Friday, August 28, 2009 9:09 PM CDT
ROTC graduates gain officer's bars
By HERB MEEKER, Staff Writer
hmeeker@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON -- Clay Webster comes from a Paris family with a long military tradition.
His grandfather, Cary Webster, served in the Army’s 33rd Infantry Division during World War II. Nearly 30 years later, Clay’s father, Richard served with the Army’s 196th Light Infantry in Vietnam. Then 20 years later, older brothers, Randy and Justin, served with the First Cavalry Division in the Persian Gulf War.
“When his brothers were over there, Clay would be looking at maps and marking different things on them,” said Richard.
Then Clay joined the Illinois Army National Guard and went to Iraq with the 1544th Transportation Company a few years ago. Just like his brothers he was welcomed home as a hero.
But Clay wanted a little more military experience. After completing the Eastern Illinois University ROTC courses this year, Webster qualified to become a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
“He’s the first one in our family to become an officer. We’re all Army here. I’m very proud of him going the full route,” Richard said after Thursday’s commissioning ceremony in which 2nd Lt. Brianne Lanthrip of Hillsboro also received her gold bars.
“I wanted my family here for the ceremony. It was very important to me,” said Webster after playing with his nephews and niece. His younger sister, Cari Williams, a mother, couldn’t attend because she is serving with the Indiana Army National Guard in Iraq.
Eastern ROTC Commander Lt. Col. Stephen Knotts said it is important to add the family element to the commissioning and pinning ceremonies.
“It shows there is someone to support them along the way,” Knotts said as the new officers, their loved ones and ROTC cadets gathered at the campus pond pavilion on a perfect summer afternoon.
“The camaraderie with everybody here is fantastic. Everybody protects everybody,” said Ron Lanthrip, who helped with placing his daughter’s lieutenant bars with the help of his wife, Joan.
That is comforting with the possibility of deployment to combat zones.
The Websters are used to it, but it will be a new experience for the Lanthrips if their daughter receives those orders.
Another part of Thursday’s ceremony involved the silver dollar salute where a new officer accepts the first salute from a non-commissioned officer and then hands over a shiny coin. The ritual dates back more than 200 years in the American military, Knotts said.
Lanthrip chose MSgt. John Boxrucker to offer her the first salute. She felt he deserved it because he kept her on the right path in ROTC at Eastern.
“He was always offering advice, guidance and kicking my butt,” she said with smile.
Both new officers face new orders. Lanthrip, assigned to a military police unit out of St. Louis, hopes to complete some art education classes as her assignments are finalized.
“When I was in high school I took as much art as I could. I drew art on the wall and every place. I would like to get a degree and teach art someday. But right now I’m waiting on orders,” she said.
Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.
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Mama says wrote on Aug 29, 2009 10:03 AM: