GMC News
Early Commissioning Cadets Air-Assault into Milledgeville
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By: Janeen Garpow (478-445-2035)
Source: MAJ Fred Eaton (478-445-2730)
GMC Early Commissioning Cadets Air-Assault into Milledgeville
(Milledgeville, GA) April 13, 2005 – Georgia Military College finished its capstone field training exercise at Fort Gordon Military Reservation, March 31 – April 3, with an Air-Assault mission, via UH-1 Huey helicopter, back into Milledgeville, GA. The GMC Early Commissioning Program (ECP) cadets received three days of training on land navigation techniques and squad tactics. The exercise was conducted with the University of Georgia and Georgia Southern and 185 cadets participated in the advanced-level training with Georgia Military College and its partnership college, Mercer University; both schools combined sent a total of 51 cadets.
Georgia Military College Cadets were provided transportation on the UH-1 helicopters by the Georgia Army National Guard 148th MED EVAC, from Winder, GA. According to MAJ Fred Eaton, GMC Military Science, “For many of the Georgia Military College ECP cadets this experience with tactical helicopters was a first. The ECP cadets were preparing for their Leadership Development Advance Course at Fort Lewis, WA, later in the summer. This training determines if they have the “right stuff” to meet the mental and physical challenges of becoming a commissioned officer after two years of college at GMC.”
Cadet Heath Lewis the ECP Commander at Georgia Military College prepared the training, along with his cadet staff, to insure successful field training exercises. As quoted by GMC Professor of Military Science, MAJ Tom Hall, “Cadet Lewis has continued to display all of the attributes that our institution is looking for. Lewis was instrumental in the planning and executing of all tasks related to this exercise.”
Cadet Lewis will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army on May 27th of this year at GMC along with nineteen of his peers.
Georgia Military College is one of only five colleges in the country where young men and women can receive a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in two years. Cadets must then attend a four-year university to obtain an undergraduate degree and proceed to Officer Basic Course for approximately five months to learn the skills that will make them successful in their assigned branches. These commissioned lieutenants are required to serve four years on active duty as officers in the United States Army.
Pictured: Top, l-r, Nathaneal Ramos, Teala Watson, Vonalston Ray, Marcus Ruzek, Kenneth Quirk, Kristopher Harshman, Justin Ross; Bottom, l-r, Robert Stewart, Matthew Shomaker.
Photos by MAJ Fred Eaton.
