Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. A major, Steven Davis. I'm the Executive Officer of the University of Delaware army or I'm sorry, Army ROTC program. Welcome to today's joint Army and Air Force ROTC commissioning ceremony. It is my pleasure to introduce to you the members of our official party, to professor of military science for the University of Delaware US Army ROTC program. Lieutenant Colonel Gary Goodman, the detachment commander for the University of Delaware Air Force ROTC program. Lieutenant Colonel Victoria Thomas. Our guest speaker. The medical, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense equipment requirements branch chief for the Joint Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Kendra z, z bar, z bar, and Master Sergeant Christopher Bowman, the senior military instructor for the University of Delaware Army ROTC program. We welcome you to rise for the playing of the national anthem and remain standing for the invocation. But Chaplain John Rose. I invite you to join me in prayer. God, as we gather on this day right here. And now to celebrate the ending of this part of the journey, the lives of these soon-to-be second lieutenants. Thank you for bringing each of them to this doubly awesome weekend as a graduate from the University of Delaware. And as they are commissioned as officers in the United States Air Force and the United States Army. And we welcome them into the greatest military this world will ever know. We thank you for moms and dads, brothers and sisters, family members, Lord, friends who have supported them through this journey. Thank you for the women and the men in their lives who went ahead of them in military service. And as such, inspired these ROTC cadets to endure these four years with perseverance and tenacity and sheer determination. There's a glorious amount of pride in this hall today. Oh God, which extends across this country. There's other schools and other military branches Commission their officers. And the glory of this day extends across time. In our hearts and minds, we pay homage to past heroes who proved themselves and liberating strife more than self, their country loved and mercy more than life. God shed your grace on us in this moment, in our lives. And over this great nation. A map. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the podium. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas for her opening remarks. Good afternoon. Retired brigadier General Terry Wiley. Distinguished guests, friends and family, and of course, cadets. Welcome to the 2023 University of Delaware ROTC commissioning ceremony. You are about to be a part of history on two accounts. Firstly, you will take part in or witness the commissioning of the United States Army and United States Air Forces newest second lieutenants. Secondly, this will occur in a joint ceremony involving two ROTC detachments for two services. This is certainly the first time this has happened in recent memory. And it may be the first time ever that this has occurred at the University of Delaware. It is fitting as the US Army and the US Air Force share a long history and continue working together today to accomplish the mission. In the spirit of true joint operations. Members of the Department of the Navy will also take part in today's historic event. To set the stage for the commissioning. I'm proud to welcome someone familiar with operating with service members across the Joint Force. Lieutenant Colonel Kendra severe. Lieutenant Colonel severe serves as the Medical, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear defense equipment requirements branch chief in the Joint Requirements Office, the JEA on the joint staff at the Pentagon. In this position, Lieutenant Colonel is the beer oversees the development and advancement of joint medical countermeasure requirements using the joint capabilities integration, and development system. Lieutenant colonel is a beard, earned her Commission in 2002 after completing a bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Michigan and Technology University. Since then, she has earned a master's degrees in Public Health, as well as strategic studies. Lieutenant colonels, the beers career has taken her to assignments and at least seven states and the District of Columbia. In addition to her current role, she has served in such capacities as a bio environmental engineer and as a commander of a health care operations squadron. Please join me in welcoming lieutenant Colonel Kendra severe. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for the kind introduction, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas, and the invitation to be here today. It's truly my pleasure to share this really exciting event with you guys today. And I hope you take something from the words that I share with you today. So there I was sitting in a red camping chair on the edge of a flight line staring up at the sky watching my very first Air Show. It was September 2003 And I was a brand new second lieutenant. I'd only raise my right hand who vowed to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States less than a year before that. I'm pretty confident I was feeling pretty good. Right? I just finished my five months of tech school, graduated top of my class too. And I was taken on more responsibility in the flight every day. So I was feeling good, feeling ready, and it was a beautiful day. Cloudless skies, sunny. Nothing better. I was in Mountain Home, Idaho. I was really excited too, because not only was this my first-year show, this is the first time I was going to see the Thunderbird is performed, which is the Air Force's premier demonstration team. Day to just two days after the Air Show. Day one was the day I was really worried about, right? So that was the day all these World War II aircraft are flying around. You know, doing loops and dives and I was sure if anything bad was going to happen during the Air Show, it was gonna be on day one. But we survived that last aircraft landed on day one and I let out the breadth that I was holding all day and I went home and got a good night sleep. That brings you back to the flight line. The Thunderbird is took