Learn Leadership from the Best Leaders

LTC Joseph J. Yakawich

Professor of Military Science

LTC Joseph J. Yakawich is a 1982 graduate of Butte Central High School in Butte, Montana. He graduated as the Distinguished Military Graduate from Montana Tech in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering. He also holds a Masters Degree in Management from Webster University in ST Louis, Missouri. Commissioned in 1986 into the Armor Corps, he has served in leadership and staff positions from platoon through corps level. He is a certified Army Instructor and served as a combat advisor in Kabul Province, Afghanistan. Past assignments include duty with: the 2-13th Armor, 1-10th Cavalry, 2-72nd Armor in the Republic of South Korea, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, III Armored Corps, and 1-12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. LTC Yakawich also served as a Resident Training Detachment Commander with the 41st Separate Infantry Brigade, Oregon ARNG, an Observer/Trainer with the Army’s Battle Command Training Program (BCTP), and a Tactics Instructor at the Command and General Staff College. Awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Iraq and Afghanistan Campaign Medals, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the NATO Medal. LTC Yakawich is married to the former Lori LaChapelle of Waterbury, CT. They have three children: Benjamin, Catherine, and Matthew.

MSG Raymond Polakpo

Senior Military Advisor

MSG Raymond Polak joined the military in April, 1989 as a 19 D Cavalry Scout and attended Basic and AIT at Fort Bliss TX.  His first duty assignment was in Ansbach Germany with 1-1 Cavalry and deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Dec 1990- April 1991 where he served as a Bradley Gunner. In 1992-1993 he was stationed at Ft. Carson CO with 2-35 Armor serving as Command driver and section Sergeant.   From 1994-1996 he served as Section sergeant with 2-15 Infantry Schweinfurt Germany with a United Nations tour in Macedonia. From 1997-2000 He served as a Drill Sergeant at Ft Knox, Kentucky with 5-15 Cavalry.  From 2000- 2003 he served as a Platoon Sergeant with 1-14 Cavalry (RSTA) Fort Lewis WA. From 2003-2005 he served as a Doctrine Writer with Cavalry Branch Doctrine Fort Knox KY.  In 2005 He Then returned to Fort Lewis to stand up 2CR Stryker as the S3 NCOIC. After reflagging in June of 2006 to 2-1 Cavalry 4th BDE 2 ID he then deployed to Iraq as the HHT 1SG during the surge of 07-08. He then redeployed as A TRP 1SG for 09-10 of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since January 2010 he has been the Senior Military Advisor at the University of Montana’s Military Science Department.  Military schools that he has attended include Basic Training and AIT, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Drill Sergeant School.  Awards include 2 Bronze Star Medals, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 2 Army Accommodation Medal, 7 Army Achievement Medals, 1 Joint Meritorious Unit Award, 1 Valorous Unit Award, 7 Army Good Conduct Medal, 1 Southwest Asia Medal with 3 Bronze Star, 1 Iraqi Campaign Medal, 1 Gulf War on Terrorism Medal, 1 Humanitarian Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 3, 1 Army Service Ribbon, 2 Overseas Service Ribbons, 1Saudi Arabia/Kuwait Liberation Medal, Drill Sergeant Instructor Badge, Drivers Badge.

MAJ Jason A. Grider

Scholarship and Enrollment Officer

Email

(406) 243-4400

Major Jason Grider enlisted in the Army in 1994 where he was assigned to the 625th Military Police Company in the Utah Army National Guard.  In 1997, Major Grider graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Science in History and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps.  Upon graduation he worked as a gold bar recruiter at Weber State.  After completing the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course in Fort Lee, VA he was assigned to the 194th Maintenance Battalion in Camp Humphreys, Korea.  There he served as Warehouse Platoon Leader for Gulf Company, 52nd Aviation Regiment and the Battalion Support Operations Maintenance Officer. In 1999, CPT Grider was assigned to the 68th Corps Support Battalion at Fort Carson, Colorado.  There he served as Warehouse Platoon Leader for the 183d Maintenance Company and the Battalion Support Operations Supply and Services Officer.  In 2001, Major Grider attended the Combined Logistics Captains Career Course (CLC3) and the Petroleum Officers Course, and upon completion was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) in Wurzburg, Germany.  There he served as the Division G4 Planner and was the HHC Company Commander for 1ID Division Support Command.  While being assigned to the Division he served on operational deployments to Kosovo, Turkey, and Iraq.  In 2006 Major Grider transitioned from the active army to the Utah Army National Guard where he served as the Company Commander for E Company 1-211th Aviation Troop Command and later as the Assistant S3 for the 155th Engineer Group.  In 2009 he transferred to the Montana Army National Guard where he is assigned as the Recruiting Operations Officer and Battalion Executive Officer the University of Montana "Grizzly Battalion".

