merit List

Ohio University senior Nate Frimel has been selected to the Army ROTC Top 10 Order of Merit List. Major General Antonio Munera, commander of United States Army Cadet Command which oversees Army ROTC, recognized Frimel last week as the 10th best Army ROTC cadet in the nation. 

Frimel is a history pre-law and political science double major in the College of Arts and Sciences where he maintains a 4.0 GPA while serving as a tour guide and playing intramural sports.

Each year approximately 6,000 Army ROTC cadets from 275 colleges and universities participate in the order merit list process as part of their preparation to commission into the United States Army. Cadets are evaluated on grades, physical fitness scores, and participation in ROTC training and activities.

Frimel was selected as the top cadet in OHIO’s Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion out of 23 Ohio University cadets who will commission this year. He was also a top ten finalist for the Navy Federal Credit Union ROTC All-American Scholarship Program. 

“We’re very proud of Nate. He is an example of what you can be at Ohio University and represents well the kind of talented cadets that we produce at OHIO,” said Major Troy Lovely, professor of military science for the Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion. “Having Nate selected to the Top 10 Order of Merit List is an honor for the Bobcat Battalion.”

Frimel said he is honored to be selected as a Top 10 cadet and wanted to thank everyone in OHIO’s Bobcat Battalion for helping him earn this achievement.

“From the start, I embraced Army ROTC’s competitive nature, and I set out to perform at the highest level,” Frimel said. “I structured my daily life to hit short-term goals that would eventually lead to overall success in the long run. I believe anyone can excel in Army ROTC with discipline, hard work, and a willingness to learn. I’m excited to use the skills I developed in Army ROTC in my future military and civilian careers.”

Lovely said Frimel has also earned the distinction of Distinguished Military Graduate and will serve as cadet battalion commander for Spring Semester before graduating and commissioning as an aviation officer in the Ohio National Guard. 

“Nate is a top-notch student and leader,” said Lovely. “His dedication to his studies, to his fellow cadets, and to his battalion, along with his constant leadership, has earned him a spot on this prestigious top ten list.” 

Frimel is the second OHIO Army ROTC cadet to be selected to the Top 10 Order of Merit List in the last two years and the fourth in the last nine years. In 2020, Cadet Abby Ludwig was also recognized as the 10th best Army ROTC cadet in the nation.  

The Army ROTC Bobcat Battalion was established at OHIO in 1936 and prepares students to be active duty officers in the United States Army. At Ohio University, ROTC programs are housed in University College. For more information about Army ROTC at Ohio University, visit the Ohio University Army ROTC website.