By Mass
Communication Specialist 3rd Class Theodore Quintana Navy Office of
Community Outreach
(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Midshipman Ryan Koontz from Fredericksburg,
Va., 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.
“I’ve found that individual conversations with unit staff members have
been very beneficial and offered a lot of knowledge and insight,” said Koontz.
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.
“For me the selection is the culmination of
four years of work in NROTC,” said Koontz. “I’m really excited to pick my ship
and then quickly get out to the fleet.”
Koontz, a 2017 Riverbend High School graduate, has selected
to serve aboard USS Ashland. Koontz is majoring in History while attending the
University of Virginia. Upon graduation, Koontz will receive a commission as a
Navy Ensign and report aboard Ashland as a surface warfare officer.
Ashland is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship home-ported in Sasebo, Japan.
“I’m looking forward to being
out at sea and having the opportunity to lead a division,” said Koontz.
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’m very excited to get to my ship, so I believe I’ll bring a high
level of enthusiasm and dedication to my work," added Koontz.