UD ROTC Commissions Cadets
May 9, 2012 | University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
Ten U.S. Army ROTC cadets will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants during a May 10, 2012 ceremony at the University of Dubuque. The ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. in Steffens Hall of the Charles and Romona Myers Center, and will feature Colonel Timothy Higgins as the keynote speaker.
"Commissioning is the culmination of a two-year to four-year process for our cadets," said Colonel (Ret) Daniel Kammiller, senior military advisor to Eagle Company. "These students have volunteered to endure the countless early morning physical fitness sessions and many weekend leadership training events during the sometimes extreme Iowa weather, all in an effort to attain peak physical fitness levels and to develop themselves to be the best officers possible. They have earned the privilege and been groomed to respect and honor the great responsibility of becoming the leaders of our sons and daughters in the ever-changing and often dangerous Current Operational Environment found in today's army."
Cadets being commissioned are: Trenton Burgess, Iowa Army National Guard - Aviation, flight operations major, son of Robert and Diane Burgess of Donnellson, Iowa; Travis Dahlgren, Active Duty - Armor, criminal justice/sociology major, son of Dan and Valerie Dahlgren of Belle Plaine, Iowa; Steven Farrell, Iowa National Guard - Armor, computer graphics and interactive media major, son of Michael and Paulette Farrell of Coldwater, Michigan; Emmett Glasbrenner, Active Duty - Infantry, sociology/criminal justice major, son of Leon Glasbrenner and Becky Griswold of Boscobel, Wisconsin; Kristopher Higgins, Active Duty - Transportation, criminal justice major, son of Timothy and Debra Higgins of Sanford, North Carolina; Christopher Matteson, Active Duty - Aviation, aviation management and flight operations major, son of William and Katherine Matteson of Janesville, Wisconsin; Amanda Munson, Active Duty - Nurse, nursing major, daughter of Rick and Christina Ernst of Bellevue, Iowa; Patricia Payton, Active Duty - Transportation, communication major, daughter of Kim Gillen of Waterloo, Iowa; Sunny Petery, Active Duty - Ordnance, sociology/criminal justice major, daughter of Jody and Clarissa Petery of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania; and Quincy Senatus, US Army Reserve - Signal Corp, master of arts in communication major, son of Joyce Harris of Sebastian, Florida.
Keynote speaker, Colonel Timothy J Higgins, was commissioned an Infantry Officer in December 1989 through ROTC at California State University at Sacramento. He transitioned to the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps in 1994.
His operational experience spans over two decades with a host of assignments in the Army's Light Infantry forces, and Military Intelligence Corps. His time as a Lieutenant includes duty as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Support Platoon Leader , Rifle Company Executive Officer and Battalion S4 in the 25 Infantry Division (Light), at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
As a Captain, he served as a Brigade S2 with the 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne), Assistant Battalion S3 with the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion (Airborne) and the HHC Company Commander for 519th Military Intelligence Battalion (Airborne). During his tenure as a Company Commander the 519 MI Battalion was deployed in support of Peace Enforcement operations in Bosnia in 1997. Additionally, he served as a BN S2 and Military Intelligence Company Commander Observer Controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk Louisiana from 1998-2001.
While a Major, he served with 1st Armored Division from 2002-2005, in Wiesbaden Germany. During this period he served as the Division's Analysis Control Element Chief, and deployed with the Division in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Baghdad, Iraq. After redeployment from Iraq in 2004 he served as the 501MI Battalion Executive Officer. Following his assignment with 1st Armored Division he transitioned to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) in Rheindale Germany from 2005-2009. He initially served as the Corps Collection Manager and deployed with the ARRC to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2007 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this combat tour he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel . Upon redeployment he transitioned to be the Corps Analysis Control Element Chief. In 2008 he was selected to be the G2 for 1st Armored Division and transitioned back to 1st Armored Division in 2009 as the Division G2. In 2010 the Division deployed back to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. He left 1st Armored Division in March of 2011 and was assigned as the Senior Intelligence Officer for Operations Group, at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California. He is currently the Deputy Commander of Operations Group, at the National Training Center.
Colonel Higgins' civilian education includes a Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University at Sacramento, a Masters of Science in Operations Arts and Science from the Air Command and Staff College, a Masters of Arts in International Relations from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor degree from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento. His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic Course, the Military Intelligence Captains Career Course, the Army TENCAP Course, the Naval Collection Managers Course, the Air Command and Staff College and attendance at the Joint Warfighter College.
His awards include the Bronze Star Medal with 2 OLCs, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 OLC, the Meritorious Service Medal with 3 OLCs, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign medal with 2 Campaign Stars, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign Stars, the NATO Medal, the ISAF Commendation Medal, Master Parachutes Wings, Air Assault Wings and the Expert Infantryman Badge. Colonel Higgins and his wife Debbie reside in Sanford North Carolina, and have six children: Kelly, Amy, Kristopher, Konner, Ashlea, and Kyle.
The Army ROTC program's primary purpose is to develop leaders through classroom study, hands-on-training, and team building exercises. Students gain the leadership skills necessary to succeed in both civilian careers and in the military. A values-based program, ROTC focuses on integrity, personal courage, respect, and honor as the basic foundation upon which successful and competent leaders are built.
