The Crow’s NestNorthwestern University NROTCSpring 2016

Midshipman Staff Billets.....................................................2Editor’s Column....................................................................2From the Bridge.....................................................................3BATCOM’s Call.....................................................................4AMOI Challenge...................................................................5NDLC.................................................................................6-7Dining-In...............................................................................8

IN THIS ISSUEMidshipmen Around Campus.............................................9FEX/SEAL Weekend.....................................................10-11Ship Selection.......................................................................12Spring Review.......................................................................13Commisioning....................................................................14Welcome LT Arnold............................................................15Farewell from the XO...................................................15-16

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Battalion Commander (BATCOM)....................MIDN 1/C Ethan Ernst, USNRBattalion Executive Officer (BATXO).........MIDN 2/C Lauren Kearney, USNROperations Officer (OPS).................................MIDN 2/C Ryan Pattullo, USNRAssistant Operations Officer (AOPS)............MIDN 2/C Akira Crabdree, USNRAdjutant (ADJ)...................................................MIDN 2/C Sarah Garces, USNRAcademic Officer (ACADO)............................MIDN 2/C Jenna Garces, USNRLogistics Officer (LOGO).....................................MIDN 2/C Michael Yi, USNRFinancial Officer (FINO)................................MIDN 3/C Xavier Medina, USNR Physical Training Instructor (PTI)...................MIDN 3/C Chris Dungey, USNRPlatoon Commander (PLTCOM)..............Midn 3/C Thomas George, USMCR1st Squad Leader (SL)........................................Midn 4/C Ellen Peters, USMCR2nd Squad Leader (SL).............................MIDN 4/C Mark Mohammad, USNR

Over the course of this year and the spring semester, I have felt an indescribable amount of growth in my knowledge and leadership skills. The Naval Leadership and Management Course, taught by our outgo-ing Executive Officer Commander Holihan, greatly aided the process. Perhaps the most significant takeaway was learning how to learn: how to move past personal bias and distracting circumstances to accurately as-sess the situation and allow worthwhile change. Other development factors for me included finishing a second year of NROTC and half of college. I know I speak for all the midshipmen when I express thanks to our

midshipmen leadership, unit staff, advisors, and outside supporters. Your contributions to Northwestern NROTC are pivotal to our collegiate success and fuel the growth of fu-ture leaders.

I hope The Crow’s Nest readers en-joy the following features, which provide a snapshot of some important battalion ac-tivities and training. Thank you to everyone who made this edition a success, from arti-cle contributions to pictures — and a special thanks to my Assistant Editor, Midn 4/C Ellen Peters, USMCR. Without each person’s help, this publication would not have been possi-ble.

Editor’s ColumnMIDN 3/C Olyvia Chinchilla, USNR

Battalion Midshipman Staff Spring 2016

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From the BridgeCAPT Thomas P. Brasek, Commanding Officer

Spring has finally sprung here in Chicago, and we were very fortunate to experience a mild winter here on the lake. The Wildcat-Rambler Battalion is wrap-ping up another successful academic year, and the mid-shipmen are looking forward to summer training and a well-deserved break before classes resume again in the Fall. Some noteworthy events in early 2016 were the highly productive Field Exercise conducted with Vanderbilt University, the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command delegation visit to Chicago led by Admiral Cecil Haney, USN, the Notre Dame Leadership Confer-ence in South Bend, the annual Spring Dining-In held at Loyola University Chicago, and the annual Spring Review Awards Ceremony with musical accompani-ment by Navy Band Great Lakes.

There are a few staff personnel changes to report for this Spring. Lieutenant Matt Arnold relieved Lieutenant Phil Dunsford as the Midshipman 4/C advisor and Aviation rep-resentative at the unit. LT Dunsford worked closely with NU Admissions to recruit quality candidates for our Program, and we wish him well as he enters school to be a navy dentist. Our Executive Officer, Commander Keith “Keebler” Holihan, USN, will retire over the sum-mer. He has been the backbone of our smooth operations and determined agent of pro-cess improvement at the NROTC Chicago Area Consortium. He will be sorely missed by us but will have a great opportunity to make his mark in the business world as a civilian.

The final act of the Spring is the commissioning of two new Surface Warfare Officers, ENS Hannah Brachfeld, a nuclear-option heading to USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108, guided missile destroyer), and ENS Ethan Ernst reporting to USS Lake Champlain (CG 57, cruiser) as well as Marine Second Lieutenant Craig Sabath, who completed overseas studies on a Boren scholarship in Turkey, heading for training at The Basic School (TBS). We wish them all the best in their new assignments in the Fleet/Field.

In closing, we appreciate the great support and generosity of the Northwestern Uni-versity Scholarship Fund Committee and other steadfast sponsors who aid our midshipmen financially. We could not do this without you!

