MARQUETTE NROTC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER COMMANDING OFFICER CAPTAIN JOSEPH A. BAUKNECHT FALL 2013/SPRING 2014 Hello from Marquette University and the greatest NROTC unit in the world! It has been a wonderful year at the unit. We started the year welcoming aboard another very talented group of freshman and we ended the year with the commissioning of the 71st Marquette NROTC commissioning class. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the NROTC Staff for all they do to execute our mission, manage the battalion administrative requirements and mentor the midshipmen. I especially want to thank the civilian staff for their dedication. Joe Foti and Art Moses are the continuity that makes it all happen and they continue to be extremely dedicated to our mission despite all the turmoil this past year associated with the DOD civilian workforce. 1532 W CLYBOURN ST MILWAUKEE, WI 53233 414-288-7076/7 http://www.marquette.edu/ rotc/navy/index.shtml Thank you to the Board of Directors for spending countless hours managing the Alumni and Friends Association, the Seapower Library Association and for your unequalled support of Marquette NROTC. This Newsletter contains articles that highlight many of the events and activities that occurred during the 2013-2014 academic year. When we put this letter together it always amazes me how many activities and events the Midshipmen participate in above and beyond their school and NROTC obligations. Responsibility for producing and editing this Newsletter was a joint effort between Lieutenant Jon Anderson and Lieutenant Kevin Walthers. This is Jon's last and Kevin's first Alumni Newsletter. Kevin and Jon, thank you for putting together an excellent newsletter, well done. I would like to introduce to you the magnificent class of 2014, the 71st Marquette NROTC class. Thirteen Midshipmen commissioned on 17 May. There are two additional Navy option Midshipmen in the class who will commission later in the summer after they complete academic requirements. The class of 2014 is an impressive group of young officers and I wish them Godspeed as they embark on their journey in the Navy and Marine Corps. Class of 2014 Name Hometown Major Community ENS Vincenzo Alberico Naples, Italy Elec Engineering Aviation 2dLt Brendan Burns Newport, RI Mech Engineering USMC ENS William Coons Syracuse, NY Bus Admin Aviation 2dLt Eric Dian Gibsonia, PA Poly Sci USMC 2ndLt Samuel Ernst Westchester, PA Finance USMC ENS Donald Finkes Herald, CA Mech Engineering Submarine 1
PAGE 2 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER 2ndLt Michael Gerardi Randolph, NJ Int Affairs USMC ENS Jennifer Knopp Medford, WI Physics Aviation ENS Geoffrey Pevitts Wheaton, IL Criminal Justice Submarine ENS Matthew Phillips Brookfield, WI Physiology Aviation ENS Michael Reid Chetopa, KS Mech Engineering Submarine ENS Grace Thorstad Ray, MN ED/History Surface ENS Jeffrey Wujek Grandville, IL Math Aviation I highlighted the personnel changes that have already occurred or will occur this summer in my last email update. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce my relief who will be arriving in early July. Captain Dan Olson is a 1991 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was designated a Naval Aviator in February 1994. He has served in the Helicopter Combat Support and Helicopter Sea Combat communities with operational tours flying the H-46D, H-3, and MH- 60S totaling more than 2500 flight hours. Captain Olson has served HC-6 in Norfolk VA, HC-3 as a Fleet Replacement Instructor Pilot, HC- 2 with the World Famous Desert Ducks. He has served on the USS BATAAN twice in his career, the first in 2000 as the Aircraft Handling Officer and Assistant Air Officer and the second in 2009 as the Air Boss. CAPT Olson served on the OPNAV staff for the Director of Plans, Policies, and Operations as a member of a strategic planning cell. He became the plankowner Executive Officer of HSC-22 in October 2006 and its only second Commanding Officer in January 2008. Captain Olson earned his Masters of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego in 2000. Dan is married to the former Sarah Schopp, a former Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer and a 1997 USNA graduate. Sarah now works as a physical therapist. Together they are raising three children, daughter Kate (8), son Hal (5) and daughter Lily (2). Congratulations to the Olson family on the beginning of a fantastic Command Tour. Lauren and I know you will have a wonderful time being a part of such an outstanding NROTC Unit, a remarkable Institution and living in a positively fabulous city which you get to call home! I would like to thank our three Guests of Honor for this year. Rear Admiral (Retired) Terry McKnight was the guest of honor for the Fall Birthday Ball. Captain (Retired) Rich Postera, NROTC Class of 1983, gave the seniors a rousing sendoff at our Spring Ball. Rear Admiral David Steindl, Commander Naval Personnel Command/Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel and former Commander of Naval Service Training Command (responsible for the 61 NROTC Units), was our guest of honor for the Tri-ROTC Awards Ceremony. Thank you all for participating and making these events memorable for our impressionable Midshipmen. I would like to thank all those Alumni, Friends and Family that donated items to the unit this year. I m sure I will forget someone if I try and list every person so I will simply say, Thank You, to all that donated books, personal mementos and memorabilia. Marquette University Alumni and Parents, I know you are as proud of this ROTC unit as I am. Thank you for your support. Enjoy the Newsletter. WE ARE MARQUETTE! All the best Joe Bauknecht 2
