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Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Yakawich

University of Montana
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, Iraqi 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.

Major Mark McGinley

Officer in Charge/Adjunct Professor of Military Science

(406)447-5484 

 

Delighted to return to his alma mater, Major 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.

Sergeant First Class Ernest Conner

connerSenior Instructor of Military Science

(406) 447-5485

Sergeant First Class Ernest Conner joined Carroll College late Spring Semester of 2005. Previous assignments largely involve time with the 5th Special Forces Group as the SF Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeants, SF Operations Sergeant, a National Guard Recruiter and others.

SFC Conner has participated in operations in Haiti, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan as well as others. SFC Conner is a graduate of Special Forces Jumpmaster Course, Arabic-Egyptian Language Course and the Special Forces Sniper Course. His awards include the Master Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.