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As Battalion Commander for the past se-mester, I have seen midshipmen grow not only within the battalion, but succeed in outside endeavors as well. As this semester comes to a close, I can say with immense pride that the midshipmen of the Northwest-ern NROTC battalion have performed at the highest level of academic endeavor, physical fitness, and leadership development. Our midshipmen were busy this semes-ter both within the unit and at events around the country. Some incredible opportunities our future leaders were provided included participating in the Notre Dame Leadership Conference, a weekend event in which mid-shipmen from units all around the country attend to discuss issues critical to their roles as future leaders. Some of our midshipmen also traveled to Vanderbilt University where they conducted a joint Field Exercise (FEX) with other NROTC units. There, they got a taste for life in the field, and performed ad-mirably. Two other events for this semester were the Assistant Marine Officer Instructor (AMOI) Challenge, and Dining-In. The North-western NROTC battalion once again de-feated our fellow brothers and sisters in the NROTC battalion at the Illinois Institute of Technology. At the conclusion of a success-ful semester, the consortium came togeth-er to celebrate our successes at Dining-In. These events required substantial planning and logistics, and demonstrate the capabili-ties of the midshipmen and the battalion as a whole.

BATCOM’s Call MIDN 1/C Ethan Ernst, USNR

Currently, our battalion consists of 26 midshipmen and 2 Marines. The small size of the battalion creates an environment in which nearly everyone has a leadership role and the opportunity to grow as a leader and person. I was incredibly blessed to have a staff that worked tirelessly to accomplish the goals of the battalion. Things would not have run as smoothly as they did without them. The amount of hard-work and dedica-tion each midshipman has put forth this se-mester has been more than remarkable. I am honored to have led the most talented mid-shipmen in the country and know that each and every one of them has a bright future ahead of them within the fleet. With that, I proudly say “BZ and thank you” for an in-credible semester.*

*Bravo Zulu, is naval signage for “Well Done”

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AMOI ChallengeMIDN 3/C Chris Dungey, USNR

I had the distinct honor of organizing and leading the annual Assistant Marine Officer Instructor (AMOI) Challenge. The purpose of this event is to not only propagate intra-bat-talion camaraderie in the Northwestern Bat-talion, but also inter-battalion unity with our established south side rivals at Illinois Insti-tute of Technology (IIT). Through sporting competition, the AMOI Challenge unequivo-cally accomplished these goals-and both bat-talion’s competitive spirit provided a unique conclusion to the competition. The 2016 event was comprised of five main matches. The first competition was an hour long football game. Northwestern NROTC trailed significantly early, and unfor-tunately, our late-game rally was not enough to prevail. IIT was awarded the first 120 points. Following football was soccer; as the midshipman lead, I scouted IIT’s talent and discovered that they had a number of com-petitive soccer players. With only one com-petitive soccer player for Northwestern, our goal was to survive this leg of the competi-tion, and that we did. The battalions split the four games played, providing a score of 180-60.

The next event was basketball. I wholeheartedly knew that the north shore battalion would dominate this event. With several talented midshipmen, we swept all four games. The AMOI Challenge was now tied at 180-180 with two events left. What followed was a best three out of five com-petition in dodgeball. After being down two games, Northwestern NROTC rallied to win three straight and take a command-

ing lead with one event left. Unfortunately, the last event was tug-of-war, and we were missing our anchor—Midn 1/C Craig Sabath, USMCR, who is studying abroad this year. Three hours of competition culminated in a tie where a military knowledge test would determine this year’s champion. As expect-ed, NU flourished under the pressure of the battalion-wide exam. After a fierce compe-tition, Battalion Commander Ernst hoisted the trophy for Northwestern. Reflecting on the intriguing series of events, one can compartmentalize the true motivation driving the NU-IIT battle. The AMOI Challenge stressed accountability, mu-tual respect, and unity. Taking a step back, we realized that unity is not only foundation-al in a team sport environment; it is critical to becoming effective leaders in our nation’s greatest team—the military. It is only fitting that the last event stressed knowledge as the AMOI Challenge successfully codified the notion that none of us are as smart as all of us.

NU and IIT midshipmen compete in dodgeball at the AMOI Challenge.

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Notre Dame Leadership Conference MIDN 2/C David Filippini, USNR

This past February, our unit had the priv-ilege of attending the prestigious Naval Leadership Conference. The purpose of the leadership conference is to gain valuable in-sight from the gathering of midshipmen and high ranking Navy and Marine Corps Corps officers in order to consider issues critical to the two services. The greatest takeaways from the conference can be summed up as advice for growth as an individual and as a leader. Indeed, Sergeant Major Lehew, USMC, re-counted that we, as military leaders, do do not exist for our own well-being but instead for the well-being of our people. He further described that we should not dwell on our mistakes, but should always strive to move forward. The Junior Officer (JO) panel, main-tained that respect and trust is gained from leading up, down, and peer-to-peer, setting the example for your people. Furthermore, Major General Lukeman, USMC, reminded

