University News

LTC Sommers Named Military Department Chair

July 9, 2018

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MACOMB, IL - - LTC Joan Sommers has been named chair and the first female professor of the Western Illinois University Military Science Department, according to College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) Interim Dean Katrina Daytner.

Sommers replaces LTC Richard Helling.

"COEHS is pleased to have Lt. Colonel Sommers serve as the new chair for the Department of Military Science," said Daytner. "As an alumna of the ROTC program, we are confident that she will provide strong leadership for this excellent program. I am excited about the opportunities we have for expanding our partnership with ROTC."

A 2003 WIU Distinguished Military Graduate, Sommers joined Western's faculty after spending 15 years in active military duty, most recently as the brigade operations officer (S3) of the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade-Theater in Schofield Barracks, HI. She has held various staff and leadership positions from platoon to brigade level. Her assignments have included Fort Bliss, TX; Fort Stewart, GA; Fort Benning, GA; Fort Belvoir, VA; Clay Kaserne-Wiesbaden, Germany; and Schofield Barracks. She has also completed three combat tours in Iraq, where she served in Baghdad, Besmaya and Iskandariya.

Sommers' military awards and decorations include two Bronze Stars, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals and two Army Achievement Medals, as well as the Parachutist Badge and the Pathfinder Badge.

"I am thrilled to be back to Western as both an alumna and as the first female chair of Military Science," Sommers said. "I look forward to continuing to build the strong reputation of this program."

Sommers graduated from Western in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She also holds a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University and a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University.

For more information on Western's Military Science Department, visit wiu.edu/militaryscience.

Posted By: Alisha Looney (AA-Looney@wiu.edu)
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