OLD BETHPAGE, New York--Five New York Army National Guard Soldiers took the oath of office as second lieutenants during a ceremony conducted at the Museum of American Armory in Old Bethpage on August 7, 2022.
The five recently completed the joint Officer Candidate School, or OCS for short, run by the New York Army National Guard’s 106th Regional Training Institute for both the New York and Connecticut Army National Guard.
Major General Michele Natali, the assistant adjutant general, Army, administered the oath of office to the new lieutenants, as they stood surrounded by the historic collection’s tanks and armored vehicles.
“As you embark upon your careers as the newest leaders of that large force, next to the day you enlisted in the army, this day is probably the most important day of your military career,” Natali said.
Receiving their commissions were:
• 2nd Lt. Joel Samuel, a Soldier with 11 years of service in the U.S. Army Reserve from Seldon, New York, who was commissioned in the Signal Corps and will serve in the 42nd Infantry Division Signal Company. In civilian life, Samuel is a mechanical engineer working for the Army Corps of Engineers.
• 2nd Lt. Nathan Guynup, from Rensselaer, New York, who enlisted directly into the Officer Candidate School Program. He was commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer and will be assigned to the 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion. In civilian life he is a supervisor at Owens Corning.
• 2nd Lt. Dylan Stevenson, a New York City resident, who enlisted directly into the Officer Candidate School Program. He was commissioned as in Artillery and is assigned to the 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery. He is a corporate and investment banker with Wells Fargo Financial Services.
• 2nd Lt. Ninad Shah, from Whitestone, Queens, who enlisted directly into Officer Candidate School, and was commissioned as a Signal Corps officer and is assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division Signal Company. He is a financial examiner with the New York State Department of Financial Services in civilian life.
• 2nd Lt. Juan Cordova, from Brooklyn, who previously served in the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery. He has been commissioned as a Military Police officer and assigned to the 107th Military Police Company. In civilian life he is a project manager for a New York contractor.
Staff Sgt. Andrea Faye Estacio, who is assigned to the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion completed the course but opted not to accept a commission immediately.
The OCS course takes 15 months of field and classroom training at both Camp Smith Training Site and Camp Niantic in Connecticut over many weekends, said Major Michael Sicinski, whose 2nd Battalion of the 106th RTI, oversees the course.
The training finished with two weeks at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, he said.
In his remarks Sicinski urged the new lieutenants to work closely with their sergeants and to maintain their integrity above everything else.
“Always do the right thing even when no one is looking,” Sicinski said.
“It’s the one thing that your Soldiers can not fault you for doing.”
Stevenson, the top student in the class, was recognized with an Army Achievement Medal and an eagle statuette.
“For the cadre to give me that honor, I'm very proud of that and very privileged to have received it,” Stevenson said, “I hope to prove, in time, worthy of their support.”
Following the ceremony each new officer received a first salute from an enlisted person who was a friend or relative.
Date Taken: | 08.18.2022 |
Date Posted: | 08.18.2022 13:10 |
Story ID: | 427522 |
Location: | OLD BETHPAGE, NEW YORK, US |
Web Views: | 212 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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