May 20, 2002

Contact: Bill Howell, Naval ROTC, (785) 864-3161.

KU ROTC units commission new officers

LAWRENCE -- Twenty-one University of Kansas May 2002 graduates were commissioned as armed forces officers in ceremonies May 20 in the Kansas Union ballroom.

Maj. Gen. Larry Taylor, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, spoke and administered the oath of office to the commissioned officers. Chancellor Robert Hemenway also spoke, and Capt. William Howell, Marine officer instructor for the Naval ROTC, emceed the ceremony.

Cadets and midshipmen in KU's program include three students from Washburn University in Topeka and one student from Baker University in Baldwin. In the past, KU also has been host for ROTC students from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Saint Mary College in Leavenworth and MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe.

The commissioned officers, their majors, parents' names and addresses when available, and military affiliation are:

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence
Reuben Litton, Latin American studies, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Litton, 1700 Barker; Air Force.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Olathe
Nicholas Anthony, history, son of Mike and Paula Anthony, 2016 E. 144th St.; Air Force.

From Prairie Village
Menola Paiva, atmospheric science, daughter of Dorothea Paiva, 4706 W. 69th Terrace; Air Force.

ATCHISON COUNTY
From Atchison
Ricky Vittitow Jr., economics, 1032 Mound St.; Army.

BUTLER COUNTY
From El Dorado
Anna Figgins, Washburn University student, daughter of Martha Figgins, 1365 Country Club Road; Army.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY
From Ellsworth
Kristofer Thompson, history, son of Cindy McAtee, 506 Novack; Army.

FINNEY COUNTY
From Garden City
Brian Mead, crime and delinquency, son of Rex Mead, 12755 E. Mead Road; Marine Corps.

GRANT COUNTY
From Ulysses
Jason Stopper, political science, son of John and Mary Stopper, 214 N. Wilson; Army.

HARVEY COUNTY
From Newton
Brandon Puttroff, civil engineering, son of Janice Puttroff, 521 W. Sixth; Navy.

LYONS COUNTY
From Allen
Kyle Parks, Baker University, 105 Main; Army.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY
From Wamego
Joshua Lake, visual communication-graphics, son of Jim and Melody Rutschmann, 713 Chestnut St.; Army.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita
Kevin Shepherd, electrical engineering, son of Gary Shepherd, 217 N. Flora; Marine Corps.
Amy Zeller, nursing, daughter of Eugene and Phyllis Zeller, 3820 S. Flora; Navy.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka
Robert Chamberlain, political science, son of Michael and Judy Chamberlain, 3713 S.W. Worwick Town Road; Army.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City
Corey Burks, Washburn University, son of Larry Burks, 5335 Vista Drive; Army.

COLORADO
From Colorado Springs
Todd Craig, sports science, son of Betty Craig, 13820 Southwood Drive; Air Force.

ILLINOIS
From Rolling Meadow
Jeffrey Anderson, business administration, son of Dirk and Marybeth Anderson, 2741 Kevin Lane; Army.

MISSOURI
From Springfield
Christopher Stark, political science, son of Chris and Lou Ann Stark, 1054 E. Meadowlark; Marine Corps.

NEVADA
From Sutcliffe
Leroy Phoenix, Washburn University, Star Route #20; Army.

TENNESSEE
From Clarksville
Richard Russell, sociology and crime and delinquency, son of Kenneth Russell, 2149 Queen Bluff Way; Army.

From Coonville
Derek Rader, accounting, son of Ronda and Richard Rader, Jr., 1240 E. Hugens St.; Navy.

TEXAS
From Kingwood
Jonathan Wildy, nursing, son of Loman and Chris Wildy, 1715 Mills Creek Court; Navy.