The Illinois Army National Guard welcomed its newest second lieutenant in a commissioning ceremony May 17 at the Illinois Military Academy, Camp Lincoln, Springfield.
Thomas Luca II of New Berlin, Illinois, who graduated from the Illinois Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School in August, was commissioned as an Adjutant General officer.
“This is a big day for Luca,” said Lt. Col. Lance Frail, Commander, Recruiting and Retention Battalion. “He has spent many years as a noncommissioned officer, rising all the way to sergeant first class. Now he’s transitioning to an officer. It kind of starts over for him.”
Frail said that while Luca starts at the ‘bottom of the barrel,’ he will be looked at as the standard bearer of discipline.
“You have to live it everyday,” he said. “It’s a big deal to put on that bar and work your way up. It’s also a big deal to say I’m moving over from enlisted to the officer side, or as some would say ‘the dark side.’”
Frail said he doesn’t look as commissioning as ‘going to the dark side.’
“I look at it as a transition to the light,” he said. “You’re now standing in the light, always being watched. Someone is always looking at you. I know you will do the right thing all the time.”
Frail thanked Luca’s family.
“It’s been a long road,” he said. “He did phenomenal in Officer Candidate School and I know it will transition well to what he’ll do for us in Recruiting and Retention and life after RRB.”
Luca said it’s kind of a surreal moment being commissioned as a second lieutenant.
“It was an emotional time as I ripped off all the stripes in preparation for this day,” he said. “I’ve spent 23 years as an enlisted Soldier only to strip off the stripes and pin on bars.
“This is an honor I do not take lightly,” Luca said. “Twenty-three years of serving beside the best men and women this country has to offer.”
Luca said he never envisioned himself becoming a commissioned officer.
“Never in my earliest days in the Army when I was trying to keep up in basic training, did I ever imagine my path would lead to this day,” he said. “If you asked me even two years ago if I ever envisioned myself as an officer, the answer would be no. I thoroughly enjoyed being a noncommissioned officer – the backbone of the Army and training Soldiers.”
Luca said serving Soldiers is his passion.
“This has been a long road filled with challenges, victories and setbacks, and lots of growth,” Luca said. “Through it all I’ve been blessed with leadership, mentorship, and friendship that has kept me going.”
Luca thanked his family, including wife, Jolene, daughter, Audriana, and son, Thomas Luca III, for their support.
“My wife has always been there for me, through all the training and the time of me being gone,” he said. “To my children, you mean the world to me and you have sacrificed your time. I’ve missed some big moments in your lives. Your love and support gave me the strength to push through, even on the hardest days.”
Luca also thanked some of those he served alongside.
“To the noncommissioned officers I’ve served alongside. Thank you for showing me what real leadership looks like. The backbone of the Army is not just a phrase, it’s a reality,” he said. “I will carry the lessons I’ve learned as an NCO into this next chapter as an officer.
“To the officers who saw something in me, mentored me, challenged me, and never let me settle, thank you,” Luca said. “Your trust and encouragement made this next step possible. I will do everything in my power to live up to that and exceed the standards you have set for me.”
“My Soldiers have been my purpose,” Luca said. “Every decision, every hard call, every sleepless night, has been with you guys in mind. You’ve inspired me more than you know. I will always strive to earn the right to lead from the front, shoulder to shoulder, with the values and integrity you deserve.”
Luca said the promotion isn’t just a new rank, but also a new responsibility.
“This is a new opportunity and a new promise,” Luca said. “I promise to lead with humility and serve with honor. I may wear gold bars now, but I’ll never forget the stripes that shaped who I am.”
Luca said he knows the road ahead will also have challenges.
“I welcome these challenges because I know I’m not walking alone,” Luca said. “I know I’m surrounded by warriors, by patriots, and my family, both in uniform and out of uniform, who believes in this mission as deep as I do. Here’s to the next chapter of continued service and here’s to the journey that brought me here.”