Twenty-one U.S. Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) midshipmen, Marines, and officer candidates were commissioned as Naval officers at the 808 Gallery on Boston University’s campus, May 19.
The 11 Navy-option and four Marine-option Boston University and Boston College NROTC students were recognized by the guest of honor, Rear Adm. Christian Becker, in front of an audience of more than two hundred people. The newly commissioned officers will serve around the globe in a variety of military occupational specialties including aviation, nursing, special warfare, surface warfare, submarine warfare and with Marine Corps air and ground forces.
Commissioned as ensigns were; Teresa N. Christie, Grace E. Collins, Alyson M. Deleeuw, Christopher P. Greco, Andrew J. Grigoriadis, Robert M. Kelley, Sasha I. Otero, Erik B. Pederson, Carolyn P. Ross, Amelia K. Stucker, and William A. Thibault. Commissioned as second lieutenants were; Jonathan W. Knapp, Guy H. McFall, Shreedhar P. Patel, and Michael A. Simpson. All were commissioned by officers of their choosing.
Becker stressed the importance of leading early and often, always asking guidance from subject matter experts, and cherishing the home front and time spent with loved ones.
The admiral, who is Boston University’s first NROTC graduate to make the rank of flag officer, currently serves as the program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence and Space Systems.
Capt. Steve Benke, commanding officer of the Boston NROTC consortium said, “It was an honor to have the first graduate of the Boston University NROTC program to make Flag Officer return as our guest speaker.”
Ensign Christopher P. Greco, a new surface warfare officer who will report to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) in Yokosuka, Japan, said “It has been an incredible experience learning and growing with my classmates over the past four years and watching one another transform from midshipman to officers. We have come to call one another family and it was a privilege to have the honor of commissioning with them.”
Rosemary McCormick, mother of Ensign Michael P. McCormick, called the ceremony a “fitting culmination of this class’ transformation from young adolescents to the military officers they have become. It signifies their hard work, discipline, and determination over the past four years and marks a new beginning of service to their country as Navy and Marine Corps officers.”
Lt. Jonathan Blair, who served as the officer-in-charge for the commissioning, said the new officers now face a bright future. “The new commissioned officers were excited to grow up and become active members of the fleet. I’m sure they will lead successful careers as they continue to grow as young officers.”
The NROTC program, overseen by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., was established to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and U.S. Navy core values in order to commission college graduates as Naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the Naval service and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.
[mappress] Press Release, May 26, 2014; Image: US Navy