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By Colonel Steve Bond (USA-Ret), MOAACC Army LNO

 The Florida Institute of Technology Army ROTC Panther Battalion held their spring ceremony to commission four new Army Second Lieutenants on Friday, May 3rd.  The Ceremony was held in the Hartley Room of the Student Union building on campus with families, friends, ROTC instructors, and other cadets present to witness the event.  The new Lieutenants took their commissioning oath of office and pinned on new “gold bars”—the rank insignia of Second Lieutenants in the ceremony.  Three of the new Lieutenants met the requirements to graduate from Florida Tech at the May Commencement, and one graduated from Eastern Florida State College.  In the ceremony they heard messages and congratulations from the President of Florida Tech, John Nicklow (Ph.D.) and Guest Speaker, Brigadier General Mark A. Holler (USA, Retired), former deputy commanding general for operations of 8^th US Army.

The new Army Second Lieutenants and MOAACC members are:

• José Piña— José is a 2017 graduate with honors from Heritage High School and graduated from Eastern Florida State College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management.  He was commissioned through the Florida Tech ROTC program as a Military Intelligence officer in the reserves and his first duty assignment will be at Fort Buchanan, PR. 
• James Pillow III—is a graduate of Cocoa High School.  He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Florida Tech in Strategic Communication with a minor in General Psychology and was commissioned as an active-duty Infantry Officer.  He was sworn in by LTC Joe Pavone, US Army-Retired, senior JROTC instructor at Cocoa High School.
• Jose Quiles Vazquez—initially graduated from the University of Puerto Rico and enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He received his Master of Science degree from Florida Tech in Logistics Management while completing ROTC requirements there.  He was commissioned as a Transportation Officer and his first duty assignment will be Fort Bliss, TX.
• Quinn Sellers—Quinn graduated from High School in Alabama and graduated from Florida Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing.  She received a commission as an active-duty Quartermaster Officer. 

The new Lieutenants were also congratulated by LTC Rob Stillings, Florida Tech Professor of Military Science.   The Cape Canaveral Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) was on hand to present the new Lieutenants with “Gold Bar” commissioning sets and membership in MOAA and the Cape Canaveral Chapter.  Colonel Steve Bond, US Army-Retired, Past President of the MOAACC presented the Gold Bar sets and wished the new officers luck as they begin their journey as Army officers.

Photo Caption:  New Army Lieutenants at the Florida Tech Commissioning Ceremony on May 5^th with guests and ROTC cadre.  From Left Front—BG Mark Holler (USA-Retired), New Second Lieutenants Pillow, Quiles Vazquez, Sellers, Piña; Dana Washington (FLA Tech ROTC cadre), and COL Steve Bond (USA-Retired) from MOAACC; Back Row from Left—Major Daniel Gil, CPT Zachery Smith, LTC Rob Stillings, MSG Alan Roche, Michael Johnson (all FLA Tech ROTC cadre).