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EWU Army ROTC Commissions Largest Officer Class in Over 20 Years

10/14/202406/13/2020 by jstafford3

2020 Spring Commissioning Ceremony

On June 12, 2020 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” battalion conducted its annual Spring commissioning ceremony. The ceremony is normally held in the historic Showalter Hall auditorium on the beautiful EWU campus. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions the ceremony was held outside on the hill behind Cadet Hall and limited to a group of 10 or less. Because of the pandemic restrictions, individual ceremonies were held every 30-minutes through out the day for each Cadet using six foot social distancing guidelines and masks when required. A complete video of the ceremony can be viewed on our EWU Army ROTC Youtube channel:

2020 was the 65th straight year that Eastern has produced officers for the U.S. Army. The EWU ROTC program was established in 1952 and the first commissioning class was in 1955. For academic year 2020, the Eastern ROTC program has commissioned a total of 20 officers into the U.S. Army, which is it’s largest commissioning class in over 20 years. Opening remarks for the ceremony were provided by the EWU Army ROTC, Professor of Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Jonathan Stafford.

LTC Jonathan Stafford, the EWU Army ROTC Professor of Military Science gives his remarks.

Guest Speaker

Following the remarks from LTC Stafford, the guest speaker for the ceremony, retired Brigadier General Nikki Griffin Olive gave her remarks. BG Griffin Olive is a Spokane native who graduated from Central Valley High School and is also a 1990 graduate from Eastern’s ROTC program. She traveled from her home outside of Atlanta, Georgia to attend the ceremony.

BG Griffin Olive gives her guest speech at the 2020 Spring Commissioning Ceremony.

BG Griffin Olive retired in November 2020 after a 30 year Army career that culminated with her on deployment as the Commanding General (Troop Program Unit), 335th Signal Command (Theater), Operational Command Post (Forward), Kuwait. In addition to being our guest speaker BG Griffin Olive was also inducted as the eighth member of the EWU Military Science Hall of Fame. A plaque in honor of BG Griffin Olive’s career has been added to the Hall of Fame inside of Cadet Hall.

EWU Army ROTC thanks BG Griffin Olive for the inspiring words to our new lieutenants and her incredible service to our great nation. EWU ROTC also thanks the EWU Veterans Resource Center for providing the veteran coins and honor cords for graduation that was given to each new lieutenant. We also thank the EWU Alumni office for providing Eagle4Life pins to each of the new lieutenants.

2LT Jazmin Castrejon receives her veteran cord and Eagle4Life pin.

The Challenge of Becoming an Army Officer

The path to this day was not an easy one for the Class of 2020. All these Cadets conducted up to 4 years of military training in the ROTC program, had to meet rigorous academic requirements, build strong physical fitness, pass the 37-day long ROTC Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, among of host of other challenging requirements before they could commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Besides the overcoming the typical rigors of the ROTC program, the class of 2020 also had to complete their last quarter college under pandemic conditions. The pandemic restrictions caused all of their classes, leadership labs, and physical training activities to be moved on line. The commissioning ceremony is the first in-person event they have been part of since winter quarter.

Group photo of cadets — Academic year 2020 commissionees Ian House, Joseph Jordan, Jazmin Castrejon, Coy Odiorne, and Melinda Leen attending the 37-day, 2019 Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

The Class of 2020 besides excelling as Cadets, were also very active on campus as well executing cannon crew duties during the home football games, participating in volunteer activities such as our annual blood drive, assisting with color guard, and being part of the Ranger Challenge team. They are a truly remarkable group of young leaders.the Cadets each came forward to be administered the Army Oath of Office to officially commission them as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) into the U.S. Army.

The Army Oath of Office

I (state your name), have been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States in the grade of Second Lieutenant do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Following the Officer Oath of Office family members then came up and put on the Second Lieutenant rank on to the new officers. After the pinning of the rank each newly minted officer received their first salute from the enlisted person of their choice. Part of the tradition of the first salute is that the enlisted servicemember receives a silver dollar from the officer.

Virtual Commissionings

The first five Cadets who were unable to return to campus commissioned virtually over Zoom. Below are pictures of the Cadets commissioning over Zoom.

