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<\/a><\/figure>\nI chose Second Lieutenant Mary Workman, who graduated from the UW-Stevens Point ROTC program<\/a> last year, to swear me in. She and I joined ROTC at the same time; she was a year ahead of me so she was thrown into the mix quicker than I was. She adapted to and overcame every single obstacle she was given. She has been my role model and mentor since the day I joined ROTC. She was in the top 10% of all cadets in the NATION. On top of that, she is the nicest person I know. It was a no-brainer when it came to deciding who would swear me in.<\/p>\n The next part of the ceremony was “pinning the bars.” This is where someone of your choosing comes up on stage and officially puts the second lieutenant rank on your uniform; I chose my mom, dad and brother to do this for me.<\/p>\n Finally, and perhaps the most special part of the commissioning ceremony for me, is the first salute. It’s tradition that an enlisted member of the military give you your first salute as an officer, in turn, the officer gives the enlisted member a silver dollar as a thanks. I chose my grandpa to be my first salute. He is a retired Marine and a huge influence in my life. It was such a special moment that I will never forget.<\/p>\n You can watch the entire commissioning ceremony here:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n