PAGE 3 WELCOME ABOARD Captain dan olson Battalion officer, US naval academy LTJG Andrew Barry Uss stockdale ddg 106 1stLT matthew davis 2nd battalion 1st marines, camp pendelton Ssgt raymond cano Headquarters 3rd marine divison, okinawa FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS Captain Joe bauknecht Chick-fil-a owner and operator, Greendale WI Lt jon-andrew Anderson Chief engineer, uss wayne e. meyer ddg 108 Capt Jeffery (Derek) randall Jag corps, Marquette university law school Gysgt eakathat khanthasa Camp Pendleton, San Diego Ca Awards day Midn 2/c hammernik Every semester we gather together as a unit to give awards to our top preforming midshipmen. The fall awards ceremony was especially important to me as I was one of the two nominees from my class up for the Midshipmen of the Semester Award (MOS). This ceremony allows us to acknowledge those among us who achieved Trident Honor Society Award (3.4 GPA or higher) and those who earned an outstanding PT score on the Navy PRT or a 285 or higher on the Marine Corp PFT or CFT. The other major occurrence during the ceremony is the announcement of the Midshipmen of the Semester. Each platoon nominates their best 4/C and 3/C midshipmen and they compete against each other in a series of interviews, inspections, and knowledge tests to determine who will be the next MOS. This year we took some extra time to acknowledge some Midshipmen who earned special thanks for some assorted events. We had a few Midshipmen witness a car accident right outside the unit and they responded right away by directing traffic around the crash and conducting basic medical checks until the first responders could arrive. MIDN Harden used her Spanish skills and acted as a translator for the Police Officer who was getting a statement from a Hispanic family that was involved in the crash. MIDN Colbert also earned special thanks for working a lot of overtime, driving MIDN back and forth from Miller Park and making sure that our fundraising endeavors there went smoother than ever before. I know I can speak for a lot of my fellow classmates when I say it is nice to know that our hard work is noticed. Too often we get caught up in just trying to keep our heads down and plow through our busy lives that we forget to look back and see all that we have accomplished. 3
PAGE 4 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER Madison Drill Competition Midn 2/c tammen This past fall, MU NROTC once again traveled to Madison, WI to compete in the University of Wisconsin's Fall Invitational Drill Meet. The meet had been canceled in 2012, so this was the first time in two years that MU had been able to participate in a drill competition. Expectations were high as the competition teams began training. The competition was early in the semester on October 5th so the teams hit the ground running to get prepared, especially since a large portion of the teams were fourth class and had never competed in a meet before. MU NROTC sent a Platoon Drill team, Color Guard, two Squad Drill teams, and two Endurance Teams to compete. MU Color Guard secured a first place finish, while the Squad Drill teams took second and third place trophies. Platoon Drill also took third and both Endurance Teams performed well also, as the male team put in a very competitive performance and the female team featured the only women to compete in the endurance challenge. All the MU midshipmen who competed put in a ton of hard work throughout the semester in the preparation for and the execution of the Drill Meet and it was great to bring home some new trophies to decorate the wardroom. All the midshipmen who attended would also wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Seapower Library Association for their monetary support of MU NROTC for this competition and we are proud to carry on MU NROTC's tradition of excellence. Fall Birthday Ball Midn 2/c uebelhor On October 25 th, MIDN, alumni, unit staff, friends and family joined together to celebrate the 238 th birthday of Naval Services. The event was hosted at the downtown Hilton Hotel, just a few short blocks from campus. The guest of honor for the evening was RDML Terence E. McKnight, USN (RET). RDML McKnight shared with us some of his vast experience with counterpiracy operations. We were also joined by the alumnus of the year CAPT Arnold C. Wegher, USNR (RET) and the young alumnus of the year, CAPT Matthew Krempel, USMC. CAPT Krempel, a graduate from Marquette University NROTC in 2008, reminded the MIDN to lean on each other. He talked about how his friends from NROTC are still his greatest companions and the time spent at Marquette shaped his military career into one of faith, leadership, service, and excellence. We added a photo-booth, something the MIDN and their dates appreciated. After the ceremony the guests headed to the dance floor where many great dancers were discovered. We even got to see some of our staff members get groovy. Overall, the night went smoothly and was enjoyed by all in attendance. We would like to thank the alumni for their generous support towards unit events. 4