us to trust our intuition as leaders and that sometimes it is better to ask for forgive-ness than for permission. Captain Paul Rinn, USNR, Ret. , the hero of the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58, guided missile frigate), con-veyed to us the importance of trusting our people. He maintained that our people will perform if we train them well enough, and then trust them to do their job. Rear Admiral John Kirby, USN, Ret., stressed that we are not indispensable, and to not think of ourselves in that way. He then mentioned to make sure that we make time for family and loved ones, as they are vital to a leader’s success. Rear Admiral Peter Gumataotao, USN, highlighted the need to create a welcoming environment in our command; one in which questions are welcomed and opinions are deeply valued. He further stated that we all need a mentor and and to master the art of balancing our job, our community, and our family. Our final speaker, Admiral Philip S. Da-

vidson, Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, USN, truly reiterated the importance of remaining present, rather than looking too far ahead, and doing your best in your current job. The conference was truly an honor to attend, and our midshipmen should continue to eagerly do so.

Rear Admiral Peter Gumataotao, USN with members of the NU NROTC Battalion.

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Dining-InMIDN 3/C Mathew Chorvat, USNR

Every year our battalion participates in a longstanding traditional military dinner called Dining-In, and this year the event took place on 22 April. Dining-In is a night meant to foster camaraderie through many spe-cific customs and several opportunities for humour and creativity. It is always a highly anticipated event for members of the battal-ion, and for good reason.

The evening began with a cocktail hour, intended for midshipmen of the North-western/Loyola and Illinois Institute of Tech-nology/University of Illinois at Chicago bat-talions to have a chance to mingle, as the two battalions only interact a few times per year. This opportunity was also useful for ev-eryone present to have a chance to meet the guest of honor. We were fortunate enough to have Mr. Ira Graham, a WWII veteran who still works five days a week, honor us with his presence.

The night continued with a series of traditions, including recognition of POW (Prisoner of War) and MIA (Missing in Ac-tion) service members, playing from a bag-piper, and a host of formalities. Two “offi-

cers of the mess” helped guide the evening: a President, who governed the evening and advanced all proceedings, and a Vice Presi-dent, who helped keep order and used wit to make several parts of the evening more interesting. We were led by Madame Presi-dent MIDN 1/C Hannah Brachfeld, USNR and Mister Vice MIDN 2/C Benjamin Jones, USNR. Both excelled in their roles.

Following these customs, dinner was served, and the humorous part of the eve-ning began. First was the “challenges” por-tion. For an hour midshipmen had an oppor-tunity to present and share a funny story or mistake regarding another midshipman. With the help of Mr. Vice, after the perpetra-tor of the story was allowed to defend him or herself, a “fine” was determined for the perpetrator, which included being forced to speak in an accent, searching the building for ghosts, and line-dancing.

This section was followed by an hour of skits, prepared by each class and meant to impersonate the guests present. There was then a return to decorum and heritage as all guests engaged in a round of toasts, saluting various elements of our military and coun-try. The night was a great success in bringing together everyone present, and it will likely remain a battalion-favorite event for some time.

Left: A table of midshipmen converse. Above: Mess members sing as a fine.

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“Asterik has been my way to continue my passion for singing and the arts in college. Last year I had the honor of acting as the Music Director for the group. I owe it to this group for

completely altering my college experience; I don’t know what I would do without them.”-MIDN 3/C Xavier Medina, USNR

“I am the president of Blue and Green Society (BGS) on LUC’s campus. We at-tended an event by the Israel Students Alliance to support the Israeli Soldiers Speaking Tour in April. We look for-ward to doing more events on campus with other organizations!”-MIDN 2/C Philip Kulas

“I am a member of the Northwestern Triathlon Team. I absolutely love the community and being introduced to a new sport! We have plenty of races lined up for the spring/summer and are hav-ing a blast training!”-Midn 4/C Ellen Peters, USMCR

Midshipmen Around Campus

Right: BGS members with Israeli soldiers (middle) and the leader of ISA, Yehuda (left).

“Design Thinking and Communication (DTC) gives students the opportunity to put into practice the concepts of design by working with a client to create a solution to a problem they are facing. Last quarter my team worked with Kathy, a stroke survivor who only had the use of one hand and wanted to be able to tie her shoelaces.Working as a team and being able to apply our skills and help make some-one’s life better was incredible.”-MIDN 4/C Kelly Cox, USNR

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FEXMidn 3/C Thomas George, USMCR

All throughout my time in the fleet as an infantry Marine I was always amazed at the profound effect the two-word sentence ‘Gear up’ had on a squad of Marines when uttered from a Sergeant, Staff Sergeant or Lieutenant’s lips. Once these words were uttered, a lazy afternoon scene of Marines lounging on their packs, eating Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs), taking an afternoon nap, or methodically scrubbing a weapon would ex-plode into a frenzy of activity, not unlike a hive of provoked bees. As quickly as the ex-citement began, it ended with the squad in gear patiently awaiting orders.

