Army ROTC
President to Host First Joint Commissioning Ceremony for ROTC Cadets and Midshipment at The White House
23 Army ROTC Cadets to be Commissioned as Officers at Historic Event
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 15, 2007) -- On May 17th, President George W. Bush will host a joint commissioning ceremony for 55 ROTC Cadets and Midshipmen from all the military services representing every U.S. state, U.S. territory and the District of Columbia during an unprecedented White House ceremony. This will be the first time in our nation’s history that the President will play a personal role in a joint commissioning event involving participants from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
Of the 55 men and women to be commissioned as officers by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, 23 are Army ROTC Cadets, representing the more than 28,000 young people who have decided to make Army ROTC a part of their total college experience.
“I am immensely proud of the Army ROTC Cadets who are participating in this historic event,” says Maj. Gen. W. Montague Winfield, commanding general, U.S. Army Cadet Command. “By choosing ROTC, these 23 Cadets have gained world-class leadership and managerial skills that will prepare them to succeed in the Army or in any civilian career they may ultimately pursue. Simply put, the Army ROTC program produces tomorrow’s leaders.”
Since its inception in 1916, more than a half-million men and women have become Army officers through the Army ROTC program. The majority of officers serving in today’s Army got their start through the Army ROTC program as a means to becoming an officer to lead U.S. Soldiers in a time of war.
Cadet Jason LaCerda, a graduate of Virginia Military Institute, is a prime example of the Cadets who will serve their country as officers in the United States Army. Earning the number one position of the Army ROTC Order of Merit List, LaCerda, 21, of Mahopac, N.Y., is fluent in four languages, a Rhodes Scholarship finalist and a Division I NCAA lacrosse defenseman.
“My experience in the ROTC program has equipped me to take on real world endeavors as a resourceful citizen and Soldier,” says LaCerda. “The challenges have been constant and I have learned to react and make decisions while gauging the long-term effects of my actions.”
Army ROTC is an elective curriculum, taken along with required college classes by students at nearly 1,500 colleges and universities around the nation. It provides the tools, training and experiences that will help them succeed in any competitive environment. To learn more about Army ROTC programs, please visit http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/about_army_rotc.jsp
Media Contacts:
Paul Kotakis
U.S. Army Cadet Command
866.382.6587 (cell)
MAJ Amy Hannah
Office of the Chief of Public Affairs
703.614.2459 (cell)
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