Reserve Officers Graduate from Officer Development School

NEWPORT, RI, UNITED STATES

11.22.2019

Story by Darwin Lam 

Naval Service Training Command     

The First 38 Navy Reserve direct commissioned officers graduated alongside active duty students from the Officer Development School (ODS) at Officer Training Command, Newport (OTCN) in Rhode Island on Nov. 22, 2019.

This is the first class cycle when Reserve officers who would have previously attended the discontinued, two-week long Reserve Officer Direct Commission Officer Indoctrination Course (DCOIC) attended the five-week ODS course alongside active duty officers. Per NAVADMIN 101/19, DCOIC was disestablished on Oct. 1, 2019 to ensure standards for Navy officer training are applied consistently across all accessions pipelines, in order to support increased permeability between the active and Reserve component.

“There’s a lot more life experience shared here at ODS with Reservists combined with active duty Sailors,” said Cmdr. William J. Roy Jr., an ODS student and Reserve physician assigned to Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) New Orleans, Louisiana. “We are able to share our professional experience with the younger classmates. It’s difficult to tell which student is a Reservist and who is active duty, we’re all here learning at the same pace and proud to serve.” Roy, a native of Daphne, Alabama, is a cancer surgeon and urgent care provider in his civilian occupation.

The consolidation allows the Reserve Sailors train and learn to integrate with the active duty component, broadening their experience and better preparing the Reservists for the fleet.

“I am thoroughly impressed with the class officers, Recruit Division Commanders and instructors” said Lt. j.g. Kurt R. Young, an ODS student and Reserve chaplain also assigned to NOSC New Orleans. “We [students] were all treated the same, regardless of being a Reservist or active duty.” Young is a Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans.

“Completing the same training establishes the standard of a basically trained naval officer, regardless of their affiliation with the active or reserve component,” said Cmdr. Clemia Anderson, the director of ODS. “The integration ensures standardization between active and Reserve officers, increasing interoperability across the active and reserve components and ultimately enhances the readiness posture of our force.”

The Navy Reserve works alongside active duty service members to amplify the Navy’s core capabilities, which include forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Navy Reservists seamlessly support and actively aid that mission, all while continuing to lead their own independent lives in the civilian world.

ODS provides Staff Corps Officers and several Restricted Line designators with training necessary to prepare them to function in their role as newly commissioned Naval Officers.

Headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, OTCN oversees Officer Candidate School, Officer Development School and Limited Duty Officer/Chief Warrant Officer Academy.

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For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.

• Date Taken: 11.22.2019
• Date Posted: 11.22.2019 10:22
• Story ID: 352973
• Location: NEWPORT, RI, US