During campus ceremonies May 21-22, 23 graduating Cornell seniors took oaths of office and exchanged first salutes as newly commissioned second lieutenants or ensigns in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Space Force.Two members of the ROTC Tri-Service Brigade – Sidney Anop ’26 and Juan Rodriguez ’26 – also became Cornell’s first to earn another informal title: mustang.In the Navy and Marines, the term “mustang” refers to officers who started their military careers by enlisting, typically out of high school. Their less-conventional path into the commissioned ranks – including selection by highly competitive programs enabling them to attend college – commands respect from both enlisted service members who perceive them as more relatable, and senior officers who value their breadth of experience.“It’s a huge honor,” said Rodriguez, 31, a former helicopter mechanic and instructor on track to become a Marine pilot. “Most Marines can tell which officers are mustangs just based on how they carry themselves. Those were usually the officers I would be a little bit more open with.”
After serving as an enlisted Marine helicopter mechanic and instructor, Juan Rodriguez ’26, left, attended the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering through the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. Now a second lieutenant, he is headed to flight school to become a pilot.
