12 UND Army ROTC cadets to be commissioned as officers

May 7—GRAND FORKS — A dozen cadets with UND's Army Reserve Officer Training Corps will receive their commissions as officers later this week.

Cadets at UND's Army ROTC program will go onto further training in the Regular Army and several state national guards, Maj. Jared Budenski said.

"They're going to be responsible for leading America's most precious resource — their sons and daughters," Budenski said.

Cadets will receive their commissions as second lieutenants in a Friday ceremony.

They are expected to move onto training for a variety of active duty and Guard roles as infantry, armor and artillery officers, engineers, administrators and members of the Chemical Corps.

A little under half will enter active duty, while the remainder will join the Minnesota, North Dakota and Idaho Guards.

"Our ROTC continues to develop leaders of character, for both the Army and the community," Budenski said.

Budewski said the Army program had exceeded its projected share of commissions — 10 — this year. Ten received commissions during the previous year.

He also said the ROTC was attempting to recruit and retain more cadets in the future.

Grace Rhoades, an Army ROTC cadet and junior studying theater arts, said in a text message she counted around 17 cadets in her class likely to receive commissions next year.

Capt. Jonathan Banks said that the Air Force program averages around 10 graduates a year, and this year's cadets were expected to be commissioned as pilots or join the Space Force.

He directed a request for further information to a phone number for a public affairs spokesperson, who could not be reached for comment by the Herald's deadline.