History in the Making
In 2022, the Delaware Military Academy created the Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Delaware Military Academy HOF is to honor individuals who have distinguished themselves in the areas of Academics, Athletics, the Military, and as a Seahawk Legacy to DMA during and/or beyond their years at Delaware Military Academy. Nominations can be submitted to any member of the Hall of Fame Committee, which is comprised of Mrs. Colleen Bradley, Mrs. Tara Dick, Mr. Kenneth Gatson, Mr. Jeremy Jeanne, Mr. Anthony Pullella, and Mr. Michael Scarborough.
Class of 2022 HALL OF FAME Inductee Images!
HOF Class of 2022 Biography Information
Click below to learn more about each nominee!
Bethany Melo - Academics
Bethany Melo, formerly Bethany Jackson, is a plank owner of the Delaware Military Academy graduating valedictorian of DMA’s first full four-year graduating class in 2007. Bethany was the first female Battalion Commander and a founding member of many of DMA’s academic and military extracurricular activities; including Model United Nations, Science Olympiad, Business Professionals of America, Math League, Chorus, Drama, Drill and Marksmanship team to name a few.
Upon graduation, Bethany completed a B.S. in Microbiology at the University of Maryland in College Park where she served as a Senior Marshal, demonstrating the highest levels of scholarship and service to the campus community. She then attended Arcadia University’s Christiana Delaware campus earning both a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Master’s in Public Health. Upon graduation, she received the Gretchen M. Paruch Humanitarian Service Award for demonstrating academic excellence, leadership among her peers, professionalism in both the classroom and clinical setting, and service to her community and to her profession.
Bethany spent the first seven years of her career practicing medicine across several intensive care units in both Delaware and the District of Colombia. Recently, her passion for providing care to both the severely ill and their families led her to accept a position as a Supportive and Palliative Care PA at Christiana Care. Bethany takes pride in ensuring patients experience relief from suffering and control of symptoms. She finds it highly rewarding, to work to support patients through difficult decision-making at a time when they are most vulnerable, navigating the complexities of medicine and identifying goals so that her patients’ wishes can be honored.
Bethany enjoys precepting medical students, mentoring residents, and serving as an adjunct instructor for both Arcadia University’s College of Life Sciences and GWU’s Physician Assistant Program and was recently named Arcadia’s Didactic Educator of the Year. An active member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, she is the Delaware Chapter’s President-Elect, an abstract author, and has served on panels as a hospital lead for several research projects focused on quality improvement surrounding patient and family-centered care. A 2016 Leadership Delaware fellow, Bethany also serves Delawareans as the first PA member of the Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline and as Chair of the Regulatory Council for Physician Assistants.
Forever grateful to be a Seahawk, Bethany has many fond memories of working alongside her now mentor and friend, Commandant Charles Baldwin, as he made his dreams for DMA a reality. The scholarship and leadership fostered within DMA’s walls has greatly contributed to the medical provider and public servant Bethany is today!
Sam Lundin - Athletics
Sam Lundin, a 2013 graduate of DMA enjoyed an exemplary high school experience during his time at DMA. Sam was very active and involved in his Naval Junior ROTC unit where he held multiple positions of leadership and responsibility while maintaining one of the higher-ranking positions in the Regiment.
Sam’s dedication and allegiance to the Seahawk Nation carried over into his illustrious and historical athletic career. Sam was a two-sport, four-year varsity athlete in wrestling and lacrosse and was named Captain for both teams his junior and senior year based on his ability to lead, manage and most importantly make those around him a better version of themselves. Sam led by example and to this day he continues to subscribe to that methodology.
Sam was the recipient of many athletic honors during his time at DMA. Sam was 3rd-team All-State his senior year in lacrosse and went on to be crowned Conference Champion in wrestling his junior year at 170 pounds.
Sam repeated this feat his senior year as the 182-pound Conference Champion and then went on to become DMA’s first-ever wrestling State Champion at 182 pounds. Sam ended his high school wrestling career with 110 wins.
After graduating, Sam attended York College where he continued playing Lacrosse, and eventually transferred to the University of Delaware where he graduated with a degree in Marketing and Operations Management.
Following college, Sam chose to serve his country and enlist in The United States Navy where he continues to lead and serve others as he has done his entire life.
