University News
Varilek Commissioned Second Lieutenant
February 6, 2003
MACOMB, IL - Jessica Varilek of Davenport, IA, who graduated Dec. 14 from Western Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in geology, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during a Dec. 18 ceremony on campus.
Varilek had been a member of Western's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. She received an active duty commission and will attend Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic Course at a later date.
She is the daughter of Wayne and Rebecca Varilek. Her grandfather, LTC (retired) Donald Pace, pinned on her second lieutenant bars.
WIU's military science department, established in 1968, recently earned its second consecutive General Douglas MacArthur Award and received a top 20 ranking among all 270 U.S. Army Cadet Command programs nationwide.
The MacArthur Award, given jointly by the MacArthur Foundation and the commander of the United States Army Cadet Command, is presented annually to the top programs in each of Cadet Command's three regions. Western earned the award as the best large division program in the Second Region, headquartered at Ft. Knox, KY, which consists of 88 schools in 14-states. Western also earned the MacArthur Award in 1994.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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