by Mass
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amanda L. Owens, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Midshipman Katherine P. Keimig
from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, 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 been a great experience throughout my four years
in college,” said Keimig. “It has helped me grow as an individual both
personally and professionally. My time at George Washington has helped with making
sure I am ready for the real world and I know what to expect. NROTC has
benefited me my making sure that professionally I will be able to step into any
role given and excel.”
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 ship selection process for me is the cultivating point of my NROTC career and the
start of my career in the Navy,” said Keimig. “Even if you were not ranked as
you would of hoped every will start of at the same place and same rank.”
Keimig, a 2013 The Prout School graduate, has selected to
serve aboard USS Arleigh Burke. Keimig is majoring in history while attending George
Washington University. Upon graduation, Keimig will receive a commission as a
Navy Ensign and report aboard Burke as a surface warfare officer.
Burke is the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile
“I am looking forward to all the people that I am going to
meet along the way with my first ship,” said Keimig. “I am also looking forward
to getting underway for the first time with that crew.”
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.
“The traits that I hope to bring on board the ship are a
little bit of my enthusiasm along with my
dependability,” said Keimig.