As graduating seniors embark upon new and possibly uncertain chapters of their lives, 105 students graduating from Texas A&M University’s ROTC program will enter the U.S. Armed Forces as second lieutenants.
Kevin Abbott, senior political science major and member of Squadron 21, will be commissioned as an Air Force officer and will enter the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program.
With military service in his family’s history, Abbott said he has always wanted to join the military.
“I’m obviously really excited about it,” Abbott said. “It has always been my goal and my dream to go to pilot training and be an officer in the Air Force. My grandfather was a pilot in WWII, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
Thomas Sujack, senior political science major and member of Squadron 4, will be commissioned as a U.S. Army officer. Sujack said he is looking forward to graduating but dreads leaving behind his Corps friends.
“My buddies and I are all splitting up and going separate ways just like any other college group,” Sujack said. “Military wise, I am pretty excited. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
Sujack said he hopes he will be stationed near his fiancee, Holly Scott, who is a graduating senior at A&M pursuing a graduate degree this fall.
“I’d like to end up at Fort Campbell for obvious reasons,” Sujack said. “It is 40 minutes away from Vanderbilt and that’s where Holly is going to be. There are opportunities there too. Being a part of the 101st Airborne would be exciting and getting to do air assault school would be pretty cool too.”
Ariel Clay, senior political science major and member of Squadron 21, will be awarded commission as a Air Force logistics officer just three hours after walking the stage at her graduation ceremony.
“I am excited for what is coming up, but I’m not going to lie, I’m kind of nervous,” Clay said. “The job that I got slotted, which is logistics, as a second lieutenant you get leadership right off the bat. There are only a few jobs where you get that.”
Clay said graduation and commissioning fulfills a lifelong goal of hers, one that she could not be more excited for.
“For me it is hard to describe the joy that I feel knowing that I will be serving in the military for my country. That sounds like such a corny line, but it is true,” Clay said. “I’m finally getting to have my dream. I’m finally getting my bars pinned on. I’m finally getting to walk across that stage as a college graduate.”