PAGE 5 Safety and Physical Fitness MIDN 2/C Brumley and MIDN 2/C Hammernik Safety standards for physical fitness activities for NROTC units changed at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year and MIDN 2/C Brumley adjusted LOI s and the whole structure of PT to accommodate all the new safety requirements. We began having CPR/AED certified safety observers at every high impact physical activity to ensure the safety of all the midshipmen. Members of the battalion signed up for a class to get certified in order to give the limited supply of nurses a break from always having to observe at PT, FEP, and Bulldog. Having a student observer and a staff member present has created a safer, more proactive environment at PT, Marine Corps PT, Bulldog and all training events. This has also given midshipmen an opportunity to pay close attention to their peers and look out for their wellbeing. During the spring semester, MIDN 2/C Hammernik had to work around the bitter winter and get as creative as possible with workouts. On 02APR14 we welcomed the warmer weather with a Miller Park Run and it felt great! Changing up the nature of PT was a large goal for MIDN Brumley and Hammernik this year. MIDN Brumley did a great job incorporating the new guidelines as well as getting the new freshmen accustomed to the new style of PT. MIDN Hammernik did a good job of expanding on the foundation laid by MIDN Brumley and really pushing the midshipmen to their physical limits. Notre Dame Basketball Midn 4/c filio On 13 JAN 14, Marquette University s Midshipmen made the trip down to the University of Notre Dame for the 28 th Annual Flying Irish Invitational basketball tournament. After a fun three-hour drive the Midshipmen were ready to take on their opponents. The men s team played first against St. Thomas AFROTC. They came out victorious winning 40-7. The women s team took the court against Purdue AFROTC. Despite a long back-and-forth battle they suffered their first loss. The men s team had one more opponent that day, the University of Notre Dame AFROTC team, where they secured their second victory. The next day, the women s team played Ohio State University AFROTC, South Dakota AFROTC, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison AFROTC, their last opponents for the tournament. Overall our women s team played a great tournament and represented the Marquette NROTC program with honor and determination. The men s team squared off against the Purdue NROTC and Virginia Tech AFROTC. Although the men fell short against Virginia Tech, they hoped to win a seed in the playoff tournament. The men received the ninth seed in the playoff tournament in which they would play Michigan State AFROTC for their first playoff game. Michigan State, a difficult and skilled opponent, proved to be a challenge for the men. However, after a short halftime talk, the men were able to pick themselves back up and come out with a 57-44 victory. After the game, the guys waited to hear their next opponent. Was it going to be Clemson? What about Texas A&M? It turned out that their next opponent would be located just across the Marquette campus! Their next opponent would be Marquette s AFROTC team. Talk about a rivalry! The men began their warm ups ready to faceoff against their friendly foes from across campus. Back and forth the teams competed. Unfortunately, after a long and tiring game, our men s team fell short and lost to Marquette s AFROTC. Overall, both the men and women s team had a great weekend representing Marquette s NROTC program. MIDN 2/C Arnold recaps some of his favorite moments from the weekend saying, Some of the favorite moments for many of the players was the drive there and back, dinner each night, the competition and for the men, playing in the Purcell Pavilion where the actual Notre Dame basketball team plays. The camaraderie and competition was top notch. This weekend was full of laughs and long lasting memories both teams could share. Both teams made sure Marquette s presence was known by saying, WE ARE MARQUETTE. On behalf of the Marquette NROTC battalion, we would like to thank the Alumni Association for funding our trip. 5
PAGE 6 Leadership Conferences The Naval Leadership Weekend Notre Dame Leadership hosted by the University of Notre Dame was a weekend-long event of conference symposiums focused on leadership and cyber & technological warfare as well Midn 3/c mivshek as an assortment of ethical, leadership, and team-building activities for the attending Midshipmen. The weekend featured titled speakers such as the Director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and the Chief of Naval Research/Director, Innovation, Technology Requirements, and Test & Evaluation in addition to a myriad of other renowned speakers from the Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and even included a board of Doctors gathered to debate the ethical implications of cyber warfare. Many leaders spoke in the symposiums with multiple focuses ranging from Col Frank J Rossi, USAF, on the interdisciplinary necessities of the military and leadership roles in communication between branches to SgtMaj Bradley Trudell s, USMC (Ret.), strikingly pointed advice on leading in the field and the applications indispensable for leaders in combat. Insights which touched home for me personally came from ADM John Richardson, USN, and his focus upon the importance of moral courage and his idea of creating a climate suitable to uphold the high standards for our noble profession of arms. Not only did the present MIDN get to hear current leaders impart the wisdom they had learned through the course of many years and positions in and out of military service, but were also given the opportunity to temporarily live in, tour, and see Notre Dame s statuesque campus including the Hesburgh Library where the symposiums were held, the Clarke Memorial Fountain, and Notre Dame s grotto. All in all the Midshipmen present, myself included, were abundantly fortunate to be able to attend this weekend conference and would like to thank the Marquette NROTC Sea Power Library Association as well as Notre Dame NROTC for this opportunity. Air Force Academy leadership conference Midn 2/c ibarra MIDN