Gunnery Sergeant at Miami NROTC: Best in nation
Gunnery Sergeant Francisco J. Corona, attached to Miami University's naval reserve officer training corps (NROTC), has been awarded the Assistant Marine Corps Officer Instructor (AMOI) of the Year award which recognizes him as the No. 1 staff non-commissioned officer from a field of 65 peers throughout the country.
For the past two years, 31-year-old Iraq War veteran Corona worked with Miami students, developing them into navy officers. He earned this citation for stellar performance overseeing the successful transition of incoming college students to midshipmen during a freshman orientation program and providing them continued expertise and training throughout their time at Miami. He further educates students through field exercises and provides one-on-one guidance to freshmen and sophomore marine option midshipmen.
At Miami, he formulated and led rigorous practice sessions for several varsity sports teams. He currently runs the Miami pistol club and has taught proper firing technique to over 1,300 people universitywide. He shows support within the community by coordinating food drives for Kiwanis of Oxford and fundraising events for the Wounded Warrior Project, Fallen Patriot Fund, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and Toys for Tots. He also supervised multiple high school junior ROTC competitions and inspections throughout the state. He does this while working toward his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Miami.
Corona was born and raised in Aroma Park, Ill. He enlisted in the Marine Corps upon graduation from Kankakee High School in 1999. After completing basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego and School of Infantry, earning a military occupational specialty code of infantryman, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines (3/3), Lima Company in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He completed two deployments to Iraq and Asian/Pacific Area of operation with 3/3 and then moved on to the military police company in 2002. In 2003 he reported to Drill Instructor School in San Diego, Calif.
In 2007 he was assigned to 1st battalion 1st Marines (1/1), where he completed an Iraqi freedom deployment. In 2009 he deployed with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit until he assumed the duties as the chief instructor of the helicopter rope suspension-training course, where he was stationed until 2010. After briefly working as a sergeant instructor at Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Va., he reported to Miami University NROTC unit in September 2010.
His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps achievement medal (with three gold stars in lieu of 4th award), good conduct medal (with 3 stars in lieu of 4th award) and the combat action ribbon.
Miami University President David Hodge presented the medal at an awards ceremony in early March at Miami.
Sergeant Corona's honor is making news headlines in Southwest Ohio. He was featured on a "What's Working" segment on Fox 19 in Cincinnati.
