WASHINGTON –
In front of families, friends, educators, and military leaders, two exceptional students were awarded the Army National Guard’s Minuteman Scholarship during a ceremony at the D.C. Armory on July 18.
Angulo Gonzalez, a graduate of Woodbridge High School, and Brooklyn Payne, a graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, were selected from a competitive pool of seven applicants. Their selection followed a rigorous interview process with the Recruiting and Retention Battalion (RRB) Commander and Officer Strength Manager, during which areas such as GPA, ASVAB scores, personality, effective communication skills, and leadership potential were evaluated.
Gonzalez earned a four-year scholarship and will attend Virginia Tech, where she plans to pursue a Political Science degree and commission into the Judge Advocate General’s (SJA) Corps. Payne received a three-year scholarship and will attend Howard University, with an interest in commissioning into the Medical Services Corps. Both students will complete a four-year ROTC program, balancing academics with military leadership development.
“This year’s applicants were truly impressive, but Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Payne demonstrated not only academic excellence but also the kind of leadership potential and service mindset that embodies the National Guard,” said LTC Andrew Graham, D.C. Army Recruiting and Retention Battalion (RRB) Commander.
LTC Graham also spoke to the significance of the selection, saying “what I think is important to capture is that out of all the people who apply, there’s only one or two selected each year. So, it’s the best of the best. And me myself—when I go through and read these applications, I don’t know how I made it out of high school, because every one of them is impressive on their own.”
He added the end goal is to recruit high caliber people into the D.C. National Guard because they will “make our organization better just by them being a part of it.”
Students were notified of the scholarship through a D.C. National Guard recruiter or, if already serving, through their chain of command. Applicants submitted a packet to the Officer Strength Manager containing their resume, academic transcripts, ASVAB scores, and an autobiography. D.C. National Guard recruiters serve as ambassadors who actively engage schools throughout the region, providing briefings about the Minuteman Scholarship to ensure eligible students are informed.
Established in 2015, the Minuteman Scholarship honors the legacy of the Revolutionary-era Minutemen—ordinary citizens ready to defend country and community at a minute’s notice. The Minuteman, the official National Guard logo, embodies preparedness, responsibility, and demands. The National Guard remains relevant and aligned as the premier reserve component to meet warfighting requirements, and to support their states’ citizens in their time of need
The Army National Guard’s Minuteman Scholarship provides full tuition and fees or room and board, a monthly stipend, and a book allowance. In return, recipients agree to commission as officers in the D.C. National Guard.
“Today we’re not just celebrating two scholars,” said SFC Aaron Young, Team Lead – Recruiting & Retention NCO, “we’re celebrating two future leaders who have chosen to serve their communities and their country. They are the embodiment of our motto: Always Ready, Always There.”