Former NMC student receives his officer commission

Former Northern Marianas College student Brandon Tudela Demapan recently received a commission for second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during a recent ceremony held at the Multi-Purpose Center.

During the ceremony, Demapan took the oath of office and received his appointment certificate from Lt. Colonel Jay A. Blakley, University of Guam Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps professor of Military Science. His parents, Antonio and Ignacia Demapan, took part in the ceremony by pinning his new insignia of rank while his wife Victoria presented him with his service cap.

As part of a tradition in the U.S. Army, Demapan presented a silver dollar to UoG Military Science Instructor Sergeant First Class Michael Techur for being the first enlisted soldier to salute him as a second lieutenant. The coin symbolically acknowledges the receipt of respect due the new rank and position. The ceremony concluded with Demapan’s recitation of the Soldier’s Creed and an invocation by Chaplain Alvin Owens.  

Earlier this year Demapan graduated from the University of Guam with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a concentration in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, and an associate degree in Military Science. He also served as the S3 Operations Officer for the UoG Triton Warrior Battalion SROTC.

Before attending UoG, Demapan pursued both his postsecondary education at different institutions in between deployments and military training. After graduating from Kagman High School in 2005, he began his college studies at Chaminade University in Honolulu and later enlisted in the Army Reserves as a combat medic with the 100 Battalion 442nd Infantry. After completing boot camp and additional training, he was deployed to the Philippines to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom 2007.

After deployment, Demapan returned to Saipan and enrolled in the Northern Marianas College’s Elementary Education program. However, he was soon redeployed to Iraq for a year to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom 2008. He later returned to NMC to continue his studies and even worked for the CNMI Public School System in the Troop-to-Teacher program to assist students with special needs and at-risk youth.

In addition to his postsecondary achievements, Demapan has completed various training programs through the military, such as the Leader’s Development & Assessment Course at Joint Base Lewis-McCord in Washington. Last May he attended the Cultural Understanding and Language Program in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he was attached to Headquarters of Headquarters Company in Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion 82nd Airborne Division.

Demapan has received a number of awards and decorations throughout the years including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

The newly commissioned Demapan is currently serving active duty in the U.S. Army and has been branched Quartermaster. He also plans to attend the Basic Officers Leaders Course B at Fort Lee, Virginia next year. [I](NMC)[/I]