UC Army and Air Force ROTC Announce Spring Commissioning Ceremonies

The University of Cincinnati Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) will hold a

commissioning ceremony for its spring graduates at 11 a.m., Friday, April 26, in the Great Hall of Tangeman University Center (TUC).

The UC Air Force commissioning ceremony will be held

at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 28, in the Great Hall of TUC.

The ceremony is held for ROTC cadets who address the high standards to be appointed a second lieutenant, such as meeting the requirements of their degree program, their office leadership training, medical qualifications and physical fitness.

The new officers traditionally receive their first salute in recognition of the authority of their office as bestowed by the president of the United States.

The following ROTC Army cadets will be commissioned as second lieutenants at the April 26 ceremony:

Patrick Abdallah

– Abdallah moved to Cincinnati (Anderson) from Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005, and is a graduate of Turpin High School. He became a naturalized citizen in 2011. He is earning a bachelor’s degree in International Business and has been accepted into the branch of Infantry serving with the 2-107th Cavalry as a platoon leader .

Tom Borel

– Born in Los Alamos, NM, Borel graduated from Bellbrook High School (Ohio) and is earning his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering.  He is commissioning into the Medical Service Corps and will receive his duty assignment after completion of Medical School at the University of Toledo.

Chris Carroll

– Carroll, of Hamilton, Ohio, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, with minors in information technology and psychology. The Ross High School graduate was a team leader for the student service organization, Serve Beyond Cincinnati, and led trips to Haiti and El Salvador. He was also president of the student organization, High Technology Crime Investigation Association. As part of the ROTC

Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) program

, he spent three weeks in Tanzania to learn about the culture and to teach English. He is commissioning into the Signal Corps, serving in the Ohio National Guard.

Breeanna Chitwood

– A graduate of Colerain High School, Chitwood is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Upon graduation, she will attend the Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC) at Fort Sam Houston San Antonio, Texas.

Mark Clemente

– Born in the Philippines, Clemente is a graduate of Mason High School and became a naturalized citizen in 2005. He is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social work. He will be commissioned as an Armor Officer and will serve as a platoon leader for Bravo troop of the 2-107th Cavalry. In addition, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in public administration while working as a law enforcement officer.

Christopher Dinkelacker

– A graduate of LaSalle High School, Dinkelacker is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. He is commissioning as a second lieutenant of infantry and will attend officer basic training at Ft. Benning, Ga., followed by the Ranger Certification Course.

Abbey Driskell – Driskell is from Dent, Ohio, and is a graduate of Mother of Mercy High School. She is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She will become a certified registered nurse (RN) in the Army Nurse Corps after completing training at Ft. Sam Houston, a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.

Landon Gray

– A graduate of Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio, Gray is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in history. He is commissioning into the Ohio Army National Guard as a second lieutenant in the Transportation Corps with the 1483rd Transportation Company. He will attend the Transportation Corps Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Lee, Va., beginning in September.

Maria Harford

– A graduate of Trinity High School in Garfield, Ohio, Harford is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She is commissioning as a second lieutenant of military police and will be moving to Arizona after attending the Officer Basic Course in Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.

William Johnson

– A graduate of East Clinton High School in Lees Creek, Ohio, Johnson is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English. He will be commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Finance Corps with the Ohio Army National Guard.

Chris Kapucinski

– A graduate of Elyria Catholic High School near Cleveland, Kapucinski is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is commissioning as a second lieutenant of Ordnance and will attend Basic Officer Training at Ft. Lee, Va., followed by Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin Air Force Base.

Stephen Henry Kelczewski

– A graduate of Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School, Kelczewski is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He is commissioning as a second lieutenant of engineering and will attend follow-on training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.

Levi Daniel Leonard

– A graduate of Brookville High School in Brookville, Ohio, Leonard is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is a commissioning as a second lieutenant of Ordnance and will attend Explosive Ordnance Disposal training after his Officer Basic Course in Ft. Lee, Va.

James Longo

– Longo is a graduate of Talawanda High School in Miami, Ohio, and is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He will serve as an active duty infantryman and will be attending the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Jacob Marck

– Originally from the Cincinnati area, Marck graduated from Stevenson High School in Sterling Heights, Mich. He is the third member of his family to receive a commission from UC ROTC and is earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Marck is commissioning as a second lieutenant of aviation and will be attending flight school at Ft. Rucker, Ala.

Matthew McCafferty

– McCafferty, of Geneva, Ohio, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, and has completed basic combat training, air assault school and airborne school. He has branched military intelligence with branch detail to Armor. He will receive his first duty assignment upon completion of his Basic Officers Leaders Course in Ft. Benning, Ga.

Demetrius James Richardson

– Richardson is from Malton, N.J., and is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He played tight end for UC Football and was a three-time member of the All Big East Academic Team. He is commissioning as a second lieutenant of infantry and will attend training at Ft. Benning, Ga.

Paul Rozman

– Rozman is a graduate of Benedictine High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences with a focus on exercise physiology. He will branch into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and serve as a platoon leader with the 1192 Engineering Company in Newton Falls, Ohio.

David Sievers

– Sievers is from Brookville, Ohio, and is a graduate of Brookville High School. He is graduating from UC with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He is commissioning as a second lieutenant of engineering and will attend training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo.

Joseph Wambaugh

– A graduate of McNicholas High School in Cincinnati, Wambaugh is graduating cum laude from UC with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in political science. He will become a platoon leader with the 1194th Engineer Company in the Ohio Army National Guard. He plans to attend law school after completion of the Basic Officers Leaders Course.

The following Air Force ROTC cadets will be commissioned as second lieutenants at the April 28 ceremony:

Jeremy Dunbar

– Dubar, of Colerain, Ohio, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. He will be assigned to Columbus Air Force Base (AFB) in Mississippi.

Andin Fisher

– Fisher, of Dayton, Ohio, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He will be assigned to Vandenberg AFB in California.

Matthew Gangidine

– Gangidine, of North Olmsted, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and will be assigned to Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences, in Maryland.

Tyler Glover

– Glover, of Twinsburg, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and will be assigned to Laughlin AFB in Texas.

Amanda Kisor

– Kisor, of Blue Ash, is earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and will be assigned to Goodfellow AFB in Texas.

Garrett Miller

– Miller, of Delhi, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and will be assigned to Goodfellow AFB in Texas.

Nicholas Murphy

– Murphy, of Findlay, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and will be assigned to Columbus AFB in Mississippi.

Chadwick Nickson

– Nickson, of Trotwood, Ohio,is earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and will be assigned to Goodfellow AFB in Texas.

Kelseylee Schafer

– Schafer, of Beavercreek, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and will be assigned to Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio.

Kyle Schneider

– Schneider, of Pataskala, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and will be assigned to Columbus AFB in Mississippi.

Scott Szalejko

– Szalejko, of Beavercreek, Ohio, is earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and will be assigned to Columbus AFB in Mississippi.