Major Grider's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with two OLC), the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (with one OLC), The Kosovo Campaign Medal, The Iraq Campaign Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Korean Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, The Overseas Service Ribbon (with one device) and the NATO Medal (Kosovo).  CPT Grider is married to Summer Grider from Salt Lake City, Utah.  They have four children, Skye, 19, Breanna, 17, Amanda, 15, and Ethan, 5.

MAJ Mark McGinley

Officer in Charge (OIC), Carroll College, Helena, MT

Email

(406) 447-5484

Delighted to return to Carroll College, his alma mater, Major Mark McGinley enlisted into the Montana Army National Guard in November 1988, graduated from Officer Candidate School in June 1990 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.  He completed the Armor Basic Course at Ft. Knox, Ky., in December 1990 and in August 1992 completed helicopter flight training at Ft. Rucker, Ala., and branch transferred to Aviation. His assignments include: armor platoon leader (D/1-163 CAV); aviation platoon leader (A/1-189 Aviation); detachment commander (1085 Air Ambulance); commander, Headquarters-Headquarters Company (1-189 Aviation); liaison officer (415 Ground Liaison Detachment); aide-de-camp to the adjutant general, Montana; and deputy commander (83rd Civil Support Team). He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2003 through March 2004. His decorations include: the Senior Army Aviator Badge; Army Commendation Medal; Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terror Service Medal; and Humanitarian Service Medal.  Major McGinley and his wife Elizabeth have two children.

Mr. Joseph DeCree

Senior Military Science Instructor, Contractor

Email

(406) 447-5484

Joseph DeCree was commissioned through ROTC in 1987 as an active duty Infantry officer.  Following Infantry OBC he attended Airborne and Ranger school.  From Fort Benning he was assigned to the 5/5 Cavalry in Germany. He commanded two Bradley Rifle platoons and a scout platoon. After watching the Berlin Wall come down he moved to the National Guard.  He commanded two Military Police Companies and assisted in several weather emergency call outs.  After getting married he joined C Co, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).  During his period in Special Operations he attended Special Forces and language school (for French), and then took the first National Guard Special Forces team to Kosovo.  Following his return from Kosovo, he took the first Special Forces team into Kunar province on the tail end of Operation Anaconda in 2002.   Upon returning to the states he took an ROTC assignment at Millersville University in Lancaster Pa.  While serving in this capacity he simultaneously was appointed as the first S2X for the 56th Infantry (PAARNG) as they transitioned to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team.  Although retiring from this unit he was very proud of having trained the Tactical HUMINT Collection Team which performed very well for the BDE in Iraq.  He also served as the FOB Commander in Hammond Louisiana as part of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in 2005. 

He retired in 2006 after 20 plus years of service in the active duty and National Guard components.  He credits his extensive command time as having prepared him for private business both as an owner / operator and as a government consultant especially in areas of leadership and group dynamics, cyber exercises, and contributing special operations components into Flag level exercises. Major D moved to Montana in 2011 and lives in Whitefish with his wife of Erika of 18 very happy years.

CPT Tracy A. Mitchell

Senior Military Science Instructor

Email

(406) 243-2772

CPT Tracy A Mitchell is a 1994 graduate of Jefferson High School in Boulder, Montana.  In 2000, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Carroll College in Helena, MT.  She enlisted in the United States Army Reserves in 1994 and served in various positions up to platoon sergeant.  She received a direct commission into the Adjutant General Corps in 2002.  She has served with the 159th Corps Support Group and the 747th Adjutant General Company (Postal) and served as a detachment commander while in Iraq.  She currently serves as the Battalion S-4 Logistics Officer for the 379th Engineer Battalion.  Her awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and the NCO Professional Development Ribbon.  CPT Mitchell is married to Timothy F. Mitchell of Missoula, MT and they have one daughter, Teagan and one son, Fergus.

Mr. Daniel DeCoite

Senior Military Science Instructor, Contractor

SFC Charles M. Robinson

Senior Military Science Instructor

SFC Charles M. Robinson is a 1989 graduate of Bessemer City High School in Bessemer City, North Carolina. He graduated from Central Texas College in 2007 with an Associate of General Studies Degree. He joined the US Army in 1991 into the Infantry; he has served in leadership and staff positions from platoon through division level. He is a certified Army Instructor and served as a combat advisor in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. Past assignments include duty with: the 1st Infantry Division, Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, LA, 2-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, NC, 2-27 Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks, HI, 3-505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, NC, 1-27 Infantry Regiment, Schofield Barracks, HI,  . Awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO Medal. SFC Robinson has two children: Trystan and Alexis.

SFC Lawrence DeBoo

Senior Military Science Instructor, Carroll College, Helena, MT

Ms. Terri Petersen

Human Resources Technician

Terri Petersen is a native of Missoula, Montana.  After attending the College of Technology in 1977, she worked at the Flathead Alcohol and Drug Program until 1981.  She returned to Missoula in 1981, where she worked for the Office of Admissions and Office of Registrar until 1988.  In 1988, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Management and Real Estate) and began working for the Department of Military Science. Terri continues to enjoy the ever changing and vastly challenging environment that ROTC and campus life provides.  She is married to Kenneth Knight and has four grown sons and three grandchildren.  She and her husband live outside of Frenchtown with their two foster daughter (ages 5 and 6) where they raise livestock and do organic gardening.  She and her family spend summers at the lake boating, fishing, camping and swimming or in the mountains huckleberry picking and hunting.