off. All six of them. They started performing their maneuvers when jet number six was starting to perform what's known as a split. Split S is when the aircraft starts out moving in one direction, inverts completely loops all the way around. So they end up going in the exact opposite direction than they started. And I was watching, I was really enjoying myself. My whole team was there. And I watched this jet coming around from around, come around, come around. Before I know it that's 16 is gone and it's replaced by a ball of fire that's heading straight for the control tower. I stood up, my jaw dropped and all I could say was, Oh my God, oh my God. I was frozen. There are 80,000 h on that flight line that day and it was silent. Nobody was moving. And I had a lot of things running through my mind. What happened in that pilot, really, that was my focus. Did he object is E. Okay. What just happened? What did happen? What did I just witness? But then someone came up behind me and grabbed my arm hard. And that was my captain. He flipped me around. Let me dead in the eyes. I Kendra. Get your team going, get in the truck and get out to the site. And that's because I'm a bio environmental engineer in the Air Force. They call us bees. And our job is to make sure that when airman are doing their job, that they're protected from any occupational and environmental health hazards that they might encounter while they're doing their duty. So we have a responsibility when there's a crash. There's a lot of hazardous things on an aircraft, as you can imagine, there's a lot of fuel, there's toxic chemicals, there's radiation sources, and when that thing crashes into the ground, all of those things can come into the air. And we have first responders that have to be out there in close proximity to that wreckage to put out fires and save lives. So our job is to make sure that those first responders were safe while they were taking care of that plane crash? Folded up my camping chair, threw it in the back of the truck. We hitched up our trailer, we had all our equipment in it. We got into the truck and we headed out to the entry point. Long story short. That pilot did eject less than 1 s before the plane incorrect, impacted the ground, and none of the first responders incurred any injuries that day. So mission accomplished are good to go right? Now I don't share this story because it was an exciting part of my career because I'm actually proud and what I did that day, I share that story because I want to talk to you about courage. I'm absolutely not proud of how I reacted that day. I was frozen in my shoes until my captain came over and grabbed me by the arm and physically got me back into what I needed to do and rely on my training and get my team together. I did not act courageously from my team that day as I needed to. We need to understand courage is about action, right? It's not about any action notes Technically, I did stand up and yeah, my jaw dropped. But that wasn't the right action. That wasn't the courageous action I needed to take that day. Courageous action means that you'd imagine that's guided by your moral compass. And you have the right intentions when you take that action. For us. In our case, that action must be guided by our core values, our ethics, and the standards of the profession of arms. So Courage isn't just big heroic actions, which didn't happen that day because that pilot, before that aircraft smashed into the ground. In short, he steered away from those 80,000 spectators that were on that flight line. So nobody got hurt. He did that. He almost died doing that. I'd recommend you Google this afterward, check there's some great video and pictures and you can see what I was facing. You can see what I'm talking about. Those there are heroic actions. But for me I'm a medical officer, right? Not a medical provider, I'm an engineer. So courageous actions for me come in small ways every day. And they can come and small ways for you, but you have to choose to take that action. Maybe you're just in a meeting and you're the lowest rank in one sitting at the table. Do you speak up? And maybe you're just thinking about signing up for really intense training course, but you're not sure if you can quite do it. Do you sign up? And maybe you haven't enlisted member that walks by you and doesn't render a salute. You speak up. But don't confuse courage with being fearless. It's not the same thing. Being courageous means you're able to manage and work through and move past that fear. We all have fear. And fear is not. Fear tells you something. Fear tells you that there's danger. But there also might be an opportunity here as well. So to work through my fear, I have a little saying that I use and I just say to myself, and to be quite frank, I don't think I've ever shared this with anyone. So get the secret. So for me, three small words gets me through it gets me going, helps me take that first step, say the first word, take that action. And for me it's just do it. Just do it. Kendra, Just do it. Yeah, it's a Nike slogan, but it works, it's effective. It works. Right? But that's me, that's Kendra. You need to find what works for you. Is it a song that pumps you up every time you play it? Is it a story from someone that's led a really inspirational lice life? Or maybe it's just a quote that really resonates with you. Whatever it is you need to find it. You need to leverage that and help it, use it to help you work through that fear. It's been almost 20 years since that day on the flight line. I think I've taken some courageous actions since then. I've grabbed that guide on and taking command of a squadron. I've given negative feedback to my bosses more than once. I brief three-star generals regularly now. So fear is not bad. You can get over it. And you can take courageous actions. Every single day in your career. