The commissioning ceremony is the culmination of the ROTC program that the cadets undertook while studying at the University of Guam. 

The two cadets who earned their commission as U.S. Army second lieutenants are: 

• Emmanuel Ron Yap Bulaklak
  Signal Corps Officer, Massachusetts Army National Guard
  Bachelor of Science in Biology
  2016 Graduate of Marianas High School in Saipan
• Justin Ralph Gannaban Cayading
  Medical Service Corps Officer, Active Duty,
  Branch Detailed for Infantry Service Bachelor of Science in Health Science, Concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy 2014
  Graduate of Marianas High School in Saipan

The cadets developed their leadership skills in the ROTC classroom and field training environments, and the hallmark of the ROTC curriculum is the real-world application of the leadership instruction. The cadets also participated in military training courses in the continental United States to enhance their abilities to lead people in challenging environments. 

“Emmanuel and Justin are emblematic of the incredibly well-rounded leaders we have in our program, and they will make great officers,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Anderson, the professor of military science at the University of Guam. “Their problem-solving skills, honed in the rigorous STEM environments of the bio-med and health sciences programs at UOG, will give them a significant advantage over their officer peers, and I have no doubt that they will make lasting impacts as sons of the Mariana Islands.” 

The University of Guam ROTC program was established in October 1979 and is celebrating more than 40 years of producing dynamic leaders for the Mariana Islands, Micronesia, and the United States.