The effect was even more dramatic among the Naval Reserve Officer’s Train-ing Corps (NROTC) Chicago Consortium students attending the Field Exercise (FEX) held at the Tullahoma Army Reserve Train-ing Base near Nashville, Tennessee with Van-derbilt University NROTC. Although the mo-ment of gearing up was neither as organized nor as timely as a seasoned squad of grunts, many lessons were learned and the training was the caliber of a fleet evolution.

Over the course of two nights and two days, the Chicago Consortium conduct-ed several training evolutions: Land Naviga-tion, the Confidence Course, the Obstacle Course, a 9-mile hike, patrol formations, immediate action drills, military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) familiarization, small unit leadership exercises (SULEs), and paintballing. Each of the above exercises was challenging in its own right. The two most physically taxing activities were the 9-mile hike, which was conducted with 60-80 pound packs and a rifle, and the Obstacle Course, which includes a series of physically demanding log obstacles, bar obstacles, and a 20-foot rope climb. The evolutions requir-ing the most mental fortitude were again, the 9-mile hike; the Confidence Course, which boasts several obstacles that are de-signed to force the participant to overcome fears such as heights; and the SULEs, which took place over four hours and involved sev-eral evolving situations, forcing midshipmen leaders to react quickly and decisively.

Overall, the action-packed weekend was a worthwhile learning experience that taught every participant, staff, and midship-man alike, a different lesson. I personally learned how to pass on my experience in a tactical environment without crossing the line of arrogance or lecturing. The final event of the FEX was a well-deserved warrior din-ner with the event staff and Vanderbilt mid-shipmen. After the dinner, the midshipmen were able to shower, wash away the dirt and camouflage face paint, and spend a Saturday night in Nashville. NU midshipmen at FEX pore over maps and plot their

course during the navigation portion of the weekend.

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SEAL Weekend MIDN 2/C Philip Kulas, USNR

MIDN Pattullo and I traveled to Notre Dame University to participate in a SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) training workshop from 15-17 April, 2016. The cadre took a different ap-proach to training from years past. There were midshipmen from all over the Midwest region and beyond: Penn State, Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Auburn, and Michigan University, to name a few. All classes were welcome to attend the weekend.

After we arrived, we mustered at a nearby open field. We spent the remainder of the day completing numerous physical evolutions including ruck runs, grinder PT, wind sprints, etc. In between workouts, there were opportunities for informal ques-tion and answer period with the cadre. This allowed us to get a better idea of what life is like as a Naval Special Warfare (NSW) candi-

date and also as a SEAL officer. At the con-clusion of the day, we completed a Physical Screening Test (PST).

On the evening of 16 April, we mus-tered at a nearby restaurant for a dinner social. We had the opportunity to socialize with our fellow midshipmen and also the cadre from the weekend. That concluded the weekend for us.

Overall, the weekend was very educa-tional for me as a NSW officer candidate. We got a very small taste of what a day at the 1/C NSW summer cruise would be like, and also what a single day at Basic Underwater Dem-olition School (BUD/S) would be like as well. The cadre assured us that the physical evo-lutions of the day were merely an appetizer compared to the king’s feast that is BUD/S.

Below: Attendees of the 2016 Notre Dame Naval Special Warfare Workshop Weekend, or “SEAL Weekend.” The

event included midshipmen from throughout the country. Photo Credit: Notre Dame Naval NROTC

Above: SEAL Weekend participants take part in a

swim evolution. Photo Credit: Notre Dame

Naval NROTC

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Ship Selection

MIDN 1/C Hannah Brachfeld, USNR MIDN 1/C Ethan Ernst, USNR

While I was waiting for my ship selection date to come I researched ships. I looked up Facebook pages to try to find out what different ships’ command climates are like. I focused on destroyers in Hawaii and San Diego. Destroyers seemed like the most ma-neuverable surface ships and they would give me the best tactical experiences out in the surface fleet. I had settled on a few de-stroyers as my top choices: USS Sterret, USS Michael Murphy, and USS Wayne E. Meyer.

When 23 February came, I went to the Haven unit and watched the ship selection list as midshipmen ranked above me chose their ships. I ranked 22nd and was able to choose from all three of my top choice de-stroyers. I decided on the USS Wayne E. Mey-er (DDG 108, Guided Missile Destroyer), out of San Diego. I am excited to join the ship this summer and look forward to working with the sailors onboard a ship that has such a sterling reputation.

Three-and-a-half years of ROTC training came down to one final decision: On what ship do I want to have my first Division Offi-cer tour? During my ROTC career I absorbed as much information about Navy life as I could through summer cruises, guest speak-ers, and unit staff. When I got the call from the detailer, my decision to choose USS Lake Champlain (CG-57, cruiser), homeported in San Diego, CA, was an easy choice.