Schmitt and I were greeted by friendly faces and professional attitudes as we walked out of the bus to the Air Force Academy. It was clear that we had made it to the leadership symposium since we were among the many future leaders of the armed forces and the civilian world. We met our Air Force Cadet escorts and made our way towards Arnold Hall Auditorium, it felt odd not being around naval officers and Midshipman, but nevertheless, the cadets were very welcoming. We entered the auditorium where we were introduced to Ms. Razia Jan, one of the many speakers who participated in this symposium. Her value of education led to the foundation of a school for girls in Afghanistan, it was this school that earned her a spot in CNN s Top 10 People of 2012. Ms. Jan expressed her passion for educating girls in Afghanistan and hoped that through her example, we would be able to find our passion to benefit not only ourselves, but the world as well. As she walked off the stage, she was given a standing ovation and the crowd continued on through the day. I was unaware of how busy I was going to be at the USAFA. Regardless, the knowledge I gained from each speaker helped me gain an understanding and appreciation for the armed forces and military leadership in general. From historical lessons, to inspirational patriotic stories, the USAFA National Character and Leadership Symposium has truly impacted my views on leadership. I cannot thank the Sea Power Library Association enough for this opportunity to learn and apply these lessons back home. Naval academy leadership conference The US Naval Academy Leadership was held from 26 29 JAN 2014. Midn 2/c stephens However, this year s theme was very different from past conferences, as the Academy Committee instead chose to focus on followership, and the evolution of the leader. Throughout the conference, several panels met and discussed the importance of the followers, and the influence of people leading from below. The Marquette midshipmen in attendance had the privilege of hearing several intelligent and prestigious figures from both the military and civilian sectors, including Olympic athlete Ms. Kristine Lilly, the 16 th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sergeant Major Carlton W. Kent (USMC Retired), Lieutenant Chris Cassidy, USN SEAL and NASA Astronaut, and the Honorable Mr. Richard B. Cheney, 46 th Vice President of the United States. After hearing from these prominent speakers, people in attendance of the conference would break into small groups and further discuss the panel topics. The groups were very diverse, combining working civilians, college athletes, and members of other ROTC units across the nation. The discussion was also headed up by a Naval Academy MIDN, and Marquette attendees were able to hear several new ideas and perspectives on followership not just from speakers, but from our peers attending the conference. Marquette MIDN returned from the Naval Academy Conference with new friends, fresh ideas about leadership, and a better understanding of followership. We will use this insight to better our own leadership, as well as benefit those around us and the entire Marquette NROTC unit. We would like to give thanks to the Sea Power Library Association. You made our experience possible. 6
PAGE 7 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER Through a partnership with Project Global Officer and Marquette University, this summer I had the Project GO opportunity to travel to Amman, Jordan with fifteen fellow Midshipmen and Cadets from schools all MIDN 2/c mcdonald across the country. This program was designed to provide us with knowledge of the Arabic language over an eight-week period. We took classes five days a week on Modern Standard Arabic as well as colloquial Jordanian Arabic. Outside of the classroom, we interacted with our host families as well as our language partners who were university students at the local University of Jordan. Project GO also organized excursions and trips for us students. Over the weekends, we often got out of Amman and explored the rest of the country. From the ancient Roman city of Jerash in the North to a wonder of the world, Petra, in the South we saw almost all this country had to offer. We arrived in this country with expectations to learn Arabic, however, upon leaving we realized that we had learned so much more. Over the course of eight weeks, we developed a great understanding of the Middle East and the Arab World. Outside of the local language, we also learned about the local customs and traditions of local Jordanian culture. This once in a lifetime opportunity opened our eyes to a new country and culture while allowing us to improve ourselves in an academic setting as well. The trademark of the Spring 2014 Semester begins with the implementation of a three hour drill period. The change signified numerous possibilities and challenges that have been conquered along the way. One of the key advantages to the change in structure of the drill period was allowing the Battalion to be in one place for the entire period, which allowed for training periods to continuously flow from one event to the next. The continuous flow of events has allowed for the Unit to accomplish more tasks and to add a greater variety in the training sessions that take place. The additional hour also allows for NROTC extracurricular activities to take place at a time when more MIDN can attend the meetings, thus allowing for MIDN to become more involved in societies like Wardroom and Semper Fi. 3 hour drill MIDN 1/c finkes & Midn 2/c schmitt The new three hour drill period based on the Marine option standpoint has been very helpful in preparing our