The Wisconsin National Guard gained 12 officers and six warrant officers during an Oct. 16 ceremony at the 426th Regiment (Regional Training Institute), which houses the Wisconsin Military Academy.

The newly minted officers and warrant officers will now become junior leaders in the ranks of Wisconsin Army National Guard units after completing a rigorous commissioning program through Officer Candidate School and Warrant Officer Candidate School.

Col. Carl Meredith, commander of the 426th Regiment, congratulated the officers and warrant officers, and expressed the meaning of the course they had just completed.

“It may not seem like it today, but as the time passes you will reflect on the time and experiences shared this past year,” Meredith said. “These experiences will have had a profound impact on you and will shape you forever.  As you embark as a leader, always remember that it is a privilege to serve.”

Brig. Gen. Joane Mathews, Wisconsin’s deputy adjutant general for Army, emphasized how the officers are entering one of the most rewarding periods of their military careers.

“You are here today because you are already an accomplished Soldier,” Mathews said. “You stood out from your peers and rose to the top, which is why you were selected to become a leader in this organization. But this is not the end. It is the beginning.”

“Each of you are capable of extraordinary things,” she added. “You have been selected to be future officers and warrant officers because you have the drive and capacity needed for these vital roles within our organization.”

Retired Brig. Gen. Kenneth Koon, who once served as the Wisconsin National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for readiness and training, was the keynote speaker for this event and spoke about how he believes the officers are entering the officer corps at a defining point in our nation’s history.

“You are perpetuating a profession that is one of the most highly respected and trusted professions,” Koon said. “Unlike ever before, our Soldiers can affect strategic decisions at the national level by their personal conduct.”

Mathews administered the oath of office to the graduates accepting their commission before they were pinned with their new ranks as either second lieutenants or warrant officer ones, and each new officer received their first salute as commissioned officers and warrant officers from current or former enlisted members of the military.

 

Newly commissioned officers include:

 

2nd Lt. Brooke Bougie, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, assigned to 132nd Brigade Support Battalion

2nd Lt. Amado Daruich-Camacho, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment

2nd Lt. Alexandra Feltmeyer, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, assigned to 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

2nd Lt. Mitchell Hanson, of Madison, Wisconsin, assigned to 273rd Engineer Company

2nd Lt. Jerl Johnson, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, assigned to 357th Signal Company

2nd Lt. Joseph Linn, of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, assigned to 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion

2nd Lt. Robert Melgren Jr., of Sparta, Wisconsin, assigned to 132nd Brigade Support Battalion

2nd Lt. Christopher Pedersen, of River Falls, Wisconsin, assigned to 135th Medical Company

2nd Lt. Ryan Regelman, of Wausau, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 105th Calvary Regiment

2nd Lt. Adam Sislo, of River Falls, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment

2nd Lt. Tristin Studer, of Osceola, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment

2nd Lt. Christina Whitney, of Appleton, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment

 

Newly commissioned warrant officers included:

 

Warrant Officer 1 Jakob Brouillette, of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Battalion

Warrant Officer 1 Emily Ferries, of Madison, Wisconsin, assigned to 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

Warrant Officer 1 Jeffrey Koch, of Brookfield, Wisconsin, assigned to 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

Warrant Office 1 Jed Meidam, of Shawano, Wisconsin, assigned to 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery Regiment

Warrant Officer 1 John Peterson, of Milwaukee, assigned to 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Battalion

Warrant Officer 1 Brenton Shoener, of McFarland, Wisconsin, assigned to Det. 1, Company B, 638th Aviation

Print Friendly, PDF & Email