Photo By Carlos Cuebas | Cadet Juan Merced Jaipersad, a native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, graduated from Officer...... read more read more
FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO – Cadet Juan Merced Jaipersad, a native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, graduated from Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, Georgia, April 5.
During the ceremony, Merced’s wife, Julyannie Santiago, and his mother, Deena Jaipersad, had the honor of pinning the new rank on Merced. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Emanuel Reyes Fernández delivered the first salute to the newly commissioned officer.
Merced has nine years of prior service, having served as Fort Buchanan’s religious affairs non-commissioned officer before being selected for OCS.
"My experience as an enlisted member of the U.S. Army motivated me to pursue this path for greater leadership and professional challenges. I aimed to challenge myself and make a more significant impact on soldiers and the Army's mission. Officer responsibilities are different from those of enlisted soldiers, and I am dedicated to being an officer who can effectively lead my troops," Merced stated.
Merced’s journey to becoming an officer was not an easy one.
"I began the federal OCS enrollment process by visiting a recruiter. Initially, I had to increase my Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Technical (GT) score from 100 to 110. I then requested the Army to release me from Active Guard Reserve status so that I could visit the Military Entrance Processing Station and attend training at Fort Benning. The past twelve weeks were challenging, but with support and perseverance, I am now Second Lieutenant Merced," he remarked.
Maj. Joseph F. Okpe, Fort Buchanan’s command chaplain and Merced’s former supervisor, shared encouraging words for the new lieutenant.
"Becoming an officer is a testament to Merced’s dedication and leadership. I am confident he will inspire those around him and lead with integrity and compassion. I am proud of him and look forward to his contributions to the Army,” said Okpe.
Merced’s graduation from OCS exemplifies how the Army fosters a sense of purpose through personal growth and professional development, empowering soldiers to be part of something greater than themselves and be all they can be.
With this in mind, Sgt. 1st Class Eric Santana, a career counselor in the Army Reserve Career Group, emphasized the importance of career counselors in the OCS application process.
“Soldiers must contact their career counselor, as each unit has a dedicated career counselor assigned to assist them. The first step for soldiers applying for OCS is to reach out to their unit’s career counselor. By doing so, the counselor can determine if the soldier meets the requirements for OCS and fill out a referral form, enabling the soldier to begin the process of completing and submitting their application packet,” advised Santana.
OCS is one of four paths to becoming a commissioned officer in the Army. It offers intensive military tactical training and prepares cadets for careers in various fields, including engineering, finance, mechanics, communications, and more. For more information about OCS, visit https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your-path/army-officers/ocs.
With an annual budget of over $500 million, Fort Buchanan serves a military community of approximately 15,000 active-duty, Reserve, National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve personnel. Fort Buchanan's mission is to serve as a readiness enhancement platform and facilitate the deployment of military personnel to any place at any time.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 15:08 |
| Story ID: | 495040 |
| Location: | PR |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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