by Kayla Good,
Navy Office of Community Outreach
(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Midshipman Samantha Chernin from West
Boylston, Massachusetts, 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 helped me develop my leadership ability through a
wide variety of leadership roles including Company Commander and Logistics
Officer which allowed me to work on a range of tasks and projects,” said
Chernin. “Additionally, NROTC has given me the confidence to go after what I
want, no matter how difficult it may initially seem.”
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 process of picking my future,” said Chernin. “The ship
I pick and end up on will be my first real look at the Surface Warfare
community and as such, my first real experience in the U.S. Navy.”
Chernin, a 2013 Advanced Math and Science Academy graduate,
has selected to serve aboard USS Michael Murphy. Chernin is majoring in aerospace
engineering while attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Upon graduation, Chernin
will receive a commission as a Navy Ensign and report aboard Murphy as a
surface warfare officer.
Murphy is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer home-ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 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.
“I am looking forward to working with my people to become
the best division on the ship,” said Chernin. “I am also looking forward to
seeing the world.”
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 personal and leadership traits that I bring to the ship
are my determination, work ethic, and teamwork,” added Chernin. “I am looking
forward to working with both the other division officers and my shop to get work
done quickly and effectively.”