Nine recent MTSU graduates were commissioned as U.S. Army second lieutenants Friday (May 11) during a formal ceremony at the Veterans Memorial outside the Tom H. Jackson Building.

U.S. Army Col. Thomas W. Von Weisenstein, Chief of the Joint Staff with the Tennessee National Guard, provided remarks, welcoming them into the next phase of their military careers.

The ceremony is a tradition for the program, which has seen them prepare for service to their country.

Those commissioned as second lieutenants included:

• Salim Altaie, a criminal justice major from Antioch, Tennessee.

• Nicholas Biggers, a criminal justice major from Smyrna, Tennessee.

• Samuel Howell, a criminal justice major from Tullahoma, Tennessee.

• Daryl Jackson, a business education major from Oakland, Tennessee.

• Antonio Johnston, an international relations major from Nashville.

• Brooklyn Kenerson, a nursing major from Gallatin, Tennessee.

• Christian Moskovitz, a business administration major from Murfreesboro.

• Zaire Murray, a criminal justice major from Hermitage, Tennessee.

• Joshua Williams, a criminal justice major from Murfreesboro.

The event marked the final formal ceremony for Lt. Col. Jackie McDowell, who received a change of assignment to Fort Knox, Kentucky, later this year. He is the chair in the MTSU Department of Military Science.

Maj. Carrick McCarthy will be the new military science chair. He assumes his position in August.

MTSU has more than 240 combined undergraduate and graduate programs. Military science is one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Top Image: Nine recent MTSU graduates were commissioned as U.S. Army second lieutenants May 11 during a formal ceremony at the Veterans Memorial outside the Tom H. Jackson Building. MTSU Department of Military Science faculty joined them for a group photo. Front row, from left: Maj. Meredith Richardson, Brooklyn Kennerson of Gallatin, Tenn., Nicholas Biggers of Smyrna, Tenn., Antonio Johnston of Nashville, Joshua Williams of Murfreesboro, Christian Moskovitz of Murfreesboro, Capt. Shallum Harris and Lt. Col. Jackie McDowell. Back row, from left, Master Sgt. Marty Hill, Capt. James Jones, Salim Altaie of Antioch, Tenn., Samuel Howell of Tullahoma, Tenn., Daryl Jackson of Oakland, Tenn., Zaire Murray of Hermitage, Tenn., and Capt. Alanda Henderson. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)