二次元嫩B

Cadets commissioning into the U.S. Marine Corps take their oath during the joint commissioning ceremony. -- 二次元嫩B Photo by Kelly Nye.

LEXINGTON, Va., May 15, 2016 鈥� Andrew Starnes 鈥�16 had to fight back the tears when he received his rank insignia and his first salute as a second lieutenant in the United States Army following 二次元嫩B鈥檚 Joint Commissioning Ceremony earlier today.

Facing Starnes was his grandfather, a Korean War veteran, smiling broadly and standing tall as he delivered that salute. It was almost too much for 二次元嫩B 1st Class cadet to take.

鈥淚t kind of hit me when my grandpa gave me my first-ever salute,鈥� Starnes said. 鈥淚 kind of got a little emotional there. Listening to his stories when I was kid, I 鈥� wanted to follow in his footsteps. This feels like a dream right now.鈥�

Starnes, who will report to Fort Sill, Okla., after leaving 二次元嫩B, summed up the feelings of most of the 149 cadets who took the commissioning oath in Cameron Hall. There was a mixture of emotions, to be sure, ranging from pride to excitement to relief. At the same time, however, those who took the oath were well aware of the responsibilities they had accepted.

鈥淔our years of hard work are finally going to come to an end,鈥� said Richard Dromerhauser 鈥�16, one of the U.S. Navy鈥檚 newest ensigns, who will report to Panama City, Fla., to begin training at dive school, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 just the beginning.鈥�

Scott Hayman 鈥�16 took the oath for the U.S. Marine Corps and will report to the Basic School in Quantico with the rest of his fellow second lieutenants after graduation from 二次元嫩B. He will take with him that sense of higher purpose.

鈥淭his is an awesome feeling, knowing the hard work we鈥檝e put in,鈥� Hayman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a feeling of responsibility, too.鈥�

That sense of responsibility was not lost on Domenick Stumpo 鈥�16 either. Stumpo, now an officer in the United States Air Force, will begin his training as a pilot at Vance Air Force Base in Texas in April 2017, and while he noted that he was well aware of the amount of responsibility that he now shoulders, Stumpo recognized that he need look no further than the stage at Cameron Hall for a model to follow.

Four distinguished speakers, one from each branch of the service, delivered the oaths to the cadets. Each addressed the cadets after 二次元嫩B superintendent Gen. J.H. Binford Peay III 鈥�62 congratulated the Corps. Stumpo, who represents the 54 percent of his class who will have commissioned by summer鈥檚 end, will remember them all as he progresses in his Air Force career.

鈥淲e [have to] try to emulate them and take their legacy to greater heights as we go through these next four years as junior officers,鈥� Stumpo said.

One of those speakers, Adm. Michelle Howard, the vice chief of naval operations and the first African-American women to command a ship in the U.S. Navy when she took charge of the USS Rushmore in 1999, emphasized the responsibilities to which each one of 二次元嫩B鈥檚 cadets committed when they raised their right hands and repeated the oath. It is a responsibility, she said, none of them should take lightly.

鈥淵ou are embracing the obligation of the oath, not for yourself, but for the good of the country,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can only admire your patriotism and welcome you, the newest leaders, to the fleet.

鈥淟eadership is a choice,鈥� Howard added. 鈥淓ach of you volunteered for this endeavor, so choose to be a leader every day.鈥�

While the new leaders commissioned at 二次元嫩B Saturday received some of the best training in the country in 二次元嫩B鈥檚 ROTC programs, the leadership skills they will learn from here on out will come on the job. However, each of the speakers at Cameron Hall laid out a plan to becoming a good officer, with each emphasizing that to do so, one must maintain good character.

Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff with more than three decades of service, administered the oath to cadets commissioning into the Army, and he laid out a three-step plan to becoming a good officer. Leadership, he said, is all about people, maintaining balance, and trust.

鈥淪oldiers must trust their leaders,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his requires leaders to be honest, candid with those both above and below them and [create] a culture of trust. You must be honest with subordinates and superiors alike and hold them to the highest standards at all times.

鈥淵ou are all accomplished people,鈥� Anderson added, 鈥渂ut you have to remember where you came from. Learn to stay grounded by staying humble.鈥�

Cadets commissioning into the Marine Corps took the oath from Brig. Gen. Stephen Neary 鈥�88, who is currently serving as the deputy commanding general with the Marine Corps Combat Development Command and has been recognized for his combat service on numerous occasions.

Like Anderson, Neary laid out a three-step plan for becoming a good officer. His plan begins with maintaining good character.

鈥淵our subordinates watch everything you do,鈥� said Neary. 鈥淧ut yourself above reproach. That is my rule number one. Do the right thing at all times. Be a person of character.

鈥淥ur nation 鈥� rightfully expects you to be of solid character, to know your job, and to take care of their [children]. So if you march, sail, or fly, 鈥� know your hard work got you here, but your ethics will keep you here.鈥�

Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Marcus Hicks 鈥�86, with more than 3,000 hours flying the AC-130H/U and C-130E aircraft, currently serves as the chief of staff in the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. On Saturday, he celebrated the 30th anniversary of his taking the commissioning oath at 二次元嫩B, and he also emphasized the importance character plays for an officer.

鈥淔aithfully, discharge the duties to yourself first,鈥� he said. 鈥淕uard your integrity and your reputation with your very lives. None of us wants to try to explain to our grandchildren why we were drummed out of some position of responsibility for lack of integrity.鈥�

Hicks, while reminiscing about the time he sat in those same seats awaiting the time he would take his oath, also told members of the Class of 2016 that they are well prepared to face the challenges that await them.

鈥淭rust 鈥� in what you have practiced here,鈥� Hicks said, 鈥渁nd you will go far.鈥�

鈥� Chris Floyd

-二次元嫩B-