Under brilliant blue skies, the bright New Mexico sunshine and the majestic Sandia Mountains in the background to the east, Friday, May 13 was a day that won’t soon be forgotten for 11 newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants for The University of New Mexico’s Army ROTC program as part of its Spring Commissioning Ceremony held at Veteran’s Memorial Park in southeast Albuquerque.

The commissioned officers and graduates include Casey Elizondo, Dakota Fetter, Blake Heady, Hunter Irwin, Christian Perez, Jordan Quintana, Adam Aguirre, Ryan Aguirre, Wilbert Reyes-Cruz, Matthew Sandvig and Casandra Vasquez.

The Oath of Office...

I, (state your full name), having 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 faithfullyu discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.

“This is the first official act of transitioning from a cadet to a Lieutenant, so they take the Oath of the Office, and what that means is the ROTC program has certified all their requirements have been met to be an officer,” said UNM Army ROTC Professor of Military Science Lt. Col. Jeffrey Meinders. “The graduation verification happened just before the ceremony. Then, they take an oath of office under the authority of the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. This oath is administered by a commissioned officer as part of the ceremony and they become a reserve officer in the United States Army. Some will go on the national guard or US Army reserves, but most will go to active duty.”

The UNM ROTC program partners with UNM to recruit, educate, develop and commission 2nd Lieutenants for the United States Army through its training and educating students with the best leader development program in the world, and retain them with a highly motivated, professional and talented cadre.

All commissioned students work hard to both, obtain their degrees, and to complete ROTC requirements. At a minimum, it takes two and a half years and a maximum of four years depending on how they enter at senior ROTC at the University. Some of the students are getting undergrad degrees and some received their graduate degrees, but upon completion of an undergrad degree and meeting the ROTC requirements, it generally takes about four years to became officer.

“The commissioning is the most significant event of an officers’ career because it tells both themselves and the army that they're ready to join the ranks of being an officer,” said Meinders. “It's the most significant promotion. Subsequent promotions are less demanding and less important than the initial commission. Like when you commission a ship, right? You hit it with that bottle of champagne. That's the most momentous part of that ships undertaking is when it leaves into the water. That word, ‘commissioning,’ has some strength to it.”

The commissioned officers and graduates include:

Elizondo

2LT Casey Elizondo

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Jeffrey Meinders, USA
Pin-On by: Ruby Elizondo
First Salute by: MSG Gualterio Quintana, USA

2LT Casey Elizondo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. He received his commission as a Transportation Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Elizondo will repost to the 615th Transportation Battalion in the New Mexico National Guard.

Fetter

2LT Dakota Fetter

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Erik Sevigny, (USA Ret.)
Pin-On by: Sabina and Mike Fetter
First Salute by: SFC Derrick Duer

2LT Dakota Fetter graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Political Science. He received his commission as a Military Police Officer. 2LT Fetter was assessed into the Reserves and has chosen a position in Bakersfield, Calif. There, he has aspirations of moving from the Reserves to Active Duty when it becomes available.

Heady

2LT Blake Heady

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Jeffrey Meinders, USA
Pin-On by: Sam and Kailey Heady
First Salute by: Petty Officer Cook, USN

2LT Blake Heady graduated with a Bachelor of Integrative Studies and Innovation with a concentration in Global and National Secu rity, and a minor in Military Science. He received his active-duty commission as an Ordnance Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Heady will report to Fort Lee, Va. to complete his Ordnance Basic Officer Leader Course. Once complete, he will be assigned with an AV battalion at Wheeler AAF in Hawaii.

Irwin

2LT Hunter Irwin

Commissioning Oath by: ILT Kelly Harold Sinclair, USA
Pin-On by: Darren and Bernadette Irwin
First Salute by: SSgt Joshua Irwin, USAF

2LT Hunter Irwin graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. He received his active duty commission as a Field Artillery Officer. Following graduation, 2LT Irwin will report to Fort Sill, Okla.  to complete his Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader Course. Once complete, he will be assigned with a 2 CR in Germany.

Perez

2LT Christian Perez

Commissioning Oath by: lL T Matthew Perez, USMC
Pin-On by: Elissah Perez, Donna Perez
First Salute by: Senior Chief Petty Officer Lector Olson (Ret. Navy)

2LT Christian Perez graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology. He received his active-duty commission as a Military Police Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Perez will report to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. to complete his Military Police Basic Officer Leader Course. Once complete, he will be assigned to a Military Police Guard Company at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Quintana

2LT Jordan Quintana

Commissioning Oath by: MAJ Michael Mostaghni, USAR
Pin-On by: Jimmy Quintana, Mar lene Carrillo, Nuvia Hernandez
First Salute by: Senior Airman Angela Diaz, USAF

2LT Jordan Quintana graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and a minor in Military Science. He received his active-duty commission as an Air Defense Artil­ lery Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Quintana will report to Ft. Knox as a cadre member during Advanced Camp, then will re­ port to Ft. Sill, OK to complete his ADA Basic Officer Leader Course. Once complete, he will be assigned to a Patriot Battalion in Buamholder, Germany.

