WVU Army ROTC hosts the Fall Commissioning Ceremony at the Mountainlair, Dec. 14, 2023. (WVU Photo/David Malecki)
WHAT: The West Virginia University Army ROTC Mountaineer Battalion will commission 14 cadets as second lieutenants during the Spring Commissioning Ceremony.
WHEN: May 9, 6 p.m.
WHERE: WVU Mountainlair Ballroom, 1550 University Ave., Morgantown
WHO: Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis, commanding general, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, will be the keynote speaker. Lt. Col. David Sherck, professor of military science, and Master Sgt. William O’Neal, senior military science instructor, will present the cadets for commissioning.
Those being commissioned are the following:
George Bradford II from Washington graduates with a criminology degree and will assess onto active duty as a Signal Corps officer.
Kira Brittingham from Chesapeake, Virginia, graduates with a criminology degree. She commissions into the Army Reserve as a Military Police Corps officer.
Zachary Cannon from Mechanicsville, Virginia, graduates with a physical education and kinesiology degree. He commissions onto active duty as an Ordnance Corps (Maintenance) officer.
Madison Cesnick, from Frostburg, Maryland, graduates with a business administration, global supply chain management degree and commissions onto active duty as an Adjutant General Corps officer. She is a Distinguished Military Graduate.
Quinton Egger from Newville, Pennsylvania, graduates with a mechanical engineering degree. He commissions into the West Virginia Army National Guard as an Aviation officer.
Christopher Hernandez from Waldorf, Maryland, graduates with a political science degree. He commissions onto active duty as an Armor officer.
James Higdon from Providence, Rhode Island, graduates with an international studies degree. He commissions onto active duty as a Corps of Engineer (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) officer.
Dakota Lichliter from Madison, Virginia, graduates with a criminology degree. He commissions onto active duty as a Military Intelligence officer and is a Distinguished Military Graduate. Second Lt. Lichliter is a Green to Gold Active Duty Option participant having served as a Military Police enlisted soldier before coming to WVU.
Andrew Lichtinger from Waterford, Pennsylvania, graduates with a sport and exercise psychology degree. He is a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissions onto active duty as an Infantry Officer.
Marshall Lowman from Smithsburg, Maryland, graduates with a political science degree. He commissions onto active duty as an Aviation officer.
William Turman from Barboursville graduates with a business and economics degree. He commissions into the West Virginia Army National Guard as a Quartermaster officer. Second Lt. Turman was named to the prestigious WVU Order of Augusta.
Carson Watts from Milton, Delaware, graduates with a recreation, parks and tourism resources degree. He commissions onto active duty as an Armor officer.
Steven Williams from Martinsburg graduates with an international studies degree. He is a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissions onto active duty as a Military Intelligence officer.
Cherilyn Zeltman from Manorville, New York, graduates with a nursing degree. She commissions onto active duty as a Nurse Corps officer.
BACKGROUND: Army ROTC is the premier leadership development program on campus and a four-year progressive leadership development program. During classes, leadership labs, physical training and field training exercises, cadets learn firsthand what it takes to lead others, motivate groups and conduct missions as an officer in the U.S. Army. Cadets are required to complete a 38-day leadership assessment at Fort Knox, Kentucky, known as Advanced Camp. Upon earning their degrees, cadets commission as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army on Active Duty, in the Army National Guard or in the Army Reserve.
The WVU ROTC program was recognized in 2007-08 as the best program in the Eastern Region of the United States and was subsequently awarded the General Douglas MacArthur Award.
The commissioning class for 2023-24 is comprised of 26 total cadets from the three schools forming the Mountaineer Battalion — WVU, Fairmont State and Waynesburg universities. Twenty-three are from WVU, two from Waynesburg and one from Fairmont State. Of the 14 commissioning in this ceremony, 11 will transition onto active duty, two will commission into the National Guard, and one will commission into the Army Reserve. Four earned Distinguished Military Graduate status, ranking in the top 20% of cadets across the country factoring in academic, military, community and physical training performance, bringing the year’s DMG total to seven, the most in more than a decade. Nine cadets commissioned in December from WVU and two will commission in August after completing Advanced Camp this summer.
MEDIA NOTES: Pre- or post-ceremony interviews with any of the newly commissioned officers and/or guest speaker can be arranged on an individual basis. Cadet biographical photos are also available upon request for hometown news outlets.
-WVU-
jd/5/7/24
MEDIA CONTACT: John Dowling
Recruiting Operations Officer
WVU Army ROTC
304-894-6641; John.Dowling@mail.wvu.edu
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