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APSU awards ROTC CSM Darol Walker Award to decorated soldier Kevin Doss

Austin Peay State University - APSUClarksville, TN – The recipient of the 2015 Command Sgt. Maj. Darol Walker Award at Austin Peay State University is ROTC Cadet Kevin Doss, a decorated career soldier.

Doss, born in San Antonio, Texas, graduated from Boerne High School in 2001 and attended the University of Texas from 2001-03. He will graduate May 8th from APSU with a degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Military Science.

Cadet Kevin Doss is awarded the 2015 CSM Darol Walker Award at a breakfast on Thursday, April 30, 2015, at Austin Peay State University. (Beth Liggett, APSU)
Cadet Kevin Doss is awarded the 2015 CSM Darol Walker Award at a breakfast on Thursday, April 30, 2015, at Austin Peay State University. (Beth Liggett, APSU)

At the conclusion of APSU’s Spring Commencement ceremony, Doss will be commissioned as an officer, along with 17 other APSU Army ROTC cadets.

Doss will be commissioned as an infantry officer and later attend the Basic Officers Leaders Course (BOLC) at Fort Benning, Georgia.

While Doss’ entrance to the U.S. Army as an officer is a career change, military service is nothing new to Doss and his family, having served in the Army since leaving the University of Texas to Join the Army in 2004.

During his service as an enlisted soldier, Doss was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, among many other awards, honors and recognitions. Doss also served two campaigns in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

Fort Campbell Garrison Commander, Col. David L. Dellinger served as the keynote speaker for the event.

Doss’s award is the fourth consecutive award to be given to ROTC Cadets, following Cadet Daniel Davis in 2014, Cadet Nathan Brewer in 2013 and the first recipient, Cadet Nicholas Shumpis, in 2012.

The award was started by local businessman, Jack B. Turner, in honor of Turner’s long-time friend and business partner, Darol Walker, retired vice president of Jack B. Turner and Associates, Inc. in Clarksville.

Before retiring from the U.S. Army and starting his career with Turner in 1977, Walker served as a command sergeant major in the U.S. Army, was a highly decorated Vietnam Veteran and later served as senior military instructor for APSU’s ROTC program. Walker’s served two tours in Vietnam, and received the Bronze Star with V Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, four Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Medal, China Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantrymans’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Master Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab.

For more information, contact Bill Persinger, executive director of Public Relations and Marketing at 931.221.7459.

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