Radford ROTC commissions 11 officers

Radford University's Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) commissioned 11 officers Friday in a ceremony in the Hurlburt Student Center Auditorium.

The officers have earned the rank of second lieutenant and were granted authority by the United States Army to carry out their duties as newly commissioned officers.

The officers, their majors and branch of duty are: Ariel Anne Bobrick, psychology, Adjunct General Corps; Jacob Anakale Bodmer, criminal justice, Ordinance; Brenton Joseph Curtis, criminal justice, Field Artillery; Devin Taylor Fakner, criminal justice, Signal Corps; Frank William Geiger IV, computer science, Engineer; Martin Jacob Hellyer, criminal justice, Field Artillery; Emily E. Horton, nursing, Nurse Corps; Joshua L. McGrain, history, Aviation; Philip Joseph Redford, criminal justice, Infantry; Aaron Thomas Sronce, criminal justice, Quartermaster; and Casey Jane Tench, nursing, Nurse Corps.

"This is the best day," said Tench, of Roanoke, who will be going into active Army duty as a nurse. "This was a lot of hard work for five years, especially being in nursing and ROTC. It's just such an accomplishment to finally be here."

During the ceremony, the newly commissioned officers individually took the oath of office; family members and friends pinned their rank on their shoulders and non-commissioned officers participated in a first salute.

"Each one of you represent the next generation of Army leaders," said Col. Ken Sullivan in his commission address. "The nation, all of us veterans and your families expect you to do it right. Be bold, and be courageous. I salute you."

ROTC-Commissioning-2015

Colonel Ken Sullivan gives the keynote address as cadets and their families attend Friday's Commissioning Ceremony.

The Radford University Army ROTC program is one of the nation's largest partnership schools out of 717 across the nation.

The program was established in 1978 under a cross-enrollment agreement between the presidents of RU and Virginia Tech. In 1980, an agreement between RU and Cadet Command allowed the RU ROTC program to offer two, three, three and one half and four year scholarships.

May 8, 2015