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                         April 12, 2002

Keller Army Community Hospital here, and the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity, presented the top-ranked, medical-school bound cadet in the Class of 2002 with the Mason Award last month.

U.S. Military Academy Cadet 1st Class James E. Mace is the recipient of this year’s award. Mace is ranked 27th academically in the Class of 2002 and 11th overall.

"It is an exceptional honor to receive the Mason Award," Mace said.

The Chemistry and Life Science major will attend the Medical Service Officer Basic Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in the summer of 2003 after his first year of medical school. Mace will attend the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston beginning August 26, 2002.

He credits his parents for always telling him "‘that whatever you do, give it your best-effort.’ So that’s what I did," he said.

The Charleston, S.C. native has shadowed doctors at MUSC over summer leave and he volunteered at Anne Arundel Medical Center, Md. when he was an exchange cadet at Annapolis.

"I learned that I wanted to be involved in a surgery or emergency room specialty where I can be physically active in providing care to patients," Mace said.

The future Army medical officer said he found his calling in medicine because, "it feels good to have a positive impact on people’s lives and this is one way I can do that."

Mace will serve a nine-year commitment after his residency.

The Mason Award is named for U.S. Military Academy Class of 1968 graduate Richard Mason, a Vietnam War veteran who died of cancer in 1977 at the age of 30. His parents established the award in his honor.