Marine Options for the rigors and challenges of OCS (Officer Candidates School). OCS is a six week evaluation process that screens midshipmen in order to see if they are qualified to commission as a future Marine Corps officer. OCS combines academics, physical strength and mental toughness in order to create barriers for midshipmen to overcome. The new three hour drill period has helped prepare our second class Marine options by teaching them various academics such as land navigation, five paragraph orders, and combat formations in order to be more prepared for OCS. Not only does the three hour drill period focus on academics for second class Marine options, it also gives them enough time to work on physical attributes such as rope climbs and pull-ups in order to increase their physical strength. Other Marine options benefit from the three hour drill period because it allows us to conduct Semper Fi Society which is a club that teaches Marine options basic skills such as land navigation, combat formations, tactical decision games, and Marine Corps history. Having Semper Fi Society during this time is beneficial because it no longer needs to be conducted during the week which would take more time out of most people s schedules. Overall, the three hour drill period for the Marine options has helped significantly in preparing our Marine options for OCS and by saving time so that midshipmen can use their time to focus on academics or other activities. 7
A LUMNI N EWSLETTER P AGE 8 TRI ROTC AWARDS DAY 5 April 2014 8
PAGE 9 FLEMING and FERENCZ MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS Every spring during the Tri-ROTC awards day ceremony, two very special and generous families come together to present a scholarship to two midshipmen. The Fleming and Ferencz memorial scholarships are awarded by the families to honor Captain Barry Fleming USMC, and Major Nicholas Ferencz USMC who were killed during aviation training accidents. This year s Fleming scholarship was awarded to Marine option Midshipman 4/C Kevin McEvilly. The Ferencz scholarship was awarded to Marine Option Midshipman 3/C Benjamin Knopp. The recipients of the scholarships are often college program or advanced standing midshipmen who do not receive financial support from the Navy. The scholarship is an extremely generous gift that helps the midshipmen further finance their educations and eventually their commissions. We would like to thank the Fleming and Ferencz families for their generosity and continued support of the midshipmen of Marquette NROTC. Spring commissioning ball Midn 2/c martinez This year s 71 st Spring Ball was held at the Hilton in downtown Milwaukee and was a great way to bid farewell to both the staff and seniors leaving Marquette University. MIDN 2/C McDonald, MIDN 2/C Martinez, MIDN 2/Stephens, and MIDN 2/C Leonard were the Special Projects Officers who worked hard to bring all of the elements together for this year s Spring ball. CAPT Richard Postera USN Retired was the Guest of Honor. CAPT Postera graduated and commissioned from Marquette University in 1982 with a B.A. in Language Studies. His words of wisdom were both enlightening and entertaining. The Midshipmen were left with many stories that will benefit them greatly as junior officers. Following dinner, the roast of the staff and seniors was an enjoyable way to reminisce on many of the stories and memories shared with those departing. The roast also served as a way for the battalion to say goodbye and good luck to the graduating seniors and staff as they leave our unit and continue their work in the Navy and Marine Corps. All in all, the Midshipmen and guests enjoyed their evening and look forward to the Birthday Ball in the Fall. 9
PAGE 10 ALUMNI NEWSLETTER BATTALION COMMANDING OFFICER FALL BNCO MIDN 1/C Samuel Ernst US Marine Corps The Fall semester of 2013 was an interesting time to serve as battalion commanding officer. In addition to returning from Officer Candidates School in Quantico hours before arriving in Milwaukee to receive a new freshman class, our procedure for introducing new battalion members to military life was vastly different from years past. Although the process was difficult and required frequent adjustment, the end product was as successful as we hoped. It has been extremely rewarding to see the class of 2018 make the transition from civilian to Midshipman, and it has been a privilege to be a part of it. As a battalion, we participated in the 2013 Madison Drill Competition, receiving 2 nd and 3 rd Place for the Squad drill event, and 1 st place for Color Guard. We participated in a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) PT led by GySgt Khanthasa, using modern hand-to-hand combat techniques. We also competed in ROTC intramural sports, including a Tri-ROTC football tournament. Despite how busy we were, it was an excellent way to experience my final year of ROTC. Without a doubt, the process of taking in new 4/C Midshipmen and leading the battalion would have been impossible without having MIDN Rowland and MIDN Reid by my side, and we were very comfortable handing that role over to MIDN Finkes, Gerardi, and Coons for the Spring 2014 semester. SPRING BNCO MIDN 1/C D.J. Finkes Submarines Having the opportunity to lead the Battalion in a semester of events and activities seemed like it was going to be a daunting task but with the help of my primary staff we were able to accomplish each challenge in a timely and orderly fashion. Special thank you to my Battalion Executive Officer Michael Gerardi and my Sergeant Major Bill Coons for their continuous hard work and dedication. Being the BNCO has been a truly rewarding experience as it has allowed me