On Monday, April 1, professor of military science (PMS) and Chair of the Military Science department at Shippensburg University, Matthew Sober, was officially promoted from the rank of Major to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in front of his wife, family, faculty and Cadets of the Raider Battalion.
It was a special day not only for Sober and his loved ones, but also for SU and the Raider Battalion. Sober’s promotion and selection to this position marks the first time in the 35-year history of SU’s ROTC program that an alumnus and commissioned officer from the battalion came back to serve in its capacity.
Sober graduated from West Perry High School in 1992 and then went on to attain a degree in computer science from SU in 1996. He also commissioned as a Second Lieutenant the Infantry that same year.
Four years later he made the transition to the Military Intelligence branch. With more than a 17-year career in the Army, Sober has served in a wide variety of troop leading and staff assignments in places like Germany (twice), Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, Virginia and Kansas. He has also deployed and served in locations such as Kosovo, Kuwait, Iraq, and North Africa. Sober most recently served three years at Ft. Riley, Kansas with the 1st Infantry Division. During his time there he deployed to Iraq for one year as the chief of Human Intelligence and Counterintelligence operations for US-Division South.
“The only thing greater than wearing this uniform and serving, is wearing this uniform and serving in the community I call home. It was always a dream of mine to come back here and lead the organization where I learned to lead,” Sober said at the ceremony.
Sober currently lives near Carlisle with his wife Rebecca and his two sons Nathan and Bradyn.
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