Guam Guard commissions three new officers

Maj. Gen. Benny M. Paulino, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard, administers the oath of office during the Commissioning Ceremony for three new officers in the Guam National Guard. From left to right: Maj. Gen. Paulino, 2nd Lt. David Brantley, 2nd Lt. Gregory May, and 2nd Lt. Alisha Oilouch. (Maj. Josephine Blas)

The new officers recently completed months of training under the Reserve Component Officer Candidate School course, which included a tough eight weeks at Fort Meade, South Dakota last month.

Lt. Col. Reolito Jao, commander, 203rd Regional Training Institute, encouraged the new officers to “find a mentor that will provide guidance and direction to help achieve goals. Mentors also provide good advice and groom you to be better officers as you move up the ranks.”

The new officers began Phase 0 of the OCS Program about 11 months ago and were taught in a high-stress environment that was mostly run by the members of the Guam Army National Guard’s 203rd RTI.

The new officers are 2nd Lieutenants David Brantley, Gregory May, and Alisha Oilouch. All three were previously enlisted members in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the Guam Army National Guard.

“Great leaders listen and listen carefully. Your ability to understand other perspectives will depend on your ability to listen,” said Col. Roderick Leon Guerrero, Chief of Joint staff, and keynote speaker. “The strength of the group lies in the strength of its leader. As a leader, your love of knowledge and physical fitness will determine how strong your Soldiers will perform.” Col. Leon Guerrero also reminded the new officers to “remain humble, yet confident.”

The last portion of the program, about eight weeks long, was spent at the Fort Meade OCS training center in Fort Meade, South Dakota, run by the 196th Regiment’s 1st Battalion (Officer Candidate School).

Paulino congratulated the new officers for “successfully completing the many months of physically strenuous and mentally tough training, which is designed to prepare you for the next phase of your career—as leaders in the best, most lethal armed forces in the world—the United States military. Today, we need leaders to manage our forces in this dangerous and complex 21st century environment. We need an Army that is more expeditionary, joint, rapidly deployable, flexible and adaptive.”

“We need leaders who can focus on developing our soldiers. I believe leaders like you are absolutely key to achieving success in any and all of today’s missions. You all come from a variety of backgrounds and the breadth and depth of the experiences in this class is impressive,” added Paulino.

Prior to their commission, Brantley was a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 44th Aerial Port Squadron; May was a sergeant with the U.S. Marine Corps’ 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. He enlisted into the Guam Army National Guard as a specialist and was assigned to the 1-294th Infantry Regiment. Oilouch was specialist with the Guam Army National Guard’s 1224th Engineer Support Company.

“As new leaders, I propose to you this challenge,” said Paulino. “Dedicate yourself to a life of learning, seek to be decisive, creative and adaptive, learn to be efficient communicators, be open to the experiences of your senior enlisted soldiers, earning their loyalty and trust, and most importantly, demonstrate character and integrity in everything that you do, whether in or out of uniform.”

Brantley is branched in the Transportation Corps, May will be an Infantry Officer, and Oilouch will be in the Ordnance Corps.

Many family members and friends of each of the new officers, as well as dozens of Guam Guard soldiers and airmen were in attendance. (PR)