A.Aguirre

2LT Adam Aguirre – Distinguished Military Grad

Commissioning Oath by: MAJ Michael Mostaghni, USAR
Pin-On by: David and Sandra Aguirre and Elena Florez-Aguirre
First Salute by: MSG Luis Gonzalez, USA

2LT Adam Aguirre graduated with a Bachelor of Integrative Studies and Innovation with a concentration in Global and National Secu rity. He received his commission as an Infantry Officer in the New Mexico Army National Guard. Upon graduation, 2LT Aguirre will report to Fort Benning, Ga. to complete his Infantry BOLC. Once complete, he will be assigned to Charlie Company, 1-200th Infantry in Rio Rancho, N.M.

R.Aguirre

2LT Ryan Aguirre – Distinguished Military Grad

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Jeffrey Meinders, USA
Pin-On by: Rafael Aguirre, Raquel Ortega, and Justine Aguirre
First Salute by: SGT Rigel Baron, USMC

2LT Ryan Aguirre graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration concentrating in Management Information Systems, a certificate in National Security & Strategic Analysis, and a minor in Military Science. He received his active-duty commission as UNM's first Cyber Warfare Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Aguirre will report to Fort Gordon, Ga. to attend Basic Officer Leader Course.

Cruz

2LT Wilbert Reyes-Cruz

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Jeffrey Meinders, USA
Pin-On by: Dennylliam Reyes­ Cruz, Wilbert Reyes-Santiago, Brianna Sanchez
First Salute by: SFC Juan Cruz, USA

2LT Wilbert Reyes-Cruz graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. He will report this summer to active duty as a chemical officer.

Sandvig

2LT Matthew Sandvig – Distinguished Military Graduate

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Erik Sevigny, (USA Ret.)
Pin-On by: Pamela and Kyle Sandvig
First Salute by: Chief Master Sergeant Barry Woosley, USAF (Ret.)

2LT Matthew Sandvig graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in General Management. He received his active-duty commission as a Medical Service Corps Officer. Upon graduation, 2LT Sandvig will report to Fort Sam Houston, Texas to complete the Medical Service Corps Basic Officer Leader Course. He has not received his duty station as of right now but is looking to get stationed in Hawaii.

Vazquez

2LT Casandra Vasquez

Commissioning Oath by: LTC Erik Sevigny, (USA Ret.)
Pin-On by: Josephine Villasenor, Alejandro Villasenor, Najullah Nurridin
First Salute by: Wendy Venerio Villasenor

2LT Casandra Vasquez graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in General Management. She received her active-duty commission as a Chemical Officer. Up­on graduation, 2LT Vasquez will report to Fort Knox, Ky. to participate in Cadet Summer training as Cadre. Then, she will report to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. for Chemical Officer Leader Course. Upon completion, she will be assigned with 2CR in Vilseck, Ger­many.

The accomplishments of these officers, and a lot of them are first generation college students, and almost all are first generation army officers, but most have a long history of military service- grandfathers, uncles, parents that are in the service - which is just really nice to see, but for most of them, this is the first time their family will see an officer commissioning ceremony. It's good for them and it's good for their families to see it,” said Meinders.

Several remarks were given as part of the ceremony including opening remarks from Lt. Col. Jeffrey Meinders, Guest Speaker Col. Jeff Younggren (USA, Ret.), husband of UNM President Garnett S. Stokes, and the degree presentation was given by Dr. Tim Gutierrez. The commissioning itself was follwed by a benediction and the Army song. 

UNM has a long ROTC history hosting Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs from each of the military services – Army, Air Force and Navy (with Marine Corps). UNM is one of two Hispanic Serving Institutions in the nation with all three ROTC Host Programs. The UNM ROTC program was a manned partner of New Mexico State University from 1987 to 1995 and was re-established as a host program in 2003. It’s mission is to commission officers into the United States Army as Second Lieutenants who will go on to serve the nation in the active Army, Army National guard or Army Reserve. With this year’s commissioning class, the UNM Army ROTC program has commissioned 303 officers since 1987.

For more information, visit Army ROTC.