to try new ideas and do a lot of learning along the way. During the semester the Battalion received some unique opportunities such as a visit from the crew of the USS Milwaukee (LCS 5). The USS Milwaukee crew talked about the opportunities that lay ahead for the ships platform and there is discussion of MU NROTC being involved in the ships commissioning ceremony which is expected to take place in the Spring of 2015. Additionally, the Battalion received a senior enlisted inspection followed by a discussion on their perspective about newly commissioned officers. The final drill period concluded with a visit from the crew of the USS Jimmy Carter, who discussed the submarines role in the fleet and its future in the Navy. I would like to thank CAPT Bauknecht and Capt Randall for their continuous guidance throughout the semester as they always provided key advice that will be useful in the fleet too. I would also like to specially thank the Sea Power Library Association and the Alumni for their continuous support of the Battalion activities, because with their generous support the unique experiences continue to remain a possibility. Finally, I thank the MIDN within the Battalion for making my experience one of the most rewarding semesters I have had in the NROTC program. 10
FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS TO THE CLASS OF 2013! COMMISSIONING MIDN 3/C DELAROSA PAGE 11 Fourteen Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) midshipmen received their naval commissions at a ceremony held on the steps of the Joan of Arc chapel on the Marquette University campus, May 17. The ten Navy-option and four Marine-option NROTC students received their commission from several unit staff members including Cmdr. Rusty Hagins, commanding officer of the Marquette University NROTC unit, as well as various family members and family friends Over a hundred family members and friends came to see their loved ones commission. Later that day, a joint service commissioning ceremony was held involving the midshipmen and cadets of the three ROTC branches on campus; Army, Navy and Air Force. During the joint ceremony, the newly- commissioned officers were recognized by the guest of honor, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin. "A commission as an officer is a once in a lifetime experience and it's great to be with the family, especially my parents," said Ensign Matthew Phillips. "I do not really think that any of this has really sunk in yet. Ultimately I am excited to go to work and I'm looking forward to the adventure that awaits me." "It was truly amazing to watch my nephew grow into a man," said Lynn Morrison, aunt of ENS Phillips, as she held back tears of finally seeing her nephew commission. "Commissioning may be the final step of their NROTC career, but it is only the first step of the career of these new Naval officers," said Lt. Kevin Walthers, staff officer of the Marquette NROTC unit. "The future is ahead and it is time for these newlycommissioned officers to join the ranks of those who have gone before them." 11
DC Spring break trip Midn 4/c peters the senses than just sight is what makes the capital such a grand experience. Over spring break, part of the unit took a trip to Washington DC to visit the nation s capital. Following a thirteen hour drive in a van we arrived in DC to our lodging at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. For three full days, we toured the national mall and surrounding area. The sight of the capital for the first time can best be described in the word sublime. Everything you ve seen in the news and history books is suddenly directly in front of you. It s one thing to see the Vietnam Memorial in picture, but to actually walk down its path and take in more to We began our tour of the capital with Arlington National Cemetery, seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, USS Maine Memorial, and the Arlington House. Eventually we made our way to the National Mall and walked through the Vietnam, Korean War Veterans, Lincoln, and World War II memorials. The group also visited the Navy Memorial, Navy Heritage Museum, Library of Congress, as well as the National Archives. Touring the US capital, the group was also given the great opportunity to view the House and Senate chambers. The group split up to visit some of the museums around the mall, including the American History, Natural History, and Air and Space museums. After the memorials and museums, the biggest highlight of DC was the food. For anyone traveling to DC, the group would highly recommend anything bison from Ted s Montana Grill as well as Red Rocks Neapolitan Bistro s pizza. We cannot express our gratitude enough to the Sea Power Library Association for providing financial assistance for the trip. It was both an extremely humbling and enlightening experience. ALUMNI CORNER Alumni and Friends Association Directors Michael R. Good 83 Chairman CAPT Joseph A. Bauknecht, USN Albert A. Lagore 90 James R. Lang 65 Martin Menez 72 Mark E. Neuwirth 80 William R. Radomski 83 Paul T. Riedl 65 Officers Michael R. Good 83, President Mark E. Neuwirth 80, Vice President William R. Radomski 83, Secretary Albert A. Lagore 90, Treasurer Contact Us Email: munrotcalumni@gmail.com Phone: (414) 288-7076 Website: www.marquette-nrotc-alumni.org Facebook & Linkedin: Marquette NROTC Alum Association "Dear A&FA Members & other Alums of the MU NROTC Unit, The 2014 state of A&FA (Marquette Alumni & Friends Association, Inc.) is attached for your review. A&FA SUPPORTS THE MU NROTC MIDSHIPMEN BY SOLICITING DONATIONS FOR SLA (SEAPOWER LIBRARY ASSOCIATION) AND BY PROMOTING INTERACTION BETWEEN THE ALUMNI (MIDSHIPMEN OF THE