UNG Grads To Participate In Digital National Commissioning Friday

DAHLONEGA, GA — U.S. Army Cadet Command will live stream a national commissioning ceremony at 10 a.m. June 12 on Facebook Live and YouTube Live on all U.S. Army Cadet Command-owned social media platforms.

More than 1,000 cadets across the country participate online, including 18 from the University of North Georgia. Military graduate 2nd Lt. John Perry IV, who earned a degree in a strategic and security studies in May, will represent the University of North Georgia in the ceremony from the Brooks Pennington Jr. Military Leadership Center on the University of North Georgia's Dahlonega campus.

"It's a great honor to have been selected," he said. "I am very humbled. I think it's going to be a great experience."

The 21-year-old from Dawsonville, Georgia, was one of the 72 members of the Corps of Cadets who commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army in May. The military tradition followed social distancing guidelines because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited the number of guests at the University of North Georgia.

Greg Killeen, recruiting operations officer in the Department of Military Science at the University of North Georgia, said the live event will highlight the Army's resilience, inspire a sense of national unity and promote hope displayed through the next generation of the nation's military leaders.

"From the national perspective, it tells our citizens that they can have faith in our Army," said Killeen, a retired Army major who has worked at the University of North Georgia since 2007. "We are still conducting business and securing the nation."

Members of the public can view the ceremony on the U.S. Army Cadet Command Facebook or YouTube pages live events. U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs Office will publish hyperlinks to the live events on each page 96 hours prior to the event.

Killeen said the ceremony will show incoming freshmen and potential recruits that earning a degree and serving their country are possible, Killeen said.

"They can see that if John Perry from Dawson County can do this, they can too," he said. "He is one of their own and now he is going to join the Military Intelligence branch of the Army. It helps students envision themselves in that role."