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K-State Today

April 19, 2017

K-State Air Force ROTC to commission 10 cadets as officers in the Armed Forces

Submitted by Ryan Albers

Each year, thousands of students graduate from Kansas State University. Many will go on to be engineers, agricultural experts, or business leaders, but very few will go on to serve their country in the U.S. Air Force as commissioned officers.

K-State is the proud home of some notable alumni, who have also served time in the Air Force: Retired Gen. Richard B. Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs Of Staff and current president of K-State; Retired Gen. Ronald Keys, former commander of Air Combat Command; retired Brig. Gen. James D. Latham, former Thunderbirds commander; Col. Roy H. Worthington, who paved the way for reconnaissance; and Capt. William D. Grimm, the only K-State graduate to be killed in action during Desert Storm.

Kansas State University's Air Force ROTC Detachment 270 commissions cadets from all walks of life. Some come from military families, while others have no relation to the military. Some come from a small town in Kansas, and others are from out-of-state. Each of Detachment 270's graduating and commissioning cadets are unique, however, they all share a common dedication of service to our country. After commissioning, the cadets will begin their Air Force journey.

The following students are commissioning cadets; included are the jobs they were assigned and where they are stationed:

• Cadet Ryan Albers, pilot, Vance Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Grant Collison, combat systems officer, Naval Air Station Pensacola. 

• Cadet Lily Dollarhide, personnel officer, Kadena Air Base. 

• Cadet Matthew Franchett, pilot, Vance Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Jerrad Gillen, pilot, Columbus Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Brent Johnson, pilot, Vance Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Joshua Langford, cyberspace operations officer, Keesler Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Tate Nystrom, remotely piloted aircraft pilot, Randolph Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Spencer Salmans, pilot, Laughlin Air Force Base. 

• Cadet Michael Wangerin, remotely piloted aircraft pilot, Randolph Air Force Base. 

Please join Detachment 270 from 9-11 a.m. Friday, May 12, in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union to congratulate the cadets, and witness their commission into the U.S. Air Force. The guest speaker for the ceremony will be President Myers, K-State Detachment 270 alumnus.

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