I spent many hours on the days lead-ing up to my selection narrowing the list to a few ships on which I wanted to serve. I knew from my experience on a destroyer that a destroyer or cruiser, specifically in San Di-ego, would be a good fit. Watching billets on ships getting filled just before I picked was stressful, but thankfully I was able to choose the platform and homeport that I wanted. Overall, I could not be more excited to re-port to my first ship as a Division Officer in a few months.

MIDN 1/C Ethan Ernst, USNR cel-ebrates ship selection with the unit

surface warfare officers.

MIDN 1/C Hannah Brachfeld, USNR waits to select her ship.

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Spring Review MIDN 4/C James Schuller, USNR

to foster unit camaraderie and, in addition to Dining-In, was a wonderful way to end the year. Additionally, the event served as a strong motivator to continue to improve. Each award that was presented is attainable for every midshipman if he or she works for it. In our Leadership and Management class, we actually discussed the fact that awards ceremonies are effective motiva-tional tools, and I would say Spring Review was a prime example of this effect. Witnessing the change of command ceremony was also an interesting experi-ence. I believe it helped to mentally solidify the fact that a new chain of command was taking effect from that point forward as opposed to last semester when it changed upon our return from winter break. Overall, I believe the event was a huge success. Many people were able to-display what they had accomplished to the rest of the battalion, making all our hard work worthwhile. Both prior to and follow-ing the ceremony, all of us were having a wonderful time and were able to become closer as a unit. I cannot wait for Spring Re-view to roll around again next year.

Award season was upon us again in the NU NROTC Unit. Despite the somewhat chilly weather, spring was in the air, calling us to-gether for Spring Review. This being my first year as a member of the Battalion, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect: everyone was in the Summer Whites dress uniform, there was a band, and the event was open to civil-ians. What followed was just another in the long line of lessons learned throughout the fourth class year of NROTC. As had occurred at the previous awards ceremony, the order of events we simply had to follow the commands and know when it was our turn to go on stage. Both before and after, all the midshipmen were in good spirits and had fun cheering each other on. This event definitely helped

MIDN 1/C Hannah Brachfeld, USNR (right) presents the Northwestern standard, as the command changes from MIDN 1/C Ethan Ernst, USNR (left) to MIDN 2/C Michael Yi, USNR (center).

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Commisioning MIDN 1/C Hannah Brachfeld, USNR

The Loyola University Chicago Commis-sioning Ceremony on 14 May commissioned two brand new Naval Officers as ensigns in the United States Navy: ENS Hannah Brach-feld and ENS Ethan Ernst. The ceremony be-gan with some words on leadership from the Commanding Officer of Northwestern NROTC, Captain Thomas Brasek, USN. He said that the most important job for the new ensigns was to take care of their people. That should always be a top priority during their time in the fleet.

After the oaths were administered, ENS Brachfeld and ENS Ernst had their friends and family confer the officer insig-nia. Following British military tradition, each new ensign executed a first salute and pre-sented the enlisted personnel with a silver dollar coin, equivalent to the salary of an en-listed Non-Commissioned Officer in the Brit-ish military when the tradition started in the late 1700s. ENS Brachfeld received her salute from Staff Sergeant Gerald Victa, USMC, and ENS Ernst received his from Cadet Michael

Lee, USAR. The parents of each ensign were then presented with a Blue Star banner to display in their homes as a symbol of having a loved one serving. The ceremony conclud-ed with the presentation of the new ensigns and playing of the Navy and Marine Corps service songs.

Following the ceremony, there was a reception. Many photos were taken on the balcony with Lake Michigan as the beauti-ful backdrop and the new Ensigns cut their cake with a ceremonial sword. Overall, the ceremony was personal and intimate. Two ensigns were successfully commissioned into the Navy and will go on to be surface warfare officers in San Diego. ENS Brachfeld is heading to San Diego for her first tour on USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108, Guided Mis-sile Destroyer), and ENS Ernst is also going to San Diego to serve on USS Lake Cham-plain (CG 57, cruiser). Both ensigns have bright futures ahead of them. Fair winds and following seas to the newest officers from Northwestern NROTC!

ENS Ethan Ernst, USN returns his first salute from Cadet Michael Lee, USAR.

ENS Brachfeld, USN and ENS Ernst, USN, following their commissioning.

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Farewell from the XOCDR Keith Holihan, Executive Officer Northwestern NROTC

Commissioned through Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) NROTC in May 1994, I entered the Navy full of ambition and spirit. After a short stint on Inactive Ready Reserves, I began flight school in December of 1994 and received my wings of gold in No-vember of 1996. I spent a year teaching as a Selectively Retained Graduate (SERGRAD), another 10 months learning to fly the FA-18 Hornet, and I finally arrived to my first fleet squadron, VFA-83 Rampagers, on cruise in October 1998.

I spent the next 9 ½ years in the

Where are you from and where did you go to college?LT Arnold: I am originally from Buffalo, NY and I went to school at the University of San Diego (USD).