2LT Erling Anderson (left) receives his first salute from First Sergeant Jason Hennig (right), the former Senior Military Science Instructor for EWU Army ROTC. 2LT Anderson graduates with degrees in Design Technology and Construction Management and Manufacturing Technology. He is also a Distinguished Military Graduate who will serve as an active duty officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.

2LT Ian House (right) is commissioned by his father, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Brent Alan House (left). 2LT House graduates with a degree in History and will serve as a active duty Field Artillery officer.

2LT Cheyenne Sweet (right) is given the oath of office by 2LT Haley Isaacson, a 2019 EWU Army ROTC graduate. 2LT Sweet graduates with a criminal justice degree and will serve as an active duty Field Artillery officer.

2LT Chad Triplett is given the oath of office over Zoom, by 2LT Kyle Isaacson, a 2019 EWU Army ROTC graduate. Cadet Triplett is a Distinguished Military Graduate who was also selected as the recipient of the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross and the Admiral George Lotzenhiser Saber Leadership Award. He graduates with a degree in criminal justice and will serve as an active duty Infantry officer.

Individual In-Person Commissionings

After the five virtual commissions, our final ten Cadets individually commissioned in-person at Cadet Hall. Below are pictures of each Cadet taken during the ceremony. A complete collection of the photos taken can be viewed and downloaded from our EWU Army ROTC Flickr page.

2LT Megan Anderson (left) receives the oath of office from 2LT Melinda Leen a 2019 EWU Army ROTC graduate. 2LT Anderson graduates with an interdisciplinary studies degree and will serve as an active duty Ordnance Corps officer.

2LT Jazmin Castrejon receives her first salute over Zoom from her sister U.S. Army Private Karina Castrejon who is currently stationed in South Korea. 2LT Castrejon graduated with two degrees in Communications and Spanish. She will serve as an active duty officer in the Transportation Corps. She will also serve as a Gold Bar recruiter this summer for EWU Army ROTC.

U.S. Army Private Karina Castrejon gives her sister 2LT Jazmin Castrejon her first salute from South Korea.

2LT Samuel Coutts receives his first salute from Edwin Coutts, his grandfather and retired U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer. 2LT Coutts graduates with a degree in Engineering and will serve as an active duty Engineering officer.

2LT Cesar Guzman is administered the oath of office by Major Nicholas Carbaugh, the EWU Army ROTC Assistant Professor of Military Science. 2LT Guzman graduates with a degree in Biology and will serve as a Signal officer in the Washington State National Guard.

2LT Joseph Jordan takes the oath of office which is administered by Major Jose Alfaro over Zoom. 2LT Jordan graduates with a degree in Criminal Justice and will serve as an active duty officer in the Chemical Corps.

2LT Sarah Mullen receives her first salute from Master Sergeant (MSG) Michael Zehring, the EWU Army ROTC Senior Military Science Instructor. 2LT Mullen graduates with a nursing degree and will serve on active duty in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.

2LT Coy Odiorne receives the oath of office from LTC Jonathan Stafford. 2LT Odiorne served as the 2019 Ranger Challenge team captain that were runner-ups at this year’s competition. 2LT Odiorne graduates with a history degree and will serve as an active duty Air Defense Artillery officer.

2LT Marcos Sanchez celebrates his commissioning with his wife Courtney Sanchez. 2LT Sanchez was selected for the Superior MS-IV Cadet Award. He graduates with a degree in Engineering and will serve as an Engineering officer in the U.S. Army Reserves.

EWU ROTC Professor of Military Science, LTC Jonathan Stafford commissions Jacob Villasenor as a Second Lieutenant into the U.S. Army. 2LT Villasenor graduates with a degree in Business Marketing and will serve as a Military Intelligence officer in the Idaho National Guard.