Mr. Clark Lewis

Human Resource Assistant

Mr. Clark A. Lewis (LTC, USA, Retired) began his 30-year military career as an active enlisted soldier in 1977 and in 1982 was commissioned into the US Army Reserve as a Second Lieutenant in the Transportation Corps.  In 1983, he graduated from Montana State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Business.  In 1984, after completing the Transportation Officer Basic Course in Fort Eustis, VA, he was assigned to the 28th Transportation Battalion in Mannheim, Germany.  There he served as a Platoon Leader in the 68th Transportation Company and as Executive Officer in the 109th Transportation Company.  In 1987, he left Active Duty and joined the Army Reserve with the 889th Supply & Service Company in Great Falls, MT.  During this six year assignment, he served in various positions and was also mobilized for over six months in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm.  In 1993, he entered the Active Guard/Reserve (AGR) program and was assigned to the 300th Transportation Group (Composite) in Butler, PA.  There he served as the Motor Transportation Planning Officer.  In 1996, LTC Lewis was assigned to the 1189th Transportation Terminal Brigade in Charleston, SC.  There he served as the Port/Plans Officer.  In 1999, he was assigned to the G4, 96th Regional Readiness Command, Salt Lake City, UT.  There he served as the Transportation Officer and the Logistics Readiness Officer.  In 2003, he was assigned to the 143d Transportation Command in Orlando, FL.  There he served as the G3 Plans Officer.  During the period, he was deployed for 12 months to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).  In 2005, he was assigned to the 19th Theater Support Command (Conus) in Des Moines, IA.  There he served as the Rear Operations Officer.  In 2006, he was assigned to the newly activated 103d Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) in Des Moines, IA.  There he served as the G3 Operations Officer until his retirement from Active Duty on 1 February 2007.

LTC Lewis’ awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (with 3 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (with 2 OLC), Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star), Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 3 Bronze Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass, “M “ device with Numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with Numeral 3), Kuwait Liberation Medal, Achievement Medal for Civilian Service and the Honorable Order of Saint Christopher Medal.

Mr. Lewis is married to the former Michelle Bourcier of Great Falls, Montana.  They have two children, Jessica Janssen and Matthew Lewis.     

Ms. Susan Cundiff

Administrative Associate

(406) 243-2769

Susan Cundiff graduated from James Wood High School in Winchester, VA and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Montana.  She spent time in the UM ROTC program and 3669th Maintenance Co in Missoula, MT.  She is currently compiling her thesis to complete her graduate studies in Intercultural Communication at the University of Montana. Prior to her position as the Military Science Administrative Associate, she taught Public Speaking, Intercultural Communication, and beginning Spanish at the community college level.  She enjoys traveling, learning, writing, cooking, sewing, and most of all, spending time with her three daughters.

Ms. Yvonne Kunz

Administrative Associate

Yvonne Kunz (b. 1978) served in the US Army from 1996 – 2000 in which she was a Russian Linguist. Her training and duty stations include the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA for Russian Basic Language Course, FT. Huachuca, AZ, Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, TX, and Ft. Hood, TX. While at FT. Hood with the 104th MI BN, 4 ID, Yvonne participated multiple training exercises at the National Defense Center, Ft. Irwin, CA, as well as translation training with the Defense Intelligence Agency and an in-country immersion language program in Tver’, Russia. 

She graduated in 2005 from the University of Washington’s School of Art. These days, Yvonne Kunz is an emerging artist working in drawing, painting, hand-made books, and fiber arts. She is a fellow of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (2010) as well as a recipient of multiple grants from the Montana Arts Council, a 2010 Kraus Family Honorable Mention in Worldstudio AIGA Scholarship, and a past resident of the Montana Artists Refuge (2009, 2011).

She currently lives in Helena, MT, with her husband and son, and serves as the administrative assistant at Carroll College, Department of Military Science where she manages cadet records and enrollment.

SFC Timothy Guffin

Montana Army National Guard Recruiter

SFC Timothy Guffin is a Missoula Native and graduated from Hellgate High School in 1994.  He enlisted in the Marine Corps as an Infantryman with Alpha Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines (A CO 1BN 5th Marines).  While serving with the Marines he was deployed three times.  He was honorably discharged from the Marines four years later, in June 1998.  He then joined the Montana National Guard as an Infantryman in Bravo Company 1-163 Infantry Battalion.  He was deployed to Bosnia in 2002 and then to Iraq from 2004-2005.  Upon returning from Iraq he attended the University of Montana for three years.  He then applied for and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) Recruiter position and now works as the Montana National Guard Liaison in the ROTC department at the U of M.