Why/how did you become an officer in the U.S. Navy?LT Arnold: I was commissioned through the ROTC program at USD. I became a naval of-ficer because I wanted to fly and serve my country.

What has been your favorite experience in your career thus far?LT Arnold: My favorite experience in the Navy was getting to fast-rope a MARSOC (Marine

Corps Special Operations Command) team to a moving ship during a Maritime Interdic-tion training event in the Bahamas.

What are you most looking forward to in ad-vising the incoming freshman?LT Arnold: I am looking forward to guiding the freshmen through their first year in the program and seeing their maturation as they progress towards commissioning.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?In my free time I enjoy playing pickup basketball and reading.

Welcome Aboard Lieutenant ArnoldMIDN 4/C Cox & MIDN 4/C Schuller

CDR Holihan addresses the Chicago NROTC Consortium midshipmen and staff during Dining-In on 22 APR.

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cockpit of an incredible aircraft in many great squadrons: Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic (SFWSL) Advocati, Diaboli, and VFA-136 Knighthawks. The call of Italian food and a European adventure took me and my fam-ily to Italy for three years for what was in many regards one of our favorite tours. We returned to Norfolk for two years, contrib-uting to East Coast Fleet readiness and ulti-mately settled into our final tour here at the NROTC Chicago Area Consortium.

While the above paragraph certainly tells a story, it doesn’t tell the whole story. What it is missing is the ‘why’…why serve 22 years. What is it that kept me in? -It was the dedicated professionals surrounding me and the strength and sup-port of my family.

My journey introduced me to many great people, not all of whom were aviators, but have received call signs nonetheless. People like ‘Razor’ Gillete; a class advisor of mine at RPI who solidified my desire to go aviation. Mike ‘Langer’ Lange, my best friend, fraternity brother and Naval Flight Officer. Kevin ‘Koots’ Keutmann, Steve ‘Bert’ Kiggans and Brad ‘Jimmy’ Briller; an amazing commanding officer (CO) and two talented Rampager Landing Signal Officers (LSOs) and great friends. Steve ‘Splash’ Carrington, David ‘Supafly’ Faehnle and Elizabeth ‘Spike’ Malecha; all great TOPGUN tacticians and training experts whose time together I trea-sure. Dave ‘Killer’ Culler, Max ‘Toto’ Shu-man, Norman ‘Dudley’ Cassidy; all Knight-hawks…my best CO and mentor with two of the hands down best Department Heads (DHs) in the Fleet. Joe ‘Slo’ Overstreet, Pe-dro ‘Chicken-killer’ Martinez, Raul ‘The King’ Martinez-Avial, and David ‘Cul-de-sac’ Gode-froy; great friends from our Italian adven-ture. Michael ‘Mort’ White, Mike ‘Trainman’ Reedy and Steven ‘IKM’ Collins; experts,

mentors and friends. And finally, the great staff and motivated team of future officers and leaders from the NROTC Chicago Area Consortium; all who have demonstrated to me that our Naval Service is in good hands.

A military career is an adventure of sorts, sometimes you know where you are going and other times you think you know where you are going. In the end, there are many challenges and rewards associated with our service. In my case, I would not have been able to truly contribute and enjoy the journey without the strength and support of my family. My wife has been an amazing friend and mentor. She has sacrificed much for my career…more than I’ll ever truly know. My children are resilient and ever in my mind. There is nothing quite like coming home to their open arms.

So, the circle is complete. As I close this last chapter, I want to provide a couple ‘golden nuggets’ (I had to make that refer-ence) for you to consider: -You are your own best promoter and advocate—Work hard, play hard and be an expert in your field. -There is a waiver for everything—Re-fer to the bullet above; know the rules and advocate for yourself…if you’ve done well others will also advocate for you. -Timing is everything—Sometimes it is good timing, sometimes it isn’t; to quote a staff member, ‘grow where you are planted’. -Never stop growing as a person and leader—If you become stagnant, you will become irrelevant. -Have fun—You are part of a great organization and will be doing amazing things…don’t take yourself too seriously all of the time.

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Alumni NewsClement T. Duffy - 1947: “Now that I turned “90” on 3/17/16, I am seriously considering retiring by the end of the year!!! I have been selling and servicing Health Insurance for nearly 70 years.” (06/16)

Frank W. Broadbent - 1953: “Secretary of Casco Bay Navy League.” (05/16)

William O. Glass, Jr. - 1976: “”Entering 3rd year as senior naval science instructor in the NJROTC program at Bridgeport (CT) Military Academy.”” (01/16)

H. Todd Kauderer - 1976: “Still working as a senior program manager for Navy programs at the John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Maryland. Also getting used to having a son-in-law and two nephews as LCDRs.” (05/16)

Jeffrey S. Nolan - 1986: “Coaching Robinson High School Rifle Team, which just won its 3rd con-secutive National Championship. Former team captain, Lucas Koziersley, in finals for spot on U.S. Olympic Team in Rio.” (05/16)

