Florida Tech ROTC Panther Battalion Commissions Eight New Army Second Lieutenants

new Lieutenants took commissioning oath, pinned on their new gold bars

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Florida Institute of Technology Army ROTC Panther Battalion held their Fall Ceremony to commission eight new Army Second Lieutenants on Dec. 17.

Panther Battalion members that received commissions included Jonathan Bruder, Jacob Hahn, Person Kerchner, Kasey Money, Joseph Paolucci, Gianna Petrazzulo, Kevin Taylor and Ballard Barker.

The new Lieutenants took the commissioning oath of office and pinned on their new lieutenant gold bars during the ceremony.

The Commissioning Ceremony was held outdoors at the Florida Tech Pantherium for friends and families. This was the first in-person commissioning ceremony at Florida Tech since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

They heard messages from Dr. Dwayne McCay, President of Florida Institute of Technology, and The Honorable Patrick J. Murphy, former Undersecretary of the Army and a prior Congressman from Pennsylvania.

They were also congratulated by Lt. Col. Jimmy Crook, Florida Tech Professor of Military Science and he reminded them of the responsibilities they were undertaking as commissioned officers in the Army.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Steve Bond, who is president of the Cape  Canaveral Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, also spoke at the ceremony. He congratulated the new officers on their achievement and presented them with “Gold Bars,” the rank insignia of Second Lieutenants, on behalf of MOAAC. He wished them the best of luck as they begin their journey as officers in the United States Army.

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