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and guardians were expected to be courageous. So don't wait for someone else to do it. Because if, if not this action right now, then what? If not right now? And when? And if it's not you, then who are chief of staff of the Air Force that tells us you must first lead yourself before you can lead anybody else. Be better that have come before you. And do the right thing. And lead courageously every single day in your career. I just want to say congratulations. You're ready for a wild ride. And most importantly, just do it. Thank you. The cadets commissioning today will now receive their oath of office. Second Lieutenant rank, and first salute. The first oath of office were given to those serving under the continental army, beginning in 17, 75, and to this day have been the foundation of an officer's Commission into the United States military. It is traditional for officers to recite the oath upon promotion or earning a commission. Individuals giving each kidnap their oath of office, or either a current or a former officer in the United States military who has been influential and have been, and have had an impact to help their cadet reached his major life accomplishment. I would also like to explain to long-standing traditions associated with an officer receiving a commission. The placing of rank and the first salute. The rank of a Second Lieutenant is a gold bar. Gold being a malleable metal signifying that lieutenant can still be formed in hardened. The honor of placing the gold bars is typically given to family or friends who have played a significant role in the officer's life. Another tradition is Return of the officers for our solute. New second lieutenants received their first solute as commission officers. They're obliged to return to salute and recognize the enlisted member. Rendering the solute by giving a silver dollar to the tradition signifies the contributions of the non-commissioned officer corps as a trainer for the officer. The Army and Air Forces, newest lieutenants will honor this tradition. Immediately after the placing of their gold bars. Get, uh, Jacob Jordan. I will be administering the oath of office for Connect Jordan. Discharge. Second Lieutenant Jordan will be pinned by his parents, Julia and Jeffrey Jordan. Lieutenant Jordan has earned bachelor's degrees in history and criminal justice, and we'll commission into the military police corps. During his senior year, lieutenant Jordan serve as the blue and battalions Operations Officer and as the Alpha companies First Sergeant. Outside of argc, lieutenant Jordan was inducted into the Pi Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Second Lieutenant Jordan were receivers first. Good at math and Gunning will be administered the oath of office, like at Matt's other Good That non-deductible we pinned by his mother and father, Thomas and Angelina Bennington. None of them would like to thank his parents, as well as the entire family for their support over the years. He looks forward to his career with excitement as repairs to begin Combat Systems, also training and Naval Air Station in Pensacola that have nothing to lose seeth his first solute from Air Force Sergeant Edwin Lopez. Daniel Flores will now be administered the oath of office by her father, retired US Army Major Jacobson floors. Your name. Solemnly swear. Born with Ben, to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States against all enemies, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I will bear true faith and allegiance. I entered this obligation freely. I enter this obligation freely without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. What purpose of evasion? I will well and faithfully discharge the duties. I will well and faithfully discharge the duties. Well, they're often we're talking about the hammer on the office of which I'm about to enter. So help me God. Before we begin by her sister, US Army Captain hang-up or TZ, and her brother US Army lieutenant Francisco force. Forces participate in army ROTC for the last four years. During fall, she serves at the time public relations officer. She revamped the potassium social media sites to brought together the fighting Lewin bedtime with a UTI community. In the spring, she served as the Italians officer Planning, Officer Plan, complex and rigorous training for cohort of over 80 cadets. Spread of greatest spread across four universities. She earned her aerosol badge to the United States Military Academy and ranked amongst the top 20% of cadets across the country. She graduates as a distinguished military graduate outside of RTC. She graduated from University of Delaware School of Nursing with honors. She was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. Upon commissioning, she will serve as an act of duty nurse corps officer. She is grateful to follow the foot grandmother, lieutenant Helen's loss, reserve as enable nurse and enjoying the lineage of three generations of the military and her family. Set with L4 is receiver first solute from her cousin, US Navy midshipman, Marie Wickard. Andrew there's low will now be administered the oath of office, like hazmat zealot. I entered my God years-old, probably most important. Secondly, having been appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force and solemnly swear, he solemnly swear they're all supported within the Constitution of the United States that will support and defend the Constitution of the United States, gets all enemies, foreign investor against all enemies foreign and domestic, relevant and true food now bear true faith and allegiance to the same sort of take this obligation freely. I take this obligation freely. But any mental reservation without any mental reservation or purpose of abuse or purpose of evasion visually and now well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I'm about to enter the office upon which I'm about that day. So let me go secondary level, we pinned by his mother and father, Carolyn and Michael, Jr.'s lobe. Lieutenant jurors law would like to thank his parents, Carolyn and Michael, and their family for their support through the years. Lieutenant George Lowe is detachment 12ths fiscal year 2023, distinguished graduate. You will begin his Air Force career as an intelligence officer at Goodfellow Air Force Base. Hello or received his first solute like Navy veteran, petty officer second class Stephen George Low. Good. I Blake Liz will now be admitted, nor will now be administered the oath of office. Why