Andrew G.S. O’Brien - 1986: “I’m toughing it out in Nassau, Bahamas, happily practicing law. Looking forward to our 30th reunion. Thanks for your continued efforts, CAPT Gulliver!” (06/16)

Stuart J. Walker - 1987: “August 2015 retired from Navy Reserve after 28 years of service.” (05/16)

Joseph M. Schmitt - 1989: “Currently a technical pilot for Boeing Commercial Airlines in Seattle, WA. Hello to Class of ‘89.” (05/16)

Katherine C. B. Smith - 1993: “Left the Navy as a LCDR, USNR. Joined the Naval Criminal Investi-gative Service (NCIS) in 2000 as a Civilian Special Agent. Stayed with NCIS 2000-2015. Recently joined Department of Interior, Office of the Inspector General.” (05/16)

Harry J. Geanuleas - 1995: “Retired from active duty service as a Commander on 01 JUL 2016.” (07/16)

Kyle E. Harken - 2002: “LCDR Harken transferred to VR-51 in December 2015 where he now flies the C-20G (Gulfstream G IV).” (06/16)

Autumn D. Swinford - 2004: “I will be moving with my husband, Major Eric Knecht (Wisconsin NROTC 2004), to Stuttgart, Germany, where we both will work at Marine Forces Europe and Africa for the next three years.” (05/16)

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You may have noticed a new “by line” above and might be wondering “What hap-pened to Captain Gulliver?” Well, after 28 years of leading the NROTC Scholarship Fund’s communications efforts, Vic has passed the torch to me. While I won’t be able to match his wonderful combination of wit and wisdom, I will do my best to keep these updates as interesting and informative as possible. Rest assured, Vic is still heavily in-volved on the Scholarship Fund board, but I think we can all agree that after nearly three decades he has more than earned the right to “retire” from his communication duties!

By way of introduction, I am one of the Fund’s new board members and a proud 1992 graduate of Northwestern’s NROTC Program. While at NU I served as Battalion Commander and was introduced to the new-ly created scholarship fund when a good friend and classmate became the first schol-arship recipient in 1989. Upon graduation I became a Surface Warfare Officer and served on the USS Deyo (DD-989) based in Charles-ton, SC and Norfolk, VA. I am delighted to join the board and to give back to an orga-nization that gave so much to me during my four years at “Navy Northwestern.”

Now on to some updates. The Schol-arship Fund continues to make a significant impact as a result of your generous contribu-tions. In May at this year’s spring review, Ka-tie Licup -our Scholarship Fund Board Pres-ident - was on hand in Evanston to award $60,000 in grants to ten highly deserving midshipmen. Their stories are truly inspir-ing – from balancing rigorous academic

Naval R.O.T.C. Scolarship Fund, Inc. Chris Lillich, NU Class of ‘92

work with part time jobs, to supporting their families while in pursuit of their degrees and commissions.

In June the board conducted its annual meeting on Northwestern’s campus. It was a pleasure to be back in Evanston, and I was reminded of the rich history of our unit. As you might recall, the NROTC unit at North-western was one of the first six established in 1926 along with units at Harvard, Yale, Georgia Tech, the University of Washington, and the University of California-Berkeley. Of these, our unit is one of the few that has operated continuously ever since. For many of us the unit is a deep source of pride, and this Scholarship Fund is one way we can continue to nurture it. This board meeting was our first chance to welcome aboard five new board members and as always, CAPT Brasek’s Unit update was a highlight.

As Captain Gulliver has noted in past updates, by almost any measure this Scholarship Fund has been a tremendous success. Since that first grant in 1989, the Fund has distributed over half a million dollars in grants to 81 deserving midshipmen. This fund is unique in several ways, both within the NROTC landscape and the broader landscape of charitable organizations. Captain Brasek noted at our board meeting that there really is no other comparable Scholarship Fund at any other NROTC unit in the country. So we are making a unique impact on the midshipmen of our unit. Additionally, as Vic has mentioned over the years, the Fund prides itself on its tremendous “bang for the

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buck.” One hundred percent of donations continue to be applied to scholarship grants. Your donations are NOT applied to the funds modest administrative expenses which are covered by investment gains. Not many other charitable organizations can make such a claim. While we are proud of the impact the fund has had, we know there is even more we can do. As you may be aware, NROTC scholarship availability is declining nationally. And even students who are on scholarship are graduat-ing with student loan debt. Finally, while we did grant a record amount this year, this still

Midshipmen (from left): MIDN 4/C Edward Laviste, USNR; MIDN 3/C Olyvia Chinchilla, USNR; MIDN 3/C Xavier Medina, USNR; MIDN 3/C Christopher Dungey, USNR; Midn 4/C Ellen Peters, USMCR; MIDN 2/C David Filippini, USNR; Midn 3/C Forrest Palamountain, USMCR; MIDN 4/C Jordan DuPont,

USNR; MIDN 2/C Michael Yi, USNR; and SSgt Gerald Victa, USMC.

fell short of what our midshipmen request-ed. Our goal is simple – to provide financial assistance for deserving midshipmen to help them go into service debt free. Your ongo-ing support is appreciated and needed.

