Maj. Robert Edwards recently won a national teaching award.

URI Army ROTC instructor receives prestigious national teaching award

By: Andy Blais

Posted: 4/3/08

04/03/08 - University of Rhode Island Reserve Officer Training Corps Maj. Robert Edwards recently received the Colonel Leo A. Codd Memorial Award, a national teaching award given to the nation's top ROTC instructors.

The award is the most prestigious ROTC teaching award and is given each year to an instructor in the Army, Navy and Air Force ROTC. Edwards received the award for his involvement with the Army.

Edwards said yesterday that he thinks of the award not as an individual accomplishment, but one that confirms the hard work of the 10 staff members of URI ROTC.

"It's a huge honor to receive the award because there are so many outstanding Army ROTC instructors across the country," Edwards, of the URI ROTC's Cramer Saber Battalion, said.

Edwards will receive his award and a $500 U.S. savings bond at the annual URI ROTC spring award ceremony on May 9.

Before entering active duty in 2003, Edwards had been a high school marketing and business teacher in Fairfax, VA. Education has always been an important aspect to Edwards, as he has received three degrees from Virginia Tech, including a master's of education and an MBA.

As for his experiences at URI, Edwards cannot speak highly enough about it.

"This assignment at the University of Rhode Island has been the best assignment I have ever had in my career … working with students ... has been a real honor. You guys are what makes this job special," he said.

When Edwards entered active duty, he was first assigned to Fort Hood in Texas, where he served as the Third Corps topographic engineering officer. During his service there he was sent to Iraq from December 2003 to December 2004. Edwards said that his experience makes him "able to take my experience in a combat zone to the classroom."

The major is decorated with many different awards, including the Joint Services Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Achievement Medal, two National Defense Service Medals, Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Parachutist Badge.

After completing his time in Iraq, Edwards was assigned to the ROTC in June 2005.

Edwards had the opportunity to choose what ROTC program to go to but he said he thought URI's program was the best.

"It is seriously one of the best in the country," Edwards said. "I was given many choices and I picked the University of Rhode Island,"

Edwards, who also teaches courses at Roger Williams University and Salve Regina University, is the instructor for Military Science 201, Leadership and Military History and Military Science 202, Leadership and Team Building at URI. He also teaches a Military Science 402, Military History course online. He stresses that the classes he teaches are open to both cadets and non-cadets at the university.

Edwards said he is a man who loves to work with students. Besides working with cadets, he prides himself on his work with non-cadets.

"I like being able to help out students because I can tell that they are going to make a contribution right out of college," he said.

Edwards' time at URI will soon come to a close as he will leave Kingston in June to move to Atlanta, where he will serve as an operations officer at the U.S. Army Reserve Command.

As for his time at URI coming to a close, Edwards finds it bittersweet.

"URI, Roger Williams University and Salve Regina University were above and beyond the best and I can tell over the last three years that I was proven right," he said. "Maybe one day down the road I'll be able to come back to URI."