Amid family, friends, cadets and decorated members of the United States Army, former cadet Jon Satoshi Kuehlhorn was commissioned into the Army as a second lieutenant Friday, Nov. 22.

Kuehlhorn, a Chicago native, joined ROTC after transferring to DePaul from Wright College. He was partly inspired to join the Army by his grandfathers who were both World War II veterans. Kuehlhorn wanted to enlist right out of high school but it was recommended by his parents that he complete his education first. It was DePaul’s ROTC scholarships that made both dreams possible.

“I could still join the army and get an education,” Kuehlhorn  said. “I guess you could call it the perfect storm.”

“You make such great friends,” Kuehlhorn said about his two and a half years in ROTC. “It’s a real community thing. There are a lot of intangibles. You have people who push you to a higher level past where you thought you could go.”

 “I’m very proud of him choosing to go into the military,” John Kuehlhorn, his father and an enlisted corps Vietnam veteran, said.

The ceremony opened with comments from Adam Malaty-Uhr, an assistant professor of military science at DePaul and captain in the Illinois Army National Guard, who introduced the national anthem and invocation by Father Jim Osendorf, C.M.

The officiating party included professor of military science at Loyola Lt. Col. Christopher Clay and senior military instructor at DePaul Sergeant First Class Marc Westenbarger. Clay presented a few remarks before administering the oath of office to Kuehlhorn. Afterwards, his parents were invited to pin on the newly sworn in 2nd Lt. Kuehlhorn’s bars.

Following the pinning, Kuehlhorn was rendered the First Salute by Sergeant First Class Billy Brown. The First Salute is an army tradition in which a commissioned officer is saluted by a non-commissioned officer who played an important role in their formation. This acknowledges the professionalism and relationship of commissioned and non-commissioned officers.

According to Clay, cadets from all five schools that make up the Rambler Battalion – Loyola, DePaul, Northeastern Illinois University, Northwestern University North Park University and Resurrection University Š—ê were all present to support Kuehlhorn and celebrate his success.

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” Clay said. “It’s an amazing feat that he’s done.”

When asked what made Kuehlhorn so successful, the answer was not difficult.

“Oh, he’s completely dedicated,” Clay said. “He goes that extra mile.”

Kelsey Haslam is a junior art and media design major with a photography concentration. She is a cadet in the Rambler Battalion and the photographer for her unit. On Friday, she was both as she visually documented the commissioning.

“I came in as a sophomore and Kuehlhorn was a 4 (MS4),” Haslam said. “All the MS4s are like teachers so seeing him commissioned was really special. Being welcomed into the Army is a really big thing.”

Ozzy Buenrostro is still four years away from his own commissioning but on Friday, he attended his first ceremony and was able to reflect on what it meant to be in a unit with Kuehlhorn.

“He was always looking after me, giving tips on LDAC (Leader Development and Assessment Course),” the freshman business finance major said. “He was real good role model. I’m sad to see him go.”

The completion of the ceremony, the pride exhibited by Kuehlhorn’s family was evident in their words.

“I’m very proud,” his mother Marie Kuehlhorn said. “This is the proudest thing he’s ever done. There is nothing more than this.”

Following graduation this winter, Kuehlhorn will attend graduate school to become a physical therapist and will be in the National Guard. Regardless of the path that he takes, the people who worked and grew with him are assured that he will be great.

“He’s a trainer, he’s a motivator, and above all, he truly cares about his fellow cadets,” Malaty-Uhr said. “Because of that, I know he’ll be a wonderful lieutenant.”