May 10, 2019 |
Four cadets from the Harding University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Bison Detachment were commissioned as second lieutenants during a ceremony on Friday, May 10 in the Reynolds Recital Hall. Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin was the guest speaker for the ceremony and gave the commissioning oath.
“I am honored to be a part of Harding University’s ROTC commissioning ceremony as we welcome these future officers into the military,” said Griffin. “Joining the U.S. Army Reserve 23 years ago was one of the best career decisions I have ever made, and I am proud of the commitment these future officers are making today to serve their country.”
2nd Lt. Christopher Allison will receive a Bachelor of Social Work. After graduation, he will report to Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for military police school.
2nd Lt. Wade Chezem will receive a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice. After graduation, he will report to Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Benning, Georgia.
2nd Lt. Curtis McKinney will graduate from Arkansas State University at Beebe with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture business. After graduation, he will report to Engineer Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
2nd Lt. Perry Patton will receive a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing and leadership and ministry. After graduation, he will attend Quartermaster Basic Officer Leaders Course at Fort Lee, Virginia.
“There are no better leaders out there than these soldiers,” Master Sgt. James Bacon, military instructor, said. “They're going to find themselves in situations where they're going to be better suited to lead than most. I'm extremely happy for them, and I'm even more happy and excited for those that they're going to lead.”
Cadets in the Bison Detachment must meet rigorous physical fitness demands, achieve satisfactory evaluations in leadership skills, support the community through various service-related activities, and, as a senior, serve as mentors to the junior class members, all while maintaining a minimum overall GPA of 2.0, a 3.0 in military science, and a 3.2 or above for competitive active duty positions.
Harding’s ROTC program partners with Arkansas State University at Beebe’s A-State Red Wolf Battalion to recruit, retain, educate and develop senior ROTC cadets. With a focus on leadership and management, cadets gain leadership skills and participate in various training events and classes encompassing rappelling, marksmanship, fitness and military history. A-State and Harding are working together to train and prepare future officers for success as they begin their careers serving the U.S. Army while leading in the civilian sector.
