U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Michael Ford, commanding officer

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Michael Ford, commanding officer of Marine Corps Recruiting Station Phoenix, presents Sarah K. Lykins, a senior at Buckeye Union High School, a $150,000 Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship, during an assembly at her school in Buckeye, Ariz., Feb. 15, 2013. Lykins, a multisport athlete and 4.0 student, was selected among more than 130 applicants from the southwestern United States, based on her commitment to the classroom, her community and to physical fitness. "Becoming an officer in the Marine Corps is both physically and mentally demanding," said Lykins, "which is a big motivation for me because it combines my two favorite challenges into one." For more information about the Marine Corps NROTC scholarship program, visit http://www.marines.com/becoming-a-marine/commissioning-programs/four-year-colleges/nrotc. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler J. Bolken)