by Mass
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amanda L. Owens, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Midshipman Jeremy M. Cole from Fayetteville,
North Carolina, participated in the 2017 spring Navy Reserve Officer Training
Corps (NROTC) ship selection draft as a future member of the U.S. Navy’s
Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community.
More than 280 midshipmen at Navy Reserve Officer Training
Corps (NROTC) 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.
“NROTC has benefited me both personally and professionally,
by instilling a sense of devotion to others and bettering my leadership skills,”
said Cole.
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 ship selection process is the cultivation of the hard work I have put in over the
last three and a half years,” said Cole. “It is also a signal to the journey
ahead.”
Cole, a 2013 Cape Fear High School graduate, has selected to
serve aboard USS Normandy. Cole is majoring in political science while attending Norfolk
State University. Upon graduation, Cole will receive a commission as a Navy
Ensign and report aboard Normandy as a surface warfare officer.
Normandy is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser home-ported in Norfolk, Virginia. Modern
U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers perform primarily in a battle force role
supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces or
operating independently and as flagships of surface action
groups.
“I am looking forward to the challenge and experience of leading others, as it will
allow me to grow both as a person and in leadership ability,” said Cole.
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.
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 nations sons and daughters in protecting freedom on the seven
seas.
“I look forward to bringing devotion, honor, judgment, and dependability
to my ship,” said Cole.