Photo By Scott Thornbloom | 211215-N-IK959-5235 MAYWOOD, Ill. (Dec. 15, 2021) Rear Adm. Jennifer Couture,...... read more read more
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CHICAGO -- Rear Adm. Jennifer Couture, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), visited Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) Units at Proviso East and Hyman G. Rickover Naval Academy High Schools, Dec. 15.
These were the second and third NJROTC unit visits since Couture assumed command of NSTC in May. In September the admiral visited BMC Durfee High School’s NJROTC unit in Fall River, Massachusetts.
“This is big for us. I don’t think we’ve ever had this kind of visit,” said retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Darryl Person, the senior Naval Science instructor and commanding officer of the Proviso East unit. “We are super proud and super honored to have the admiral here.”
Couture said that she was excited to visit and learn more about both units, which have more than 150 and 430 cadets respectively. Proviso East cadets were also joined by numerous cadets from the Proviso West High School unit.
“Having the admiral visit us means so much to all of us, especially the cadets” said retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Daisy Blanchard, a Proviso East NJROTC Instructor. “The (NJROTC) program at Proviso East has been here for 20 years and this was the first time we have ever had a flag officer ask to come and visit our school. Having a flag officer come to NJROTC Proviso is a tremendous treat.”
Couture answered several questions from cadets. She was asked about her favorite memory in the Navy, her biggest challenge, her greatest accomplishment and the road that led her to join the Navy from her hometown of Vineland, New Jersey.
“My parents told me there was no money for college that I would have to make good grades to receive a scholarship,” she said, which received a round of applause from the cadets at East Proviso High School.
“In seventh grade, my class visited the Naval Academy. I was so impressed with the midshipmen there that I knew this was what I wanted to do. But I wasn’t really sure I wanted to go to the academy. I wanted the ‘college experience.’ I discovered the NROTC (Naval Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) program and applied for and was awarded a scholarship.”
That scholarship enabled Couture to attend and graduate George Washington University, commission and serve 26 years in the Navy.
“I think it was great to have the admiral visit our school,” said Cadet Cmdr. Gabriel Pineda, 17, a senior and commanding officer of the Rickover unit. “I think it really motivates the cadets meeting important leaders.”
Couture and her NSTC staff, headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes, oversee all NJROTC programs.
The NJROTC and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) are part of the Navy’s Citizenship program. The program seeks to instill in participating high school students the values of citizenship, service to the United States, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment. NJROTC and NNDCC strive to build a strong foundation of citizenship within America’s future leaders.
NJROTC and NNDCC units operate at more than 600 high schools around the world with more than 90,000 cadets participating.
For more information about NJROTC, visit www.njrotc.navy.mil/.
For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.18.2021 17:42 |
| Story ID: | 411515 |
| Location: | CHICAGO, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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