Congratulations to all the high school seniors honored during the Our Community Salutes — U.S. Virgin Islands Annual High School Recognition Ceremony held at the Sgt. First Class Leonard B. Francis Readiness Center, St. Thomas, June 3.
Planning Committee Chair Beresford Edwards said, “Let me be one of the first to thank you for your service. The ceremony could not have been as successful without donations from our corporate sponsors: La Reine Chicken Shack, Caribbean Insurance Finance Inc., Divine Funeral Services and Crematory, Splinter’s Kitchen, Myron Danielson American Legion Post 85, Government House, Virgin Islands National Guard and USAA.”
During the ceremony, the enlistees heard remarks from Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach Esq., Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory, Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker, Director Patrick Farrell of the Office of Veterans, and VING Chief of Staff Col. Sally Petty, keynote speaker.
“I want to congratulate the founders and volunteers of Our Community Salutes of the Virgin Islands for recognizing the need to offer guidance and support not only to individuals who enlist in the military upon graduation from high school, but, also, for providing information and resources to their families as they transition from civilian to military life,” said Frett-Gregory.
VING Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker administered the Oath of Enlistment during the ceremony to the following future servicemembers: four U.S. Army soldiers – Bianca Campbell, Rahyim George, Tjuannie Harrigan and Delisa Nation; three Army National Guard soldiers – Jesani Winston, Carlton Rogers and L’Nye Liddie; two U.S. Marines – Henry Connor-Quiterio and Paul Castleberry; and three U.S. Navy sailors – Candace Wade-Franklin, Avishai Hodge and Lorenz Smith.
The Our Community Salutes – U.S. Virgin Islands, a non-profit corporation, was incorporated on March 22, 2022. It was founded by Kenneth Hartman, Ph.D., in 2009 to recognize and honor high school seniors and their parents/guardians who plan to enlist in the United States Armed Forces. Hartman is an educator, former army officer and CEO of Our Community Salutes.