Illinois National Guard Enriched by More Gold Bars

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Graduates of the Illinois' National Guard's Officer Candidate School (OCS) are sworn in as second lieutenants at the Illinois Military Academy in Springfield Aug. 21.

• 2nd Lt. Daniel R. Spencer of Carbondale, with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, a graduate of ILNG's OCS program, is pinned with his new Second Lieutenant rank by his nieces.

SPRINGFIELD, IL (08/26/2011)(readMedia)-- Story by Spc. Dan LoGrasso,139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Eighteen Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers were commissioned as second lieutenants during the Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduation ceremony at the Illinois Military Academy Aug. 21 at Camp Lincoln in Springfield.

These new officers are part of a growing trend in the Illinois Army National Guard, said Maj. Benjamin Shakman of Springfield with the 129th Regional Training Institute at Camp Lincoln. They are part of the 29 new officers who will graduate from OCS this year that is a 155 percent increase from last year's 18 graduates. Fifty officers are expected to graduate in 2012.

The Illinois OCS program has grown to be the fourth largest of 49 states that offer the OCS program.

Three classes graduate each year from Illinois. One traditional class is held one weekend a month for 16 months with two weeks of continuous annual training. Two other classes are accelerated and are completed in 57 consecutive days out of state.

The graduation ceremony for the candidates has also changed. In the past, an entire class of candidates would stand in a line on stage, swear in, and be pinned with rank as a group. Now, candidates still swear in as a group but go onto the stage individually where they are pinned with rank and receive their first salute from the people of their choosing.

At the Aug. 21 graduation ceremony, this new formula allowed for a gallery of generational service to be seen. Veterans of World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom were all present to help salute and pin the new candidates.

2nd Lt. Kimberly Schaefle of Warrenville, was even saluted by her younger sister, a private who just enlisted and is about to leave for Basic Combat Training.

Carl Crawford of Springfield, a brand new second lieutenant and 17-year veteran of the Springfield Police Department, said he and his classmates learned a lot during the course.

"Overall, the class has been very good. I think we've been prepared as well, or better than, officers from other states we trained with," said Crawford.

He also expressed his hopes for the future.

"I hope to get into the new unit and make sure that everyone comes home safe when we deploy. I have experience training police officers and I want to carry the importance of good training over into my military career," said Crawford.

The 18 newly commissioned officers are:

2nd Lt. Tristian M. Allen, of Chicago, with the 708th Medical Company

2nd Lt. John A. Christel, of Chicago, with Headquarters, Headquarters Company 2nd Battalion 130th Infantry Regiment

2nd Lt. Carl E. Crawford, of Springfield, with 233rd Military Police Company

2nd Lt. Shtoyree S. Davison of Chicago

2nd Lt. Lindsey R. Heise, of Urbana, with the 445th Chemical Company

2nd Lt. Sean M. Overlot, of Bloomington, with Headquarters, Headquarters Troop 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

2nd Lt. Steven R. Shambaugh, of Elwood, with the 1744th Transportation Company

2nd Lt. Daniel R. Spencer, of Carbondale, with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment

2nd Lt. Moses A. Woods, of Chicago, with Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery

2nd Lt. Sara B. Carr, of Champaign, with Company E, 634th Brigade Support Battalion

2nd Lt. Leslie D. Durbin, of Champaign, with the 1144th Transportation Battalion

2nd Lt. Travis C. Hilligoss, of Waukegan, with the 135th Chemical Company

2nd Lt. John L. McLaughlin, of Dixon, with Company A, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment

2nd Lt. Mark J. Munshaw, of Collinsville, with the 445th Chemical Company

2nd Lt. Elizabeth Oh, of Naperville, with the 3625th Maintenance Company

2nd Lt. Daniel S. Peet, of Palatine, with Company D, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry

2nd Lt. Alan R. Pollard, of Rockford, with Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry

2nd Lt. Kimberly J. Schaefle, of Warrensville, with 3637TH Maintenance Company

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