PAST) AND THE CURRENT MIDSHIPMEN. IT IS A DUES PAYING SERVICE ORGANIZATION AND DEPENDS ON THOSE FUNDS TO EXECUTE ITS MISSION. The SLA Board, with the Unit CO as chair, determines the activities and items that the donated funds will be spent on to supplement the midshipmen s educational experience and thereby help prepare them to become excellent officer-leaders in the Navy and Marine Corps. Past support has been for attendance at various Leadership Conferences, for transportation to ROTC drill meet, sports team and physical fitness Competitions, Accomplishment Awards, Bi-annual NROTC Nurse Symposiums hosted by the MU NROTC nurses and on-water sailing familiarization training. The dual A&FA and SLA organization structure makes it possible for the Unit CO and his staff to directly participate in the decision making on the use of the SLA funds for the benefit of the midshipmen while remaining insulated from the solicitation of those funds which is done separately by Alums in A&FA. This helps keep the CO and his staff in compliance with DOD directives. The attached report shows that A&FA is involved in more than just the support of the midshipmen. We ENCOURAGE ALL ALUMS TO JOIN A&FA to help it grow into the worthwhile service organization it can become. The form at the end of the attached report can be used to join A&FA, to update your contact information on file at the Unit and/or to make donations to SLA. The E-mailed copies of the form are fillable Word document forms that your content can be typed in directly from your computer. When completed, the form either can be printed or mailed along with your checks to the Unit or, when your payments are processed through your bank bill-paying process, can be saved and E-mailed as an attachment to munrotcalumni@gmail.com. We encourage you to review the attached report to familiarize yourself with A&FA s activities. Thank you, Michael R. Good 83 A&FA President 12
Directors Michael R. Good 83, Chairman CAPT Joseph A. Bauknecht, USN Dennis J. Krakau 78 Albert A. Lagore 90 James R. Lang 64 Martin Menez 72 Mark E. Neuwirth 80 William R. Radomski 83 Paul T. Riedl 65 Officers Michael R. Good 83, President Mark E. Neuwirth 80, Vice President William R. Radomski 83, Secretary Albert A. Lagore 90, Treasurer Contact Us Email: munrotcalumni@gmail.com Phone: (414) 288-7076 Website: www.marquette-nrotc-alumni.org Facebook & LinkedIn: Marquette NROTC Alum Association MARQUETTE NROTC ALUMNI & FRIENDS ASSOCIATION, INC. Marquette University NROTC Unit 1532 W. Clybourn Street Milwaukee, WI 53233-2202 Spring 2014 Dear Fellow Alums & Friends, Greetings from your Marquette NROTC Alumni & Friends Association (A&FA). This letter provides your annual update on the state of A&FA and forwards the form for you to join or renew your annual membership still only $20/year! We also ask for your financial support of the midshipmen battalion through donations to the Seapower Library Association (SLA). 1. Upcoming Events All are invited to the A&FA Annual Member Meeting at 0900 on Saturday July 26 th at the Unit. Teleconferencing info will be on our new website. The annual NROTC Unit Open House follows (1000 1300). Join in the fellowship, food and beverages! 2. Website (Jim Dielen 62 webmaster@marquette-nrotc-alumni.org ) Alumni feedback encouraged creation of a website and we are fortunate to have a talented alum as webmaster. Through the outstanding efforts of Jim Dielen, we are launched. Please visit your website at http://www.marquette-nrotc-alumni.org. Jim is eager to receive your inputs to make this a great repository of your memories and a place to honor the service of our many graduates World War II to the present. Send photos, articles, video, career sea stories, anecdotes about your Midshipman days, etc to share with your fellow Alums and the current Midshipmen. 3. Membership (Paul Riedl 65 paultriedl@att.net & JR Miles 76 jmiles1@ec.rr.com): Our membership rolls are fairly steady at 187 members in good standing. Members, please use the included form to update your contact information (as appropriate) and pay renewal dues. Email address updates are one of the most important things to include. We will accept dues paid ahead for future years. All non-member Alums are encouraged to join A&FA by using the dues payment / contact info / donation form on page 2. At any time, please pass on updates to your contact information per the form; send it to munrotcalumni@gmail.com. 4. Awards (Bill Hayes 62 billgt6@hotmail.com) The 2013 Alumnus of the Year award was presented to CAPT Arnold C. Wegher USNR (Ret.) '53, while Capt Matthew C. Krempel USMC '08 received the 2013 Young Alumnus of the Year award, both at the MU NROTC Fall Ball on 25 October 2013 at the Milwaukee Hilton. They were chosen from an impressive field of nominees. We encourage you to submit nominations for the 2014 Alumni awards by the 1 August 2014 deadline. Format and guidelines will be provided on our website. Previous nominations not selected must be resubmitted in order to be eligible. 5. Class Representatives (Mike Good 83 president@marquette-nrotc-alumni.org): Class Representatives (CRs) are important in helping keep their classmates connected and maintaining current contact information on file with the Unit. CRs also help coordinate reunions, pass the word on Unit and A&FA activities (especially functions available for your attendance), network to help fellow Alums with job and career searches, provide feedback to the Unit and A&FA on items of interest and suggest areas for future involvement. Thanks to Jerry Bolain s fine recruiting efforts, 35 classes now have single or dual CRs (an increase of 4 this year). We need CR s for 54, 56, 57, 70, 71, 73, 75, 77, 81, 82, 85-89, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 00, 02, 04-07, and 11. Contact Mike Good and fill an open position. 