Florida Army National Guard officers to graduate Saturday during Camp Blanding ceremony (UNCLASSIFIED)

Aug 15 • 13 Views • View Comments

Florida Army National Guard officers to graduate Saturday during Camp Blanding ceremony (Graduates from Brevard, Broward, Pinellas, Leon, Dade, Sarasota, Alachua, Duval, Baker, Lee, Hillsborough, Bay, and Osceola Counties)

WHAT: Fifteen officer candidates of the Florida Army National Guard will graduate as the state’s newest military leaders during a formal ceremony.

WHEN: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012.

WHERE: Kennedy Bullard Armory, Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, Starke.

Officer candidates usually enter the Florida Army National Guard officer training program as enlisted Soldiers and go through a grueling 18-month school that mirrors the U.S. Army’s active duty curriculum.

The new lieutenants will join Army National Guard units to serve in leadership positions. Some will become full-time military members with the Guard while some will perform their traditional Guard role by attending unit training one weekend per month and two weeks each year.

This year Assistant Adjutant General -Army Maj. Gen. James D. Tyre will offer the keynote address during the Florida National Guard’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduation ceremony.

Officers graduating from Class 51 live in and represent communities throughout Florida. The officer candidates and their hometowns are listed below:

Class 51:

Robert Alleyne, Melbourne Carla Avellanet, Coconut Creek Joshua Campbell, St. Petersburg Octavias Daniels, Tallahassee Raymond Haar III, Cutler Bay Jeffrey Hammill, Sarasota Stephen Meinholz, Gainesville Brian Opachich, Jacksonville Michael Ozemba, Tallahassee Kyle Padgett, Macclenny Shane Robinson, Tallahassee Brandon Sugg, Cape Coral Talal Tassi, Tampa Jacob Wielock, Panama City Derek Yeager, Kissimmee

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Media coverage is highly encouraged and welcomed. Opportunities are available for interviews with the Florida National Guard leadership as well as the new lieutenants and their families. Please contact the Florida National Guard Public Affairs Office at 904-823-0166 for more information.

Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa Florida National Guard Public Affairs (904) 823-0165

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Caveats: NONE