Army Song
March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free. Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory.
We’re the Army and proud of our name!
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim:
First to fight for the right and to build the Nation’s might, And the Army goes rolling along. Proud of all we have done, Fighting till the battle’s won, And the Army goes rolling along.
Then
it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way. Count off the cadence loud and strong; For where’er we go, You will always know, That the Army goes rolling along.
CAMPUS EVENTS
Baccalaureate, May 15, 7:30 p.m.
Becknell Gymnasium
Commencement, May 16, 8:30 a.m.
Couch Memorial Garden
LYON COLLEGE
Friday, May 15, 2026 10 a.m.
Sloan Auditorium, Brown Fine Arts Building
2026 Spring ROTC COMMISSIONING CEREMONY
*Entrance of Official Party and Graduating Class
*National Anthem
Francis Scott Key (1779-1843)
Vera Richardson, ’29, Soloist
*Invocation
Welcome
Introductions
Commissioning Address
Presentation of Diplomas
Oath of Office
Pinning
First Salute
*Army Song
Reverend Margaret Alsup, ’11
College Chaplain
Dr. Melissa Taverner
President
Jerry Bowling
Assistant Professor of Military Science
LTC. Jeremy (Matt) Weeks
Official Party
LTC. Jeremy (Matt) Weeks
Adrian and Cheryl Lupton
Retired Sgt. Adrian Lupton
All Attendees
Lyrics located on the back of this program
*Departure of the Official Party
*Audience please rise, if able
Please join us in the Bevens Music Room, located in this building, to personally congratulate 2 Lt. Lupton and enjoy refreshments. nd
Eli Chase Lupton was born to Cheryl and Adrian Lupton in Bauxite, Arkansas. He graduated from Bauxite High School and accepted a 3 1/2 year ROTC Scholarship to attend Lyon College. He wanted to join the military and attend college. ROTC gave him that opportunity and he is truly grateful for the experiences that he has been afforded by this program.
Lupton will commission into the Aviation Branch and become an Aviation Second Lieutenant. He will be attending Army flight school at the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama, after graduation. He has wanted to fly helicopters since his first field exercise in the spring of his freshman year when they were able to do morale flights in UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. His father, Adrian Lupton, was a 67Y Cobra helicopter mechanic. His paternal grandfather, Donald Lupton, served in the Army, as well as his maternal grandfather, Harold Kitchens, served in the Air Force. Because of his family, he has always felt a strong urge to serve his country. After he commissions, he hopes to be assigned to CH-47 Chinook helicopters and be stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. God willing, he hopes to retire out of the Army in the future.
LYON COLLEGE & ROTC MILITARY HISTORY
The concept of the ROTC in the United States was created by Alden Partridge and began with the Morrill Act of 1862 which established the land-grant colleges. Part of the federal government’s requirements for these schools was that they include military tactics as part of their curriculum, forming what became known as the ROTC.
Lyon College is not new in its affiliation with the military, nor the ROTC. In 2019, Lyon College and Arkansas State University signed a memorandum of agreement declaring Lyon College an affiliate unit of the Arkansas State Unviersity ROTC program. The first Lyon student graduates completed the program in spring of 2022.
