The South Carolina National Guard conducted a ceremony for the Palmetto Military Academy Officer Candidate School graduation at McCrady Training Center in Eastover on Aug. 14. The ceremony recognized the completion of the program for Class 72 and their commissioning into the South Carolina National Guard. Retired U.S. Army Col. William Harvey Shackelford was the guest speaker for the ceremony.
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Tim Andrews, South Carolina National Guard
EASTOVER — The South Carolina National Guard conducted a ceremony for the graduates of the South Carolina National Guard Palmetto Military Academy (PMA) class 72, officer candidate school (OCS) under the 218th Regional Training Institute at McCrady Training Center in Eastover on Aug. 14.
Retired U.S. Army Col. William Harvey Shackelford was the guest speaker for the ceremony. Shackelford, of Newberry, is a veteran with over 30 years of military service, 25 of those years as a full-time officer in the South Carolina National Guard. He was also a graduate of the South Carolina National Guard PMA class 1 in 1951.
Shackelford discussed the importance of officers setting the example and standard for their soldiers, and their obligation to always give them no less than their very best. He told the candidates how PMA has developed into a premier officer candidate school that has produced hundreds of officers for the South Carolina National Guard.
Shackelford urged the candidates to always be ready for opportunities for advancement and new assignments that can occur suddenly and unexpectedly, as well as stressed the importance of mentors in their careers.
“I was fortunate to have several exceptional officer mentors, and some wise old sergeants who taught me many important things — No one is successful without the influence of mentors,” said Shackelford.
Shackelford added that his decision to attend PMA was one of the best he ever made and told the candidates he believed their decision to attend would prove to be one of the best they would ever make.
Following his address, the U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers graduating OCS were administered the commissioning oath and were pinned as second lieutenants in the South Carolina National Guard.
PMA is the second oldest OCS in the nation, operated by the National Guard. PMA trains and evaluates select U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers in the fundamentals of leadership and basic military skills, evaluates their leadership abilities, instills professional ethics, and commissions those who qualify as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army National Guard.
South Carolina National Guard officer candidate school graduates:
• Caliphor Fagan, Quartermaster, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 751st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
• J. Cody Garrett, Military Intelligence, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment.
• Katherine Harker, Aviation, Company A, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment.
• Tirzah Hopp, Armor, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment.
• Jeremiah Jones, Adjutant General, 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.
• Dalton Kolodziej, Air Defense Artillery, Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 263rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
• Joshual McFadden, Transportation, deferring commission.
• Asia Moses, Quartermaster, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 751st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
• John Robbins, Field Artillery, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 178th Field Artillery Regiment.
• Joseph Shimko, Quartermaster, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 751st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.
• Jordan Smith, Transportation, 1052nd Transportation Company, 1050th Transportation Battalion.
• Cathleen Walkersalazar, Engineer, 124th Engineer Company, 122nd Engineer Battalion.
• James Wilson, III, Ordnance, 742nd Maintenance Company, 751st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.