CWO4 Morgan Bahr - Military
Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO 4) Morgan Bahr USMC Retired Military
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Morgan Bahr, better known to our DMA family as Gunner Bahr, was born and raised right here in Richardson Park. He joined the Marine Core in 1975 and retired in 1996. A few of the highlights in his 21-years of active-duty include serving as a Drill Instructor for two years, being selected to Warrant Officer on the first board of eligibility, and serving in Operation Desert Storm where he was accredited as having held the largest Field Ammunition Supply Point in Marine Core history. Upon his retirement, he went to work as the Senior Marine Instructor at Sun Valley High School Marine Core Junior ROTC in Aston, PA. When hearing that a new school was being built on Middleboro Rd. in Richardson Park, he knew he had to be part of it, so he immediately started applying.
In August 2007, Gunner received a phone call from then-Commandant Chuck Baldwin who offered him a position at DMA. Gunner joined the staff in October 2007 as a Naval Science Instructor teaching the 10th grade. Within the next three years, Gunner received a promotion to the position of Senior Naval Science Instructor. A position he was very proud to hold.
Gunner, along with six Naval Science Instructors, led DMA cadets for the next 12 years. During those 12 years, the Naval Science Department flourished within the Navy Junior ROTC community. The Naval Science Department trained the DMA cadets with pride and passion every day and through those efforts, achieved the rating of Distinguished Unit with Honors consistently, year after year. Gunner attributes the tremendous success and exemplary reputation of DMA to the entire team of Naval Science Instructors and the outstanding faculty overall.
Due to the uniqueness of DMA, where all students are cadets in the Junior ROTC program, Gunner assumed an additional position as an administrator along with his role as the Senior Naval Science Instructor. In performing those duties, he was involved in ultimately every aspect of running the school. Assisting the Commandant daily, they spent numerous hours planning events to ensure perfection was achieved… administering discipline when required… and assisting faculty members when needed. Gunner’s work ethic was to do everything he could to take the daily grind off the Commandant, to allow him to focus on the bigger picture. Gunner always seemed to know what the heartbeat of the school was at all times.
For Gunner, working with youth to instill values and leadership skills, made every day at DMA exciting and worthwhile. He is very humbled to be chosen as an inductee and truly hopes, the example he has set leaves a positive impression for others to follow.
C/MC Charles Baldwin - Seahawk Legacy
Co-Founder and former Commandant of Delaware Military Academy
Command Master Chief US Navy Ret.
Command Master Chief Baldwin has enjoyed a distinguished career in both the military and public education. He is the co-founder and former Commandant of the Delaware Military Academy, served as Principal of George V. Kirk Middle School in Delaware’s Christina School District, and was former President of The Charter School of Wilmington.
In July 1993, Commandant Baldwin accepted the position of Associate Naval Science Instructor with the Seaford School District where he established the first Naval Junior ROTC in the State of Delaware. He followed this achievement with the commissioning of a second unit, at Christiana High School.
While at Christiana, Command Master Chief Baldwin’s unit received recognition three times as being in the top 20% of the nation’s Naval Junior ROTC units. He received the Christina School District Citizenship Award in 1997 and he was the Christiana Teacher of the Year in 1998.
In 2001, Command Master Chief realized his dream of providing a tuition-free school for young men and women of Delaware who would thrive in a military environment. He fulfilled that desire by co-founding and establishing the US Navy’s FIRST all-Naval Junior ROTC Charter High School, the Delaware Military Academy. His formula of love and respect PLUS discipline PLUS sound academic principles has resulted in DMA obtaining recognition as the flagship of all Navy Junior ROTC programs and represents the largest Naval Junior ROTC unit in the country.
Command Master Chief Baldwin is fluent in Italian and enjoys mountain climbing, biking, and hiking. Mentoring remains a large part of his life and he currently continues to mentor over 40 of his former students from DMA, Kirk MS, Charter School of Wilmington, Christiana HS, and Seaford HS. He is married to Salvatorica and they have two children, William and Antonella, and five grandchildren. They reside in Wilmington, Delaware, and Ala Dei Sardi, Italy.
Hall of Fame Application
Please click the link below to nominate an individual for any of the four categories listed below. All nominations must be received by April 15th of the current year will be considered for that year’s Hall of Fame class.
Academics
A person who exhibited a high scholastic aptitude during their time at the Delaware Military Academy. Upon graduation, they pursued and completed one or more levels of higher education.
Athletics
Any high school athlete who participated in Delaware Military Academy athletics and proved to have superior performance (1st Team All-State, State Champion, Player of The Year, Gatorade Player of The Year) and character. Any such person may not be considered until 5 years after high school graduation.
Military
Someone who is or has served their country honorably. Their contribution to military service has or has made a significant positive impact in their unit or designated field of operation.
Seahawk Legacy
A person who significantly contributed to the growth and success of Delaware Military Academy