UNM commissioning ceremony

Maj. Gen. Emil Lassen, class of 1978, was the guest speaker at University of New Mexico Spring Joint Commissioning ceremony May 13. Attendees were, top row, left to right, Ms. Judy Ortiz-Aragon, 2nd Lt. Chris Roux, 2nd Lt. Matt Spinks, 2nd Lt. Jake Griego, 2nd Lt. Harrison Payne; middle row, Capt. Chris Fitzgerald, 2nd Lt. Karissa Feltman, 2nd Lt. Emily Jefferis, 2nd Lt. Alex Navarro, 2nd Lt. Ethan Fairey, Maj. Jennifer Bradley; front row, Tech. Sgt. Julie Carr, Lt. Col. Raul Garcia, Ms. Theresa Carabajal, Maj. Gen. Emil Lassen, Staff Sgt. Tiffany Keown.

University of New Mexico holds commissioning ceremony

Published May 26, 2011
By Lt. Col. Raul Garcia
Air Force ROTC Detachment 510 commander

Kirtland Air Force Base -- Maj. Gen. Emil Lassen, class of 1978, presided over the University of New Mexico's Spring 2011 Joint
Commissioning Ceremony held at the Continuing Education Center on May 13.
During the ceremony, 23 of the newest second lieutenants and ensigns in the Air Force, Army, Navy and
Marine Corps were sworn in.
Of this group, eight members are Air Force, eight are Army, three are Marines and four are Navy.
Two cadets graduated summa cum laude and one cum laude.
The group attained a 3.38 grade point average, where the average GPA at UNM is 3.0.
The Air Force cadets bellowed a loud "Air Force!" when it was announced that General Lassen was a distinguished graduate of AFROTC Detachment 510 at the University of New Mexico in 1978.
In his remarks at the ceremony, General Lassen revealed that as the guest speaker, he was fulfilling his last official duty as an Air Force officer.
He is retiring after his 33-year Air Force career as a fighter pilot.
His message to the new officers was "Nobody can take your integrity from you -- you must give it away."
He also spoke of the tremendous technological changes he has witnessed in his career.