Delaware National Guard Guard soldier earns top grad at Delaware State University By Capt. Len Gratteri, Public Affairs Officer Sgt. Christopher Guest led the Delaware Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance on Flag Day.  DOVER, Del. - Sgt. Christopher Guest of Newark, a soldier in the Delaware National Guard, earned the 2002 President’s Award at Delaware State University in Dover, as class valedictorian. The top graduate maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during his four years at the university and earned a dual major in Aircraft Systems Management and Airways Science Management. While earning his Baccalaureate Degree, Guest took advantage of the Delaware National Guard’s State Educational Assistance Program and received more than $23,000 tuition, paid up-front, from the Guard. He also earned a Commercial Pilot’s License and Flight Instructor License with the help of the educational assistance program. The state legislation, authorizing the educational assistance program, was signed into law in 1998 as a recruiting and retention tool for the 2,700 members of the Delaware National Guard. In the past four years, nearly 1,200 tuition applications have been approved with nearly 60 graduates. Overall, the program has contributed $1.8 million dollars to Delaware National Guardsmen’s secondary education. Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala (left) and Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (right) congratulate Sgt. Christopher Guest on his performance as valedictorian at Delaware State University. As part of a Flag Day ceremony helping to kickoff the Delaware State Legislation’s 141st General Assembly in June, Guest was recognized on the Senate floor for his accomplishments and led the Delaware Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. Later, Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner congratulated him during a visit to her office in the state’s capitol. "The goal of the educational assistance program is to attract the brightest and best around," said Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard. "Sgt. Guest is just one example of how successful the program has been," he said to the legislators. "This was all made possible by the Delaware Guard’s Educational Assistance Program," said Guest of his accomplishments. "I couldn’t pay for college myself, didn’t want to go into debt, and was lucky enough to find out about the Delaware Guard’s program." Guest received $23,000 from the state’s program, $17,000 in federal tuition assistance and also earned about $20,000 as a paycheck for his service in the Delaware Guard. He also received military training, certifying him as a Multi-channel Transmissions System Operator. "I think this is the best thing going. Where else can you earn $60,000 for a part time job?" asked Guest.

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