we're retired, United States major retire United States Marine Corps external. Ryan vista. You already devoted my right hand. Stitch for me. I blink lists guard. You solemnly swear. Do you solemnly swear support and effect Support independent constitution in the United States, the Constitution of the United States, and it's all enemies against all enemies, foreign and domestic, foreign and domestic. And I bear true faith, that I bear true faith and allegiance to the same allegiance to say, I take this obligation freely, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion, that I will well and faithfully that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties and discharge the duties of the office of the author, which I'm about to enter, of which I'm about to answer how omega, So help me God? By his mother, Valerie, and spouse. Settling down, this are held multiple leadership positions in the fighting who had the time to include the Alpha Company Commander and senior cadet Tactical Training Officer. Throughout Blake's time as a cadet, he received the Reserve Officers Association Award, the USA a spirit work, the American veterans award. The German armed forces match the aerosol pads, the recombinant bags, the General George C. Marshall Leadership Award, and the earned the title of distinguished military graduate. Blake is also a scholar athlete, holding the vice president position for the University of Delaware is triathlon team. Blake graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, and he branched into the army. Radiation is now pursuing a career as a Blackhawk Pilot for the Army Reserve. Seconds of the star will receive his first elute from former army specialist fifth class Harry Williams. Get us Cadet Thomas Burnett. He will now be administered the oath of office by Lieutenant Commander Christopher shame. I state your name. Having been a plaintiff's second lieutenant, United States Air Force, appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Do you solemnly swear if you solemnly swear to support and defend the constitution United States. The Constitution of the United States, against all enemies foreign and domestic, against all enemies foreign and domestic. That will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That over to faith and allegiance to the same. That I will take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. That I'll take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. Well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which we're about to enter. And they will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the So help me God. Lieutenants Carnegie will be pinned by his mother Collins Carnegie, His Father, John's Carnegie, and his fiance, Catherine. Dentistry. Maggie would like to thank his mom, Colleen, Dad, john and his fiance for their outpouring of love and support. He will begin his career as a weather officer at fork of Basel. Lieutenants your Nike, when I receive his first loop by retired United States Army, Air Force medicine, surgery, Johns Canadian. We tell them alone, will now be administered the oath of office while Lieutenant Colonel Gary Goodman, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name. I jumped him alone. Having been appointed an officer, haven't been appointed an officer integrative second lieutenant in the greatest second lieutenant in the Army of the United States. In the Army of the United States, do solemnly swear Do you solemnly swear that I will support and defend that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States against all enemies. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Foreign and domestic, that it will bear true faith. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, allegiance to the same. Then I take this obligation freely. And I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion, that I will well and faithfully that well and faithfully discharge the duties discharge the duties of the office upon which of the office upon which I'm about to enter. I'm about to enter to help me God. So help me God. Alone with him by his father and mother, bathroom alone, clubbing ones. Lieutenant alone was born and raised in Delaware at the University of Delaware. He majored in medical diagnostics and neuroscience. In addition, Justin was the head of the University of Delaware emergency care unit. A student run volunteer ambulance service. Lieutenant alone will serve as a signal officer. And a Delaware National Garden. We've done alone were received his first solute from specialists mark Doyle. Good at Julius. The final will now be administered the oath of office, like Kathy Matt Zoller. Here are actually three. Hi, Julia and bottom. Have you been appointed a second lieutenant? Having been appointed a second lieutenant, United States Air Force and the United States Air Force, You solemnly swear Do you solemnly swear that will support and defend the Constitution of the United States? That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic, against all enemies foreign and domestic. Well virtue, faith that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I take this obligation freely, and then I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. My purpose of evasion know well and faithfully, and then I will well and faithfully discharge the duties discharge the duties of the office upon which I'm about to enter, the office upon which I'm about to enter, so help me God. Lieutenants, the file will now be pinned by her mother, Louis funnel and her father Michael Stefano. Lieutenants. The final will be working fraternal Turner Construction in New York City the summer before she hits the Bamberg Space Force Base, where she will train you to become a nuclear and missile Operations Officer. She would like to thank her family, were always pushing her to reach her goals. She would also like to say, yes mom, I still wanna do this. The final receive her first solute. United States Navy veteran Bernard line. Emily McKenna will now be administered the oath of office while the tenant, Vernal Gary Goodman. I state your name. I am willing to Canada. Have you been appointed an officer? Have you been imprinted officer