6. Communication (Marty Menez 72 MMenez1981@Kellogg.Northwestern.edu): More Alums continue to join our by approval groups in Facebook (165) and LinkedIn (100). Search for Marquette NROTC Alum Association. Don t forget joining the A&FA Facebook and LinkedIn groups does not make you an official A&FA member. You still need to send in your dues to get all the information and updates that members enjoy. 7. Unit/Midshipmen Support (Jim Lang 64 JLANGGROUP@aol.com): A&FA solicits donations for the Seapower Library Association (SLA) which, with input from NROTC Midshipmen representatives and Unit staff that is provided at the Board meetings, disperses the funds to aid the Midshipmen. Your support is making a real impact, especially during these times of defense budget uncertainty. This past year, over $6300.00 in contributions to SLA went entirely to supporting the Midshipmen. The SLA has been a key to providing leadership and educational opportunities to the Marquette Midshipmen, the future leaders of our Navy and
Marine Corps. While the Seapower Library, as a repository of books, still exists, external opportunities and the current fiscal environment have urged a broader application of support. The Midshipmen attend leadership conferences, drill meets and other national competitions, host symposiums for professional development, and much more. Your generosity is vital to the Midshipmen in supporting their moral, mental, and physical development as the finest naval officers to enter service for this country. Please give a generous tax deductible donation by using the form at bottom of this page. 8. Hospitality/Reunions (Mark Neuwirth 80 mark.neuwirth@millercoors.com): Reunion gatherings for the x4 Classes ( 44, 54, 64, 74, 84, 94 and 04) are expected at the Unit for the annual Open House/Social on July 26 th. Contact us for advice and assistance with your class reunion planning. A&FA members are also encouraged to attend the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball in late October (watch for the notice). It s not too early to think about 2015, when your NROTC Unit will celebrate its 75 year anniversary educating future Navy & Marine Corps Officers. We are starting to discuss a commemorative program and welcome your inputs on celebrating this big milestone. 9. Networking (Albert Lagore 90 albert.lagore@gmail.com & Dennis Krakau 78 dennis.krakau@associatedbank.com): We experienced success with a graduate from the class of 2011 who came up on his end of obligated service and reached out for some transition assistance. Resumes started flying across the net, coordination points were established and the next steps were put into motion. Alas, the separating officer found employment on his own. But that's a win for one of our own and may be indicative of one of the paths where we may see more headway. The officers that were students during the rejuvenation of the Alumni Association are coming to the end of their obligation and the hope is they reach out to our alumni network. But "hope" is not a course of action. We are glad to welcome Dennis Krakau '78 as the new lead for our Networking focus area. He and other leadership on the board have been engaged with veteran s groups here in Milwaukee and have some great ideas for the future of this focus area. Dennis comes to our team with a passion for serving others and will be a welcomed addition. Your A&FA had a solid year. Most of us need to pay our A&FA dues now either as Continuing Members or as New Members. Please use the following fillable form for dues and to make a SLA donation RIGHT NOW to sustain the ongoing work of providing a means for Alums to share in the life of the NROTC Unit and supporting our current Midshipmen battalion. Keep your suggestions coming to help keep A&FA on track at meeting your expectations. Check us out on the new website, Facebook and LinkedIn. We wish you all smooth seas during the upcoming membership year. Best regards, Mike Good 83 President www.marquette-nrotc-alumni.org president@marquette-nrotc-alumni.org Name: (w/ Rank if appropriate) 7/1/14 thru 6/30/15 - MEMBERSHIP / CONTACT INFO / SLA DONATION FORM Mail to: Marquette NROTC Alumni & Friends Association, Inc. (A&FA) Marquette University NROTC Unit 1532 W. Clybourn Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233-2202 Marine Navy Commissioned Year: (if applicable) First Middle Initial Last Rank Address: Street or Unit City / FPO State Zip Code+4 Country(if not USA) E-Mail Address: Primary: Alternate: (Used for most communications) Telephone Number: Home: Mobile: Other: A&FA Member Dues: MU NROTC Alums; MU NROTC Staff past & present; MU Alums who served in Navy & Marine Corps via other sources; Family, Friends & Supporters of MU NROTC Unit Regular Annual [$20.00/year] Multi-year payment accepted @ $20 x #yrs Make check payable to A&FA *As a 501(c)(19) Not-for-Profit Organization, Membership dues are tax deductible as allowable under I.R.C. Section 501(c)(19). Seapower Library Association Donation (SLA)** Support to NROTC Midshipman Battalion activities. Make check payable to SLA. Your name may be listed for public recognition; donation amount(s) will not be listed. **As a 501(c)(3) Not-for-Profit Organization, all donations are tax deductible as allowable under I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3). $ Recent Graduate Newly commissioned officer membership is FREE for first 4 years following graduation. $ I wish my donation to be anonymous to the public and my name not be listed on any donor recognition venues.