Eight troops to graduate Sunday from the Delaware Leadership Academy

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A graduation ceremony for the third graduating class of the Delaware Leadership Academy will be held this Sunday afternoon Oct. 16, with eight troops graduating; five Soldiers from the Delaware Army Guard, and three Airmen from the Delaware Air Guard.

The event is from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Headquarters, Del. ANG, 2600 Spruance Drive, New Castle, Del. 19720

This is the third graduating class of the DLA which as of this Sunday will have 42 graduates.

Major. Gen. Frank Vavala, Adjutant General, Delaware National Guard, Major Gen. Hugh T. Broomall, special assistant to the Director, Air National Guard, and Lt. Col. Gregory Snap, a DLA graduate and now an instructor, will make remarks.

Two of this year's graduating Airmen spent some time in Afghanistan for deployments during the school year. Troops must sometimes manage course work while overseas deployments or training requirements disrupt their schedules.

The first graduating class of the DLA was in 2009, when 20 troops completed an innovative year-long program designed to enhance the professional development of future Delaware National Guard leaders. In 2010 there were 14 graduates.

The Academy is intended to develop leaders capable of effectively handling joint local, state, and national level assignments, with course work focused on homeland security and homeland defense missions for the State of Delaware.

The DLA is a graduate-level educational program (accredited by the American Council on Education) for students from both the Delaware Air and Army National Guard, challenging Soldiers and Airmen on joint teams while facilitating unique personal exchanges.

Delaware National Guard members can apply this program toward a Master's degree at Wilmington University. The graduates can receive credit toward a Master of Science degree in Management with a concentration in Military Leadership or receive credit toward a degree in Homeland Security.

This release is in the public domain, and any part may be used as written.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

News media are invited and should arrive no later than 2:45 p.m., but need to call ahead to 302-593-2126, Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey, Public Affairs specialist. The event will be inside Del. ANG Headquarters, 2600 Spruance Drive, New Castle, DE 19720. Media should enter the base from Commons Boulevard and follow the signs for "Delaware Air National Guard."