EWU Army ROTC Holds 2019 Branching Ceremony for Commissioning Cadets

On December 5, 2019 the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles” Battalion hosted a Branching Ceremony at Cadet Hall.  The ceremony was held to recognize the 18 seniors from the EWU ROTC Class of 2020 by officially pinning on to their Cadet uniforms the branch the Army recently assigned them.  To help pin on the branch insignia and recognize the Cadets being pinned were various alumni and friends of the EWU Army ROTC program, who either attended or participated via video.

The US Army has 17 different branches for Cadets to compete for. Being selected into one of the branches is the culmination of an assessment process that begins from the very first day a Cadet enters the ROTC program.

Combat ArmsCombat SupportCombat Service SupportSpecial Branches
Air Defense Artillery
Chemical Corps
Adjutant General
Army Nurse
Armor Corps
Military Intelligence
Finance Corps
Medical Service
Aviation
Military Police
Ordnance Corps
Corps of Engineers
Signal Corps
Quartermaster
Field Artillery
Transportation
Infantry

The Army’s accessions process ranks all Cadets across the nation based off of factors such as their GPA, physical fitness test score, Advanced Camp performance, volunteer work, Color Guard participation, Ranger Challenge team, etc.  During the beginning of their senior year, Cadets rank in order of preference which of the 17 branches in the Army they want to assess into. The Army’s accessions process then uses the various factors mentioned to help decide which branch they will receive.  EWU Army ROTC continues to score well above the Cadet Command average with the vast majority of our Cadets receiving their number one branch choice.


Transportation Corps

Jazmin Castrejon

The first Cadet to pin on their branch insignia during the ceremony was Cadet Jazmin Castrejon who branched into the Transportation Corps. Transportation officers are responsible for moving people, equipment, and supplies around the world by sea, air, and land. To pin the Cadet Castrejon was former Transportation officer and retired Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Mellick from the EWU ROTC class of 1967.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Retired LTC Jerry Mellick from the EWU ROTC class of 1967 pins the Transportation Corps insignia on to Cadet Castrejon.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Jazmin Castrejon and retired LTC Jerry Mellick.


Ordnance Corps

Megan Anderson

The next Cadet to receive their branch was Megan Anderson who branched into the Ordnance Corps.  Ordnance officers are responsible for the maintenance of Army weapon systems, ammunition, missiles, and vehicles.  Via a video presentation, fellow Ordnance officer, 2nd Lieutenant Tyler Bergman from the EWU Class of 2019 congratulated Cadet Anderson on receiving her branch and what it means to be a Ordnance officer.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Megan Anderson is pinned her Ordnance Corps insignia by EWU Army ROTC Professor of Military Science, LTC Jonathan Stafford.

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2nd Lieutenant Tyler Bergman congratulates Cadet Megan Anderson via video during the 2019 EWU Army ROTC Branching Ceremony.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Megan Anderson pictured with EWU Army ROTC Professor of Military Science, LTC Jonathan Stafford.


Chemical Corps

Joseph Jordan

Cadet Joseph Jordan was not able to attend the ceremony, but he branched into the Chemical Corps.  The Chemical Corps is the branch of the United States Army tasked with defending against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons.  Some branches do not need as many 2nd Lieutenants as others, thus Cadet Jordan will spend approximately 3-4 years in the Chemical Corps before transferring to his control branch which is the Signal Corps. This is called serving a branch detail.

Joseph Jordan – Branch detail Chemical; control branch of Signal Corps


Armor

Robert Wheeler

Jameson Palmer
(Distinguished 
Military Graduate)

Cadets Robert Wheeler and Jameson Palmer both branched into Armor.  Armor’s mission is to close with and destroy the enemy using fire, maneuver, and shock action in armored vehicles.  Cadet Palmer was not able to attend the ceremony, but Cadet Wheeler was pinned on his Armor insignia by LTC Stafford.  Cadet Wheeler is also serving a branch detail and once complete with his 3-4 years in Armor he will transfer over to the Signal Corps.  Besides branching Armor, Cadet Palmer was also selected as a Distinguished Military Graduate which means he ranked in the Top 20% of Cadets across the nation.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Robert Wheeler is pinned his Armor insignia by Professor of Military Science LTC Jonathan Stafford.