and the greatest second lieutenant integrate a second lieutenant in the Army of the United States. In the United States, do solemnly swear Do you solemnly swear that I will support and defend? I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, foreign domestic, that will bear true faith, though virtue, faith and allegiance to the same, allegiance to the same. Then you take this obligation freely. I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion, that I will well and faithfully, I will faithfully discharge the duties discharge the duties of the office upon which of the office upon which I'm about to enter. I'm about to enter, so help me God. So help me God. Mechanical. We pinned by her father, Neil McKenna and a brother Patrick McKenna. During the denim again as time at University of Delaware, she served as a battalion commander, administrative officer, and funds manager. She co-founded the blue and ethics and fill out philosophy. Close served on the executive board for product sunshine for two years and has been a member in the sorority five sigma sigma last summer. Emily Eddie oxygen leak, the nurse summer during training program at fork bottle composites, Texas, following advanced camp, looking ahead and we will with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. And Obama is in the hand glyphs to be stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. You would like to thank our friends and family, loves word lawyer time in Moody and any ROTC program would not have been possible without them. Or C for first loop for master sergeant Chris bone. Uniformed military personnel, please rise for the publishing of the Army and the Air Force promotion orders. All others may remain seated. Detention orders. The President of the United States acted upon the recommendations of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force has police special trust and confidence in the patriotism, integrity and abilities of these cadets. View of the special qualities and they're demonstrated potential to serve in the next higher grade. These two debts are promoted to the grade of Second Lieutenant, effective the 26th day of May 2023, by order of the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Air Force. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the newest commissioned as second lieutenants from the University of Delaware Army and Air Force ROTC programs. Please welcome. The arm versus military sciences. It's not a kernel. There was the, the last week or I'm going to follow the same advice I got as a friend when I was briefing the big boss. Be brief, be brilliant. Begun. Make this equation. Alright, so much for police. In appreciation for your words and thanks for the time of driving up on Memorial Day. We didn't do anything. To me. Mark Delaware, please accept this small to open up. Gratitude. Thank you. Within your wing independent gun with that for sure. Absolutely. Okay. So secondly, Army ROTC program, we would be remiss if we didn't take a second to recognize that one of our fluxes leaving. So for those of you who know the program, you all know Master Sergeant Chris Bowen. So this is actually his last official Army function or ceremonial participate. He's going to get Nicaea and drive the Alabama right after this ending 24 years of army service. So if you would please, I think that made him extremely accountable. I love it. Okay. So in closing, I just wanted to let you guys know is exactly right. Speaking on behalf of the cadre for both programs, you've been accepted. In each of our programs, we've enhanced. Atmosphere agency's programs, each of you will be missed very, very much. You're about to enter a very exciting time in your career. There is no better time than as Lieutenant, right? Everything is new. Everything is exciting. The challenges are all new. You've all been very well-trained. You've demonstrated multiple times, which is great leaders. You will do great. We look forward to all of your accomplishments. Alright, so keep us posted. Yet, just get out there and get out there and do great things. Soldiers and airmen deserve great leadership. You've shown that you can do it. Get out there and do it. Okay? Alright. Hey everyone, thanks for being here. Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to rise as the benediction and remain standing for the playing of the Army and the Air Force songs. Invite you again to join me in prayer. God, what an honor to be the first to ask your blessing on my fellow officers here. Pray that we might join them and celebrating the beginning of their new journey. Serving America and the United States Army and the Air Force. I prayed and greatest success on their careers. Lord, I pray that their commander in chief there, civilian leaders, will give them everything they need from equipment, weapons, rules of engagement, and the absolute wheel to project overwhelming power anytime and anywhere. The kind of overwhelming power Lord, that delivers shock and loss, surrender and defeat to those doing the eagle. And the kind of military power that gives assurance and comfort and protection to the week, to those who seek peace and pursue it. Or give them a laser-like focus to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Honor. So that when called upon day to become this country's next Greatest Generation. And on this Memorial Day weekend, Lord, as a nation we paused on are those individuals and their families to pay the last full measure of freedom. I thank you that these officers have stepped forward, blessed, encouraged, and fill them with joy and serving and give them their resiliency. They must have to finish well, this time calling that has been conferred on them today. I asked us in the name of the Prince of Peace on behalf of degenerate Carl Goodman, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas, thank you for attending the 2023 University of Delaware spring commissioning ceremony. Feel free to come off if you want to take more pictures on the stage, flags or a one out of here, you're done. Officially concludes today's events.
ROTC Commissioning Ceremony 2023
From Robert Diiorio May 26, 2023
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