Throughout their time at Saint Leo University, they developed leadership, military, and career skills and now three Saint Leo Army ROTC cadets are second lieutenants. During a ceremony on May 9, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF on the University of South Florida campus, the cadets were sworn in and commissioned.
Saint Leo students (now graduates) commissioned were Blake Burman, criminal justice major; Joseph McDermott, management major; and Justin Sierra, management major.
Guest speaker for the ceremony was Major General Kevin Vereen, who serves as the commanding general of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command.
Burman is a dirt bike enthusiast who loves spending time with his family and friends. He will serve in the active-duty Army in the Transportation Corps. After completing the Basic Officer Leaders Course, he will go to his follow-on duty station.
An avid runner, McDermott also loves spending time with his son, Joseph Jr., and his wife, Tausha. He will serve in the active-duty Army in the Transportation Corps. After completing the Basic Officer Leaders Course, he will go to his follow-on duty station.
Sierra is husband to his wife, Skylen, who also is in Saint Leo’s Army ROTC program, and they are the parents of a son. He will serve in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps as a second lieutenant in the Military Police Corps and he wants to continue serving his community as a first responder.
In addition, two Saint Leo University Air Force ROTC cadets were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force during a ceremony on Friday, May 13.
Commissioned were Chrisalyn Junkert and Dana Lacour-Wessel. Junkert graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s in mathematics on May 14, and she also studied in the Honors Program at Saint Leo University. Lacour-Wessel also graduated on May 14, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology: biomedical and health sciences. She also studied in the Honors Program.
Junkert wrote, “Thank you to my family, who provided constant support and kept me focused on God through my journey through ROTC and college, and to my college professors, especially Dr. [Monika] Kiss, who has taught me many life lessons as well as the academics to get me to my degree. And to [the] cadre, whose constant leadership and guidance remind me of the officer I someday strive to be!”
The new second lieutenant is attending Flight School at Pensacola NAS (Naval Air Station) to train as a combat systems officer. She plans on enrolling in a master’s degree program in mathematics or English.
Lacour-Wessel wrote in her commissioning spotlight, “I would like to thank God and all my friends and family members who have helped me reach this point. These past four years haven’t been easy, but they’ve taught me so much, and I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without them.”
Original source can be found here.
