TAMIU ROTC Leader Promoted from Captain to Major

Texas A&M International University's ROTC program director and assistant professor of military science has been promoted from captain to major. (photo)

Major Ruben Irizarry Guzman's promotion was recently celebrated with a special military ceremony held at the University and attended by members of the University community including cadets, students, faculty, administrators, alumni and Irizarry Guzman's wife, Kerstin Manig.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark L. Sansing, visiting from the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Battalion, presided over the ceremony. Besides Kingsville and Laredo, the Battalion includes TAMU-Corpus Christi and Del Mar College.

In addition to promotion ceremonies for Irizarry Guzman, corps member Jorge De La Garza was pinned as Cadet First Second Lieutenant.

The TAMIU program was reactivated in 2003 after a 30-year absence. The program is shared with Laredo Community College.

It is divided into lower and upper divisions. The lower division is open to all freshmen and sophomores, but the upper division is only available to students who meet pre-requisites.

Those interested in enrolling for the upper division must be full-time students, have approximately two years remaining in their degree plan and maintain a minimum 2.0 G.P.A. They must also meet medical fitness requirements and have taken lower division courses.

Students in the program graduate under their chosen degree plan, but may choose military science as their minor, he said.

For further information about the ROTC program at TAMIU, please contact Major Irizarry Guzman at 326-2387, e-mail ririzarry@tamiu.edu, or visit offices in Student Center room 128. University office hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information about the ROTC program at LCC, please contact CPT Alfred Silva, assistant professor of military science, by calling 764-5769 or 764-5767.