MTSU cadets receive Army commissions as second lieutenants

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carrick McCarthy recently administered the Army Oath to five graduating MTSU senior cadets, who were commissioned as second lieutenants and soon begin new careers in various branches of the Army and National Guard.

“So, as you leave this program and this campus, please remember my final words,” said McCarthy, chair of the Military Science Department. “We trust you. We trust you to win our nation’s wars, to be leaders of character and competence and consequence. We trust you to leave our profession better than you found it.”

McCarthy spoke during the outdoor ceremony at the MTSU Veterans Memorial outside the Tom H. Jackson Building. The commissioning ceremony is a tradition for the ROTC program, which has seen the student cadets prepare for service to their country.

Those commissioned Tuesday, Aug. 17, as second lieutenants included:

Tanner Campbell of Smyrna, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and will be reserve duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard’s armor branch.
Daniel Diaz-McFarland of Lynchburg, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor’s in business administration (commerce) and will be active duty with the engineer branch.
Kylee Harrison of Rockvale, Tennessee. She earned a bachelor’s in fine arts (graphic design) and will be reserve duty with the military police branch of the Tennessee Army National Guard.
Nathan Jones of Acworth, Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s in aerospace (professional pilot) and will be reserve duty with the military police branch of the Tennessee Army National Guard.
James Wright of Old Fort, Tennessee. He earned a bachelor’s in aerospace and will be reserve duty with the U.S. Army Reserves.

In addition to the oath of office, the ceremonies included a welcome from McCarthy, invocation, national anthem, pinning of rank by parents, first salute and remarks from McCarthy.

To learn more about the Military Science program, call 615-898-2470 or visit https://www.mtsu.edu/arotc1/.