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December 3, 2012

ULM senior to receive commission as Army Lieutenant

At 2 p.m., on Friday, Dec. 7, University of Louisiana at Monroe senior Tyler Gahagan, a construction management major from Monroe, will receive his commission as an officer, earning him the rank of Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.

The ceremony will be held on the second floor of the ULM Student Union Building in SUB Ballroom B.

The event is free and open to the public and ULM President Dr. Nick J. Bruno will be in attendance.

“Above all, I feel that my commissioning as a Second Lieutenant is a culmination of the leadership skills I have learned, as well as the sense of duty instilled in me during my time as a ULM student and an ROTC cadet,” said Gahagan.

According to Tim Connelly, instructor of military science at ULM, to commission as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) a cadet must have a college degree, with most receiving their commission when they graduate. When cadets receives their commissions, they become Army Officers.

“It’s a really big promotion,” said Connelly.

“The newly appointed officer becomes an Army leader and begins a new career path as an officer. Officers are the ‘managers’ of the Army. Their rank structure starts at 2LT and goes to General. Of those serving in the military, about 80 percent serve as enlisted soldiers, privates, and Sergeant Majors. As a young leader, officers start with a lot of responsibility and normally serve as Platoon Leader, managing a group of about 30 soldiers.”

Gahagan will graduate with the fall 2012 class on Saturday, Dec. 8.

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