Photo By Maj. William Carraway | The newly commissioned 2nd lieutenants of the Georgia Military Institute’s Officer...... read more read more
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Twelve officer candidates of the Georgia Army National Guard’s Georgia Military Institute received their commissions as second lieutenants during a ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Ga. August 12, 2023. The ceremony marks the culmination of 18 months of training by ten of the officer candidates of GMI OCS Class 62 while two completed the accelerated program.
The newly commissioned lieutenants will attend follow-on training in their branch assignments before returning to their units of assignment. For some, this will be their first unit outside of basic combat training and OCS. Others have years of prior enlisted experience from which to draw in their new assignments.
During the commissioning ceremony, the new officers were administered the oath of office and pinned with their new rank. Following tradition, the new officers received their first salute from an individual of their choosing.
Second Lieutenant Manuel Girbal was recognized as the distinguished honor graduate for GMI OCS Class 62 receiving accolades for academics, leadership and physical fitness. Girbal will conduct Infantry-branch training and report to his unit of assignment, the historic Macon Volunteers – Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The Macon Volunteers, organized in 1825, served with distinction in the Seminole Wars, Civil War, both world wars, and has served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Second Lieutenant Tyler Porter achieved the highest overall academic marks in GMI OCS Class 62 and was recognized with the Roswell Hathaway III Academic Award. After completing Armor-branch training at Fort Benning, Porter will serve with the Calhoun-based 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment, an element of the 48th IBCT, which has a similarly storied record of overseas service.
The remaining graduates of GMI OCS Class 62 are:
Second Lieutenant Jonathan Cheli, Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 108th Cavalry Regiment.
Second Lieutenant Luke Cobb, 1788th Quartermaster Company.
Second Lieutenant Melani Jeanty, D-Det., 177th Engineer Battalion.
Second Lieutenant Vicenta Marshall, Company B, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion.
Second Lieutenant Simon Petron, Company C, 177th Engineer Battalion.
Second Lieutenant Raimar Rivera, 1160th Transportation Company.
Second Lieutenant William Snow, 1230th Transportation Company.
Second Lieutenant William Taylor, Headquarters Detachment, 170th Military Police Battalion.
Graduating from the accelerated OCS program:
Second Lieutenant Omar Rodriguez, Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Second Lieutenant Fortune Shaba, 221st Military Intelligence Battalion.
The Georgia Military Institute, part of the Georgia National Guard’s 122nd Regional Training Institute, serves as the officer candidate school for the Georgia Army National Guard. The traditional state National Guard OCS class commits to 18 months of training during drill weekends and two summer annual training events.
Once accepted into the Georgia National Guard OCS program, candidates are subjected to a series of academic challenges and arduous tasks to test them both physically and mentally. They train in the academics of leadership in a classroom setting and take to the field to learn small unit tactics and unit leadership. The rigorous program is designed to push officer candidates to their limit.
The Georgia Military Institute was founded in 1851 in Marietta. The original campus commissioned officers through 1864 when the institute was burned by advancing federal forces. Officers of the original GMI fought in all theaters of the American Civil War while the Cadet Battalion, comprised of GMI students fought, from Resaca to Savannah before surrendering at Augusta, Ga.
In 1891, GMI was reestablished by alumni and commissioned officers through 1898. These officers later served in the Spanish American War and World War I. The current GMI was organized in 1961 and has commissioned more than 1,200 officers who went on to serve in Vietnam, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq and Afghanistan. Alumni of GMI have risen to the highest levels of leadership with two serving as Adjutant General of Georgia.
| Date Taken: | 08.12.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2023 13:14 |
| Story ID: | 451265 |
| Location: | MARIETTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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