Cadet Jameson Palmer was unable to attend the ceremony, but was also branched into Armor.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Robert Wheeler and LTC Jonathan Stafford.


Infantry

Chad Triplett
(Distinguished Military Graduate)

The next Cadet to branch was Chad Triplett into the Infantry.  Branching into the Infantry is one of the most competitive branches in the Army to be assessed into. As an Infantry officer he will be responsible for leading the infantry and combined armed forces during land combat.  Cadet Triplett was also recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate.  To pin Cadet Triplett was retired Brigadier General (BG) Neal Sealock.  BG Sealock was a 1974 graduate of EWU that commissioned as an Infantry officer through the university's ROTC program.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
BG Neal Sealock pins the Infantry crossed rifles onto Cadet Triplett.

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Via video 2nd Lieutenants from the EWU Army ROTC class of 2019 currently attending Infantry training at Ft. Benning, Georgia congratulate Cadet Triplett. (from left: 2LT Bryce Stanton, 2LT Scott Hinshaw, and 2LT Kyle Stanton)

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Chad Triplett and BG Neal Sealock.


Engineers

Marcos Sanchez

Erling Anderson
(Distinguished Military Graduate)

Samuel Coutts

The next Cadets to pin on their branch insignia were Marcos Sanchez, Erling Anderson, and Samuel Coutts who branched into the Corps of Engineers.  Cadet Erling Anderson was also recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate making him one of the Top 20% of Cadets across the nation.  An Engineer officer is responsible for providing full support to the wide range of engineering duties in the Army. They can help build structures, develop civil works programs and even provide combat support.  On hand to pin the Engineers insignia on to the Cadets were Captain Samuel Prichard and Captain Kennith Brown from the Walla Walla District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Both officers made the drive up from Walla Walla to not only pin our Cadets branching into the Engineers, but also to educate our other Cadets on hand for the ceremony of the opportunities in the Corps of Engineers.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Captain Brown pins the Engineer insignia on Cadet Marcos Sanchez.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Captain Brown pins the Engineer branch insignia on to Cadet Erling Anderson.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Captain Brown pins the Engineer branch insignia onto Cadet Samuel Coutts.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: Captain Samuel Pritchard, CDT Marcos Sanchez, CDT Erling Anderson, CDT Samuel Coutts, and Captain Kennith Brown


The next Cadets to receive their branch were Austin Pfennig and Cesar Guzman who both branched into the Signal Corps. A Signal officer is responsible for providing communications and computer capabilities to Army forces spread across the world.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
LTC Stafford pins the Signal Corps insignia on Cadet Austin Pfennig.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
LTC Stafford pins the Signal Corps insignia on Cadet Cesar Guzman.


 

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: CDT Austin Pfennig, CDT Cesar Guzman, and LTC Jonathan Stafford


Field Artillery

Cheyenne Sweet

Ian House

The next Cadets to pin their branch insignia were Cadets Cheyenne Sweet and Ian House who branched into the Field Artillery.  Cadet Sweet is branching straight into Field Artillery while Cadet House is on a branch detail for 3-4 years before transferring into his control branch of Military Intelligence.  A Field Artillery officer is able to employ indirect firepower with cannons, rockets, and missile systems. They are also able to coordinate for supporting fires from air power and naval gunfire.  On hand to pin the branches on to both Cadets were Field Artillery officers, 1st Lieutenant Miranda Munsell from the EWU Army ROTC Class of 2016 and current ROTC Cadre member Captain (Promotable) Nicholas Carbaugh.  Both Cadets additionally received a further congratulations on branching into the Field Artillery from 2nd Lieutenant Kyle Isaacson via video who is currently attending Field Artillery training at Ft Sill, Oklahoma.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Cheyenne Sweet is pinned her Field Artillery insignia by CPT(P) Nicholas Carbaugh.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Ian House is pinned his Field Artillery insignia by CPT (P) Nicholas Carbaugh.

