By The Navy Office Of Community Outreach
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Navy Midshipman Vashthai Wallace from Chicago participated in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps ship selection draft as a future member of the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare Officer community.
More than 280 midshipmen at 70 Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps units around the country have selected to serve in the Navy as surface warfare officers. Each selecting midshipman is ranked according to his or her grade point average, aptitude scores, and physical fitness.
“The Hampton Roads Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps is one of the largest officer training battalions in the nation, consisting of over 250 Sailors, Marines and Midshipmen,” said Wallace. “It is comprised of a three-school consortium that includes Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Regent University and Tidewater Community College.”
According to their rankings, each midshipman provided their preference of ship or homeport to the junior officer detailer at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee. If these preferences were available, they were assigned as requested.
“The SWO selection process to me means selecting a platform that I would enjoy beginning my career on for the first two years,” said Wallace. “I did my absolute best to uphold the standard of excellence so that I could receive the best options available to begin my career as an officer in the United States Navy.”
Wallace, a 2012 Proviso West High School graduate, has selected to serve aboard the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60). Wallace is majoring in aviation management while attending Hampton University. Upon graduation, Wallace will receive a commission as a Navy Ensign and report aboard Paul Hamilton as a surface warfare officer.
Homeported in Pearl Harbor, Paul Hamilton is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. Destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups and underway replenishment groups.
The midshipmen’s selection of their ship is not only a milestone for them but also an important day for the ships in the fleet. Not only do the midshipmen choose where they are going to start their Naval career, but the ship they choose will also gain a motivated, eager, young officer to help lead and improve an already great team.
“This is an exciting day,” said Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, commander, Naval Service Training Command, which oversees the NROTC program. “We have some of the finest talent in our nation and we have the opportunity to marry them up with some of our finest teams in our fleet.”
Evans also told the midshipmen that they should be excited, because they have a great future ahead of them on some of the Navy’s best platforms around the world.
While NROTC units are spread out across the country and vary in size, they all teach midshipmen the values, standards, abilities and responsibility that it takes to become a Navy officers and lead this nation’s sons and daughters in protecting freedom on the seven seas.
“NROTC has helped and grown me professionally by instilling moral values, discipline and proficiency in my everyday life,” added Wallace. “It has helped me personally by molding me into an esteemed young woman who does not give up on her aspirations and goals.”
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“Why Being There Matters”
On our planet, more than 70 percent of which is covered by water, being there means having the ability to act from the sea. The Navy is uniquely positioned to be there; the world’s oceans give the Navy the power to protect America’s interests anywhere, and at any time. Your Navy protects and defends America on the world’s oceans. Navy ships, submarines, aircraft and, most importantly, tens of thousands of America’s finest young men and women are deployed around the world doing just that. They are there now. They will be there when we are sleeping tonight. They will be there every Saturday, Sunday and holiday this year. They are there around the clock, far from our shores, defending America at all times.
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Note: Links added by Beachwood.
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Previously:
* Chicago Navy Commander’s Continuing Promise.
* Meet Chicago Sailor Joshua Johnson.
* Meet Chicago Quartermaster Seaman Maribel Torres.
* Meet Chicago Navy Commander Chad Hennings.
* Meet Chicago Navy Seaman Desmond Cooke.
* Meet Chicago Airman Dominique Williams.
* Whitney Young Grad To Serve Aboard USS Essex.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on March 23, 2016