by Mass
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amanda L. Owens, Navy Office of Community
Outreach
(MILLINGTON, Tenn.) – Navy Midshipman Akira Cabdree from Woodridge,
Illinois, 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 developed my leadership capabilities in an
environment where my ability to lead and manage others is put to the test,”
said Crabdree. “Through various billets and duties, I have been in positions that
require hands-on leadership in order to accomplish tasks, meet deadlines, and
ensure success of other Midshipmen and unit events. I have learned discipline
and time-management, as well as personal leadership traits and effective
management that allow me to get to know my subordinates and peers to build
trust and teamwork, without sacrificing professionalism and organization.”
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.
“Ship selection is an extremely important opportunity for a
SWO. It represents the introduction of a SWO to the Surface Warfare community
and mission,” said Crabdree. “The first ship a SWO selects is where they will
get qualified, where they will learn the culture and life of Surface Warfare,
and where they will get their first introduction to leadership in the fleet.
While every ship is different and a SWO will only spend 2-3 years on their
first ship, this is where a SWO will gain the tools necessary to lead sailors
and have fulfilling careers in the fleet.”
Crabdree, a 2013 Downers Grove North High School graduate,
has selected to serve aboard USS Arleigh Burke. Crabdree is majoring in biochemistry while
attending Loyola University in Chicago. Upon graduation, Crabdree will receive
a commission as a Navy Ensign and report aboard Burke as a surface warfare
officer.
Burke, the lead ship of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, is home-ported in Norfolk, Virginia.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to learn as I
work,” said Crabdree. “Up until now, much of my experiences in life have
revolved around studying principles and facts in classrooms, with little
opportunity to actually do what I have learned. As a SWO, I want to be active
in learning the skills necessary to be an important part of the ship.”
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 take initiative and I take the time to learn and work
with others,” said Crabdree. “I like to seek out criticism and feedback and I
like to actually talk to my peers and subordinates to find out what they do and
how I can do my job better. I also am proactive about learning skills and
actually practicing those skills, so that I am knowledgeable about my job and
the jobs of those around me. I always try to do my job better and understand
the jobs that my subordinates do, so that they can do theirs better.”