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2nd Lieutenant Kyle Isaacson congratulates Cadets Sweet and House via video from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: 1LT Miranda Munsell, CDT Cheyenne Sweet, CDT Ian House, CPT(P) Nicholas Carbaugh.


Military Intelligence

Jacob Villasenor

Melinda Leen

The next Cadets to receive their branch was Jacob Villasenor and Melinda Leen into the Military Intelligence branch.  A Military Intelligence officer has a wide variety of functions they are responsible for.  An MI officer provides tactical intelligence, counter-intelligence, signals and reconnaissance information to support unit commanders.  To congratulate the Cadets for branching into Military Intelligence via video, was 2nd Lieutenant Haley Isaacson from the EWU Army ROTC class of 2019.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
LTC Stafford pins the Military Intelligence insignia onto Cadet Jacob Villasenor.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
LTC Stafford pins the Military Intelligence insignia on to Cadet Melinda Leen.

 

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Current Military Intelligence officer and alumni from the EWU Army ROTC class of 2019, 2nd Lieutenant Haley Isaacson congratulated Cadets Villasenor and Leen via video from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: CDT Jacob Villasenor, CDT Melinda Leen, and LTC Jonathan Stafford


Army Nurse Corps

Josiah Bryan

Sarah Mullen

The next Cadets to receive their branch were Josiah Bryan and Sarah Mullen. Both Cadets are part of the largest degree program in EWU Army ROTC, nursing.  Both will serve as healthcare professionals by branching into the Army Nurse Corps. An Army Nurse officer serves in military hospitals around the world where they will train and serve in various clinical specialties such as in the Emergency Room, Operating Room, Community Health, etc.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Josiah Bryan has his Army Nurse Corps insignia pinned by EWU Army ROTC Professor Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Stafford.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
Cadet Sarah Mullen has her Army Nurse Corps insignia pinned by EWU Army ROTC Professor Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Stafford.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: CDT Josiah Bryan, CDT Sarah Mullen, and LTC Jonathan Stafford


Air Defense Artillery

Coy Odiorne

The 18th and final Cadet to have their branch pinned was Coy Odiorne who branched into the Air Defense Artillery.  The mission of Air Defense Artillery is to protect the force and selected geopolitical assets from aerial attack, missile attack, and surveillance.  EWU Army ROTC Professor of Military Science and Air Defense Artillery officer, LTC Jonathan Stafford pinned the crossed cannons and missile insignia onto Cadet Odiorne.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
LTC Stafford pins the Air Defense Artillery insignia onto Cadet Coy Odiorne.

EWU ROTC Branching Ceremony 2019
From left: Coy Odiorne and LTC Jonathan Stafford


Following the Branching Ceremony the Cadets shared cake and drink with their fellow Cadets, alumni, university officials, friends, and family that attended the ceremony.  The EWU Army ROTC Cadre would like to thank BG(R) Neal  Sealock, LTC(R) Jerry Mellick, CPT Samuel Pritchard, CPT Kennith Brown, and 1LT Miranda Munsell for traveling to Cadet Hall to participate in the pinning ceremony.  We would also like to thank 2LT Bryce Stanton, 2LT Scott Hinshaw, 2LT Kyle Stanton, 2LT Tyler Bergman, 2LT Kyle Isaacson, and 2LT Haley Isaacson for providing videos congratulating the Cadets as well.

Leaders make time for things that are important and congratulating these Cadets on the significance of their branching shows how important it was to these great leaders.  Thank you and Go Fighting Eags!

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