*Newly commissioned 2LT Robert Wheeler graduates with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and will serve as an active duty Armor officer.*

EWU Army ROTC Class of Spring 2020

2LT Erling Anderson / Major: Design Technology/Construction Management and Manufacturing Technology / Branch: Engineers / Distinguished Military Graduate

2LT Megan Anderson / Major: Interdisciplinary Studies / Branch: Ordnance

2LT Jazmin Castrejon / Major: Communications & Spanish / Branch: Transportation

2LT Samuel Coutts / Major: Engineering / Branch: Engineers

2LT Cesar Guzman / Major: Biology / Branch: Signal

2LT Ian House / Major: History / Branch: Field Artillery

2LT Joseph Jordan / Major: Criminal Justice / Branch: Chemical

2LT Sarah Mullen / Major: Nursing / Branch: Nurse Corps

2LT Coy Odiorne / Major: History / Branch: Air Defense Artillery

2LT Marcos Sanchez / Major: Mechanical Engineering / Branch: Engineers / Superior MS-IV Cadet Award Winner

2LT Cheyenne Sweet / Major: Criminal Justice / Branch: Field Artillery

2LT Chad Triplett / Major: Criminal Justice / Branch: Infantry / Distinguished Military Graduate / Admiral George Lotzenhiser Saber Leadership Award / Legion of Valor Bronze Cross

2LT Jacob Villasenor / Major: Business Marketing / Branch: Military Intelligence

2LT Robert Wheeler / Major: Mechanical Engineering / Branch: Armor

Once again congratulations to all of our new lieutenants and remember a complete gallery of pictures from the commissioning ceremony can be found on our EWU Army ROTC Flickr page.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

EWU Military Science Hall of Fame: Brigadier General Nikki L. Griffin Olive

09/24/202006/13/2020 by jstafford3

Brigadier General Nikki L. Griffin Olive

U.S. Army Retired

EWU ROTC Class of 1990

Commanding General, 335th Signal Command (Theater), Operational Command Post (Forward), Kuwait

Brigadier General Nikki L. Griffin Olive is a native of Spokane, Washington and was commissioned a Signal Officer upon graduation from Eastern Washington University (EWU) as an ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate.

In her initial assignment to Vicenza, Italy, she served as a signal platoon leader and company executive officer in the 559th Field Artillery Group. She was subsequently assigned as a Mobile Subscriber Equipment Platoon Leader and the Communications-Electronics Officer/Assistant S3 Plans Officer in the 3-58th Aviation Battalion (Air Traffic Control). Following graduation from the Signal Officer’s Advance course, she was assigned as the Communications-Electronics Officer in the 1-5th Air Defense Artillery Battalion (Stinger Missile), and the Headquarters Battery Commander, 1-3rd Air Defense Artillery Battalion (Stinger Missile), 3rd Infantry Division, Ft. Stewart, Georgia. In 1998, she was assigned as a Plans and Operations Officer, 335th Theater Signal Command, at East Point, Georgia, and she continued to serve in critical billets to include Force Management and Battalion Command. After attending Resident War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, she was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 for 335th Signal Command (Theater). Brigadier General Griffin Olive most recently relinquished command of the 359th Theater Tactical Signal Brigade in September 2016 before assignment as the Deputy Commanding General, Sustainment for 335th Signal Command (Theater). In 2018 she was assigned as Commanding General (Troop Program Unit), 335th Signal Command (Theater), Operational Command Post (Forward), Kuwait. BG Griffin-Olive retired from the U.S. Army in November 2019.

BG Nikki Griffin-Olive is inducted into the EWU Military Science Hall of Fame during the 2020 EWU Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony.

Brigadier General Griffin Olive’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (with four oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with three oak leaf clusters), Army Achievement Medal (with five oak leaf clusters), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device), Army Reserve Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (with one oak leaf cluster), Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Military Outstanding Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (second award), and the Parachute Badge.She holds a Bachelors Degree from Eastern Washington University, Masters Degree from American Military University and the United States Army War College. Her military education includes the Signal Officer Basic Course, Signal Officer Advanced Course, Brigade/Battalion Signal Officer Course, Airborne School, Combined Arms, and Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, and the United States Army War College.

Brigadier General Griffin Olive is married to Colonel Jeffrey Olive, G-6, Georgia Army National Guard. They have two daughters – Darby Isabelle Olive and Kendall Grace Olive.

