N.C. Guard to Commission New Officers

RALEIGH, NC (08/26/2010)(readMedia)-- The N.C. Army National Guard's 139th Regiment, N.C. Military Academy, will commission 16 new officers in a graduation ceremony set for 10 a.m. at Northwood Temple, 4250 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville, N.C., Saturday August 28.

Army Maj. Gen. William E. Ingram, Jr., the North Carolina Adjutant General, and Army Col. John A. Byrd, commander of the North Carolina National Guard's 139th Regiment (Combat Arms), are both scheduled to speak before the commissioning ceremony.

The graduation marks the end of 18 months of training for the traditional Officer Candidate School candidates in Class 52, who trained one weekend a month and completed two, two-week summer sessions. Eight Soldiers are graduating from the Accelerated Officer Candidate School program, which is a full-time, nine-week course where they receive the same skills and leadership training as in the traditional 18 week program.