Media Advisory: WVU ROTC students to be commissioned into Army

December 17th, 2009

WHAT: Six West Virginia University ROTC cadets will be commissioned as second lieutenants into the Army and enter into the Army Reserves, which includes the Army National Guard.

WHEN: Tuesday (Dec. 22), 10 a.m.

WHERE: Mountaineer Room, WVU Mountainlair

WHO: Brig. Gen. James A. Hoyer will give the commissioning address. Hoyer is director and joint staff of the West Virginia National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters in Charleston. He also serves as commander for the West Virginia National Guard Homeland Defense Joint Task Force and has worked full-time with the program since 1998.

Those being commissioned in December include:

• Anthony J. Cimorelli, Field Artillery, National Guard
• John A. Hickman, Armor, National Guard
• Steven A. Parrish, Field Artillery, National Guard
• Jared S. Schmith, Field Artillery, National Guard
• Andrew A. Smith, Signal Corps, National Guard
• Jonathan Thomas, Armor, National Guard

BACKGROUND: ROTC is a four-year program. All students who are commissioned through their participation in ROTC undergo a variety of training, during which they are evaluated on their leadership, academic and physical skills.

WVU’s ROTC program was recognized in 2007-08 as the best program in the Eastern Region of the United States and in turn was awarded the General Douglas MacArthur Award.

Approximately 15 students are expected to be commissioned in May and six in August.

-WVU-

cd/12/14/09

CONTACT: Colleen DeHart, News and Information Services
304-293-5507, Colleen.Wright@mail.wvu.edu