Joint ROTC Commissioning Will Honor 41 New Officers
April 20, 2017
Brig.-Gen. Brian P. Cummings, who also spoke at Old Dominion's 2015 Commissioning Exercises
A total of 41 new officers, hailing from 12 states, as well as Ukraine, Cuba and the Philippines, will be recognized May 5 during the spring commissioning ceremony for the Old Dominion University Army ROTC and Naval ROTC Hampton Roads.
The event, which will feature new Army and Marine Corps 2nd lieutenants and Navy ensigns giving their first salute, will be hosted at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at 9 a.m., as part of ODU commencement weekend.
Shortly after being commissioned as officers, they will receive their command posts, and will be deployed around the world, helping to protect our nation's freedom.
The guest speaker for the ceremony will be Brig.-Gen. Brian P. Cummings, a 1986 Old Dominion biology graduate who is Program Executive Officer Soldier for the U.S. Army.
Cummings was commissioned a second lieutenant (infantry) in the Army through the Old Dominion Army ROTC. He earned an MS in Science and Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas and an MS from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, in 2010.
Cummings has served in a variety of command and staff positions. In 1994, he joined the Acquisition Corps, serving as executive officer to the deputy chief of staff for combat developments from January 1996 to January 1998 and as assistant TRADOC system manager - Soldier from January 1999 to June 2001. His program assignments included tours as assistant product manager for the land warrior program at PEO Soldier from June 2001 to June 2003; associate director for early test bed engineering at the Missile Defense Agency from June 2003 to February 2005; and product manager ground soldier system from May 2005 to August 2009.
He deployed to Iraq as chief of staff for the deputy commanding general (advising and training) from June 2010 to June 2011. From June 2011 to February 2014, he served as project manager, mobile electric power and as deputy PEO combat support/combat service support from February 2014 to November 2014. He also served as a company grade officer in several command and staff positions in infantry assignments.
The ceremony will also include greetings from officials from universities that comprise the two ROTC units, including Old Dominion President John R. Broderick.
ROTC commanding officers, Maj. William H. Bower4s of the ODU Army ROTC, and Capt. Lennie E. Reed, NROTC Hampton Roads commanding officer, will also address commissioning candidates.
Army ROTC was established at Old Dominion University in September 1969 as part of the Darden School of Education. Since its inception, the program has grown in size and scope, with the establishment in the 1974-75 school year of a military science curriculum that is fully recognized by the University for academic credit. That milestone was followed in 2003 by the Faculty Senate approval of an academic minor in military leadership studies.
Naval ROTC Unit Hampton Roads was commissioned in July 1982, and developed an innovative concept known as the "NROTC Consortium." With this concept, NROTC Hampton Roads became the first unit to offer complete programs at three separate institutions, including Hampton University, Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University. Since its establishment, the program has grown to also include Regent University and Tidewater Community College.