While we don’t use these updates to solicit donations, be on the lookout for our semi-annual solicitation letter later this Fall. We also accept tax-deductible donations anytime sent to the Scholarship Fund at 14197 Classique Way, San Diego, CA 92129.

As always, we continue to be thankful for all of you – for your past support and fu-ture consideration.

Winners of the MIDN Fund Scholarship stand with President of the Board of Directors, Ms. Katherine E. Licup, JD, NU Class of 1997, who presented the awards.

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Missing Alumni

We have lost track of the following NROTC Unit alumni. If you know the whereabouts of anyone listed here, or if you know that someone listed here is deceased, please pass that info along to Bob Shaw bshaw1057@gmail.com. Lost Alumni of the 194o’sMr. Theodore K. Chamberlain ‘46 Mr. Lawrence R. Eades ‘46 Mr. Forrest H. Ramsdell ‘46Mr. Robert C. Stevens ‘46Mr. Edward N. Brown, II ‘47 Mr. William B. Keepin ‘47 Mr. Jack T. Kroner ‘47 Mr. John T. Snyder ‘47 Mr. Donald J. Weintraut ‘47

Lost Alumni of the 195o’s Mr. Paul Colen ‘50 Mr. Richard S. Spector ‘50Mr. Robert V. Morse ‘51 Mr. Lyman King ‘52 Mr. Richard W. Walker ‘52Mr. Stanley J. Karp ‘53 LCDR G. Allan West, SC, USNR (Ret.) ‘53 Mr. Leland E. Anderson ‘54 Mr. John E. Arms ‘54 Mr. Albert Ottaviano ‘54 Mr. Donald P. Brown ‘55 Mr. Carl C. Dietz ‘55Mr. Grigsby Gamble ‘55 Mr. Peter E. Gilles ‘55 Mr. George A. Hodges ‘57Mr. John E. Barnes, III ‘58

MAJ. Frank L. Capin ‘59 Mr. Ronald Lovitt ‘59Mr. Lawrence H. Melin Jr. ‘59 Mr. Gerald D. Reed ‘59 Lost Alumni of the 196o’sMr. Robert Ravitz ‘60 Mr. Brooks F. Smith, Jr. ‘60 Mr. Richard F. Ingram ‘61 Mr. David L. Marks ‘61 Mr. Tommy E. McPherson ‘61 Mr. James R. Michael ‘62 Mr. Robert I. Packman ‘62CAPT Timothy A. Lamphier ‘63 Mr. John A. Powers, Jr. ‘63 Mr. James R. Oreilly ‘64 Mr. Ronald C. Wilkinson ‘64CAPT Thomas W. Crew, II ‘66 Mr. Joseph C. Davis ‘67 Mr. Robert A. Shearer ‘67Mr. Richard J. Both ‘68 Mr. Harry R. Hebblewhite ‘68 Mr. James D. Montgomery, Jr. ‘68Mr. Walter N. Gregory ‘69 Mr. Robert W. Thompson ‘69

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Lost Alumni of the 197o’s Mr. Jerry M. Kitzman ‘70 Mr. Tom E. Mitchell ‘70 Mr. Steven R. Weisbrod ‘70 Mr. John H. Woodard ‘70 Mr. Graham R. De Vey ‘71 Mr. George W. Roope, III ‘71 Mr. Richard P. Welch ‘72 Ms. Jennifer L Evans ‘79 Mr. Kevin A. Yancy ‘79

Lost Alumni of the 198o’sMr. Christopher Hagen ‘84Mr. Gary J. Hybki ‘86Mr. Patrick J. Canning ‘87 Mr. Dean M. Collins ‘87Mr. Peter Phillips ‘87 Mr. David E. Perko ‘89 Mr. Robert F. Keller III ‘89Mr. Christopher A. Solee ‘89

Lost Alumni of the 199o’sMr. Alan C. Chen ‘91Ms. Susannah T. Finch ‘94 Mr. Israel Harden ‘95 Mr. Christopher L. Olson ‘96Ms. Margarita Z. Rocha (L) ‘97

Lost Alumni of the 2000’sMr. Joshua Lacey ‘01 LCDR Erica Sutherland ‘01 Mr. Evan N. Diacou ‘04 Ms. Susan G. Arshonsky ‘05 Mr. Mitchell K. Hall ‘05 LT Keanen M. Ryan ‘09 LTJG Katherine McLean (L) ‘11ENS Jordan C. Rivera-Klein ‘122nd Lt. Eric J. Berntson (L) ‘13 2nd Lt. Brian S. Giaretta (L) ‘13 LTJG Anna L. Hanson (L) ‘13LTJG Amber M. Meer (L) ‘13