First Year EWU Cadet Selected for Sons of the American Revolution ROTC Award

05/31/2020 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Eastern Washington University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet, Joshua Browning for being selected for the Sons of the American Revolution Award. The award recognizes a first year ROTC cadet who has excelled in all military aspects and scholastically at EWU.

EWU Army ROTC thanks the Sons of the American Revolution for recognizing one of our outstanding first year Cadets. You can learn more about the Sons of the American Revolution at this link.

AUSA Recognizes EWU Army ROTC Cadet With Military History Award

05/24/2020 by jstafford3

Eastern Washington University Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles’ Battalion Cadet, Everett Kuhnel was recently recognized with the Association of the United States Army Military History Award.

The award is given to one Cadet in the battalion that has excelled in military history classes. EWU Army ROTC thanks the AUSA for recognizing one of our outstanding Cadets.

You can learn more about AUSA at the link.

Military Order of the World Wars Recognizes EWU Army ROTC Cadet

05/22/2020 by jstafford3

Congratulations to Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army ROTC Cadet, Corina Lindsey for being recognized as the MS-II awardee for the Military Order of the World Wars Award.

The award is given to MS-1, MS-II, and MS-III Cadets that excel in military and scholastic aspects of the ROTC curriculum.

Lindsey award — EWU Army ROTC Cadet Corina Lindsey

The Military Order of the World Wars’ (MOWW) founding resulted from General of the Armies John J. Pershing’s request that his officers continue serving America after their active military service ended following World War I. Since MOWW’s establishment in 1919, MOWW members (“Companions”) have lived by the Military Order’s motto, “It is nobler to serve than to be served.”

EWU Army ROTC thanks the MOWW for recognizing Cadet excellence. You can learn more about MOWW at this link.

Eagle Strong! Go Fighting Eags!

For Two Years in A Row, EWU Army ROTC Recognized with Top Instructor Award

05/21/2020 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), “Fighting Eagles” battalion is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row one of our faculty members has been recognized with a U.S. Army Cadet Command Instructor of the Year Award. Major (MAJ) Nicholas Carbaugh was recognized as the 2020 Officer Instructor of the Year out of all 274 ROTC battalion across the country.

As MAJ Carbaugh advanced through the different levels of the award process he had to submit multiple videos of himself instructing his students as well as letters of recommendation. A board at Cadet Command headquarters at Fort Knox, Kentucky review all the submissions from across the United States that made it to the final round and selected MAJ Carbaugh as the top instructor.

MAJ Carbaugh is a finance graduate from Virginia Tech who serves in the Field Artillery branch. He has been instructing at EWU for nearly two years. This year he has served as the lead instructor for our third year Cadets to prepare them to attend Advanced Camp training. For the past two years our Cadets have had well above average Advanced Camp scores assisted by MAJ Carbaugh’s instruction.

MAJ Carbaugh also represents the Department of Military Science as its representative on the Academic Senate. As a senator he is responsible for helping to formulate university policy and take part in the development of recommendations to be acted on by the Board of Trustees. In the local community he was elected as the Treasurer for the Montessori School Board where he is responsible for advising on how the school spends its budget. MAJ Carbaugh is clearly not only an outstanding instructor, but an important part of the university, and the community. Congratulations to MAJ Carbaugh for his well deserved recognition as the 2020 U.S. Army Cadet Command Officer Instructor of the Year.

MAJ Carbaugh driving our historic Jeep while conducting Cannon Crew duties at an EWU home football game.

MAJ Carbaugh’s award follows the Non-Commissioned Officer Instructor of the Year Award given to then Sergeant First Class (SFC) Jason Hennig last year. EWU Army ROTC is only program in the nation that has won a total of three national Cadet Command awards for excellence the past two years. Last year our Human Resources Administrator, Ms. Linda Moody won the award for the top Cadet Command HRA as well.

For anyone wanting to be part of our award winning ROTC program, it is still possible to sign up. ROTC is the one way to explore military service with no obligation to join. Any enrolled or incoming EWU student can sign up for a military science class. Please contact Ms. Linda Moody at (509) 359-6104 or by email at lmoody1@ewu.edu to determine which military science class is best for you.

Eagle Strong! Go Fighting Eags!