Department of military science to commission UTA cadets

by PegNews wire

ARLINGTON—Nine cadets from the University of Texas at Arlington Military Science Program will be commissioned as 2nd lieutenants during the Spring 2007 Commissioning Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 12, in the Rio Grande Ballroom of the E.H. Hereford University Center, 300 W. First St. Alumnus Colonel Lester Simpson (BGS, ‘83) will be the keynote speaker.

Simpson’s battle campaigns and peacekeeping operations include Operation Joint Forge, Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom. He deployed to Bosnia in February 2000 (SFOR -7) and mobilized a second time in 2003, commanding multi-state National Guard soldiers providing homeland defense in the Pacific Northwest. He recently completed his third deployment where he served as the NATO Headquarters Commandant at Camp Butmir, Sarajevo, Bosnia.

His decorations and awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, NATO Medal Non Article 5, Adjutant General’s Individual Award, Texas Federal Service Medal, Texas Faithful Service Medal and the Military Parachutist badge.

The UT Arlington Military Science Program partners with several universities in which students complete their primary academics at the partner school and participate in the UT Arlington ROTC program at the same time. Partner schools include the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas, the University of Dallas, Southern Methodist University, Dallas Baptist University, Texas A&M Commerce, and all of the Dallas County Community Colleges.

The ceremony will be followed by a reception. For more information, contact Lt. Col. Kevin R. Smith at (817) 272-5652, or krsmith@uta.edu.

Source: UTA