Army ROTC Holds First Ever Virtual Commissioning Ceremony

Army ROTC, University of Arkansas

Members of the Army ROTC on Branch Day, Nov. 14, 2019.

On Friday, May 8, family, friends and colleagues proudly gathered around their computers around the nation to witness 15 cadets from the University of Arkansas Army ROTC Razorback Battalion become second lieutenants in the U.S. Army in our first ever virtual commissioning ceremony. This is the list of those who commissioned:

• Lauren C. Archer
  • Degree: Chemistry, Bio-Chemistry, Pre-Med
  • Branched: Medical Services Corps, Kansas National Guard
• Patrick J. Calvas
  • Degree: Psychology
  • Branched: Military Police Corps, Active Duty Army
• Travis L. Cumming
  • Degree: International and Global Studies with Honors, Arabic Minor
  • Branched: Armor, Active Duty Army
• Kayle S. Dryer (UA Fort Smith)
  • Degree: Nursing
  • Branched: Army Nursing Corps, Active Duty Army
• Zena L. Garcia
  • Degree: Biology, Pre-Med
  • Branched: Medical Services Corps, Army Reserves
• Susannah E. Gray
  • Degree: Supply Chain Management and Information Systems
  • Branched: Aviation, Arkansas National Guard
• Nicholas J. Hartman
  • Degree: Biology, Chemistry Minor
  • Branched:  Engineering Corps, Active Duty Army
• Spencer R. Jerome
  • Degree: Nursing
  • Branched: Army Nursing Corps, Active Duty Army
• Nathan A. Ley
  • Degree: Political Science and Philosophy
  • Branched: Infantry, Active Duty Army
• Ian M. Mannecke
  • Degree: Business Management with honors, concentration in Small Business
  • Branched: Armor, Active Duty Army
• William Travis Martin
  • Degree: Criminal Justice
  • Branched: Military Police Corps, Arkansas National Guard
• Kayla L. Maupin
  • Degree: History with honors, Arabic Minor
  • Branched: Infantry, Active Duty Army
• Louis L. Sonnier
  • Degree: History
  • Branched: Aviation, Arkansas National Guard
• Mackenzie J. Tweedy
  • Degree: Criminal Justice
  • Branched: Field Artillery, Arkansas National Guard
• Jonathan S. Vines
  • Degree: Kinesiology
  • Branched: Quartermaster Corps, Arkansas National Guard

Four of the new second lieutenants earned the Distinguished Military Graduate Award from Cadet Command, signed by Major General John R. Evans Jr., commander of Cadet Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Those four second lieutenants are Lauren Archer, Travis Cumming, Ian Mannecke and Kayla Maupin. Distinguished Military Graduates are those who rank in the top 20 percent of Army ROTC graduates nationwide.

Second Lieutenant Ian Mannecke was this year's George C. Marshall award winner, given to one cadet in the Razorback Battalion of over 100 cadets who demonstrates "leadership and scholastic qualities that epitomized the career of General Marshall."  

The guest speaker at the event was Major General Kendall W. Penn, adjutant general for the Arkansas Army National Guard.

The Cadre of the University of Arkansas Army ROTC Razorback Battalion are very proud of our newly commissioned officers. May they serve their country well.

For more information on the Army ROTC, call 479-575-4251 or visit our website at armyrotc.uark.edu.

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