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By Naval Service Training Command Public Affairs
LOS ANGELES -- Rear Adm. Mike Bernacchi, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) visited the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Los Angeles Consortium, which includes the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC), on 19 March.
While there, Bernacchi discussed changes to the midshipman summer training, held a question and answer session over breakfast, and was given a campus tour with the UCLA Midshipmen.
He met with the UCLA Dean of Social Sciences, Dr. Darnell Hunt, and then transitioned to USC where he received a command brief from the unit staff over lunch. He then conducted an office call with Interim President of USC, Dr. Wanda Austin, followed by a meeting with Dr. Mark Kenneth Todd, Vice Provost for Academic Operations and Associate Dean Regina T. Nordahl of the Sol Price School of Public Policy. USC Midshipmen then led a tour of campus, followed by a question and answer session and pizza social with the admiral.
NROTC units report to NSTC, and command visits are an opportunity for professional development for the midshipman to interact with a flag officer as well as a chance for them to ask questions about the program and the Navy and Marine Corps. The visits also give Bernacchi a chance to hear about any concerns or receive suggestions from the midshipmen and unit staffs who report to him.
“Rear Adm. Bernacchi has been instrumental in driving change throughout the NROTC program through increased rigor and standardization, for example, New Student Indoctrination and Sea Trials. Midshipmen from USC and UCLA participated in the pilot programs last summer and we have seen nothing but a positive return on investment, i.e., midshipmen who are disciplined, motivated, and focused on team success,” said U. S. Marine Corps Col. Christopher Michelsen, NROTC Los Angeles Consortium Commanding Officer.
“It was pleasure to have Rear Adm. Bernacchi talk candidly with the midshipmen who attended the pilots and garner their feedback and observations. He also outlined the next series of changes, including pilot programs to increase equal opportunities for high school students, irrespective of socio-economic background, to access a NROTC National Scholarship and commission in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and encouraging universities to incentivize participation in their NROTC program, e.g., support with room and board, in order to entice highly competitive students to pursue a commission there, which solidifies the long-term viability of the NROTC program by increasing its size,” Michelson said.
Bernacchi spoke with the midshipmen about leadership, changes to the NROTC program to improve training, and the need for warfighters ready to lead the Navy and Marine Corps into the future.
“Rear Admiral Bernacchi shed light on the reason behind the creation of a nationwide New Student Indoctrination and the usefulness of Sea Trials as a way to better prepare NROTC Midshipmen for their future careers as Naval officers,” said Midshipman 1st Class Taylor Ulrich, the UCLA NROTC Midshipman Battalion Commanding Officer.
“Reacting decisively under pressure is not a skill that can be easily taught solely through NROTC instruction on campus, yet it is highly valuable to ensure success in our chosen careers. I learned how Sea Trials would help develop this skill on top of the training and instruction provided at UCLA. The entire Bruin Battalion, including myself, truly appreciated the opportunity to interact with higher-ranking officers and to show Rear Admiral Bernacchi around our beautiful campus. During the tour, Rear Admiral Bernacchi displayed a genuine interest in my career plans and the superb academic opportunities granted at UCLA,” Ulrich said.
“I appreciated Rear Admiral Bernacchi taking the time to visit USC and speak to the Trojan Battalion,” said Midshipman 1st Class Carolyn Pagliarulo, USC Trojan Battalion Midshipman Operations Officer. “It was insightful to hear him speak about the upcoming changes to the NROTC program and the purpose/vision he has for the program in the future. Programs like New Student Indoctrination and Sea Trials appear to have had solid impacts on the midshipmen who participated, and our battalion is better off as a result.”
The Navy ROTC program develops midshipmen mentally, morally and physically, to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and Navy core values. The program provides college graduates an opportunity to commission as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service, and have potential for future development in mind and character, so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.
Rear Adm. Mike Bernacchi, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes, supports 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy’s Citizenship Development Program.
Bernacchi and his NSTC staff at Great Lakes and Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, also support Recruit Training Command (RTC), the Navy’s only boot camp, at Great Lakes; NROTC units at more than 160 colleges and universities across the country; Officer Training Command (OTC) in Newport, R. I.; Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.
For more information about Navy ROTC, visit https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/. For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/ or visit the NSTC Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining/.
For more news about NSTC, visit: www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/, the NSTC Facebook pages at www.facebook.com/navalservicetraining/ or visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.
| Date Taken: | 04.03.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2019 11:16 |
| Story ID: | 317575 |
| Location: | LOS ANGELES, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 175 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NSTC Commander Visits NROTC Unit Los Angeles Consortium, by Scott Thornbloom, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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