From cadets to second lieutenants.

That’s the theme of Stetson’s annual U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Commissioning Ceremony. And it always lives up to both its colorful (red, white and blue mixed with Hatter green) and dramatic (perseverance and pride) billing.

On Friday, May 5, 14 ROTC cadets — graduating students — added another badge of honor. They became commissioned officers as second lieutenants during the 2023 ceremony, held on campus at Lee Chapel.

Stetson is part of the Army ROTC Eagle Battalion, which also consists of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona State College and Bethune-Cookman University. Their ceremonies were held separately.

The Eagle Battalion enjoyed an especially successful year — in January having been presented the 2021-2022 Douglas MacArthur Award as one of the top ROTC programs in the nation. Only eight of 274 ROTC programs nationally were awarded. The Eagle Battalion, consisting of more than 250 cadets, ranked tops in the Southeast region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Puerto Rico). 

In addition, another Stetson student is set to be commissioned on May 7, when Jordan Sagl becomes a second lieutenant at the 2023 commissioning ceremony for the Air Force ROTC Detachment 157, to be held at Embry-Riddle. The AFROTC Detachment 157 encompasses cadets from Stetson, Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona State University, the University of Central Florida-Daytona and Embry-Riddle (host school).

At the podium on stage in Lee Chapel for Stetson’s Army ROTC ceremony, Lt. Col. Jerome Reitano (Army Aviation and Military Intelligence), head of the Eagle Battalion, lauded the university for the commitment to its mission of a “creative community where learning and values meet, and to foster in students the qualities of mind and heart that will prepare them to reach their full potential as informed citizens of local communities and the world.”

“There is something special about this school,” said Reitano, who in 2006 was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Aviation branch from Embry-Riddle.

Also, he joked, noting, “If you take a look at these Hatters who are sitting in front of you, you’re probably thinking what I’ve been thinking: ‘Wow, how did this group make it?’”

Notably, Stetson President Christopher F. Roellke was sitting on the stage. His nephew, James Roellke, was among the cadets being commissioned (as a Distinguished Military Graduate).

Following Reitano, Stetson’s guest speaker, Ret. Col. Matthew Karres, spoke about readiness. He is the father of Garrett Karres, also one of Stetson’s graduating cadets.

“The key is readiness — your professional, your mental and your physical readiness. … You must be ready to experience combat, and you must expect it to happen,” said Matthew Karres, a 1990 graduate of The Citadel, where he was commissioned into the Infantry and began a career of leadership in Desert Storm, along with multiple operational deployments to Africa and Bosnia.

He described his earliest days: “I’m not going to lie; I was scared to death. I simply did not know what to expect because of the uncertainty I was facing.”

Ultimately, he succeeded. Karres’ awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, the Order of Saint Maurice from the National Infantry Association and the Order of Saint Philip Neri from the Special Forces Association, among others. He retired from active duty in 2014 after 24 years of service and has served in numerous private sector roles, and now serves as the director of SOCOM Programs for the L3Harris Communications Systems Business Segment.

Karres encouraged the graduating cadets, stating “You will be ready, too.”

Finally, it was time to salute Stetson’s newly commissioned second lieutenants. They praised their families, friends, instructors and fellow cadets. And they thanked their lucky stars for making it all the way through the ROTC program. Hugs were plentiful. Then, in the end, they turned their attention to stars of another kind — the U.S. flag.

Stetson’s New Second Lieutenants

Army ROTC

Mia E. Naaktgeboren

• Hometown: Arlington Heights, Illinois
• Bachelor of Arts, Education: Elementary Education
• National Guard, Quartermaster Corps

Christopher J. Pollack

• Hometown: Tampa, Florida
• Bachelor of Arts, History
• Active Duty, Field Artillery

Eric J. Santiago

• Hometown: Bronx, New York
• Bachelor of Arts, Marketing
• Active Duty, Quartermaster Corps

Waverly A. Mayo

• Hometown: Fernandina Beach, Florida
• Bachelor of Science, Psychology
• National Guard, Armor

Maxwell J. McCullough

• Hometown: St. Augustine, Florida
• Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance
• Army Reserve, Finance Corps

Kaelyn-Rose S. Miranda

• Hometown: Deltona, Florida
• Bachelor of Arts, English
• Army Reserve, Quartermaster Corps

Madelyn M. Murphy

• Hometown: Merritt Island, Florida
• Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences
• Active Duty, Medical Service Corps

Steven A. Fusco

• Hometown: Naples, Florida
• Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences
• Active Duty, Quartermaster Corps

Charlotte A. Kard

• Hometown: Deleon Springs, Florida
• Bachelor of Science, Sociology
• Active Duty, Chemical Corps

Jazlyn B. Garcia

• Hometown: Bowie, Maryland
• Bachelor of Science, Biology
• Army Reserve, Signal Corps

Garrett M. Karres

• Hometown: New Smyrna Beach, Florida
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• National Guard, Medical Service Corps

Charles I. Drummond

• Distinguished Military Graduate
• Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi  
• Bachelor of Arts, Religious Studies
• Active Duty, Armor

James M. Roellke

• Distinguished Military Graduate
• Hometown: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
• Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
• Active Duty, Signal Corps

Kelly L. Zarembski

• Distinguished Military Graduate
• Hometown: Orlando, Florida
• Bachelor of Science, Biology
• Active Duty, Medical Service Corps

Note: Distinguished Military Graduates are designated by their professor of military science on the basis of high scholarship, evidence of high moral character, military aptitude and demonstrated leadership ability.

Air Force ROTC Detachment 157

Jordan Sagl

• Hometown: Littleton, Massachusetts
• Bachelor of Bachelor of Business Administration, Management
• Active Duty, Aircraft Maintenance Officer