the spur and anchor

Greetings! Wow, hard to believe the semester is

already over! I’m sure the midshipmen, Officer

Candidates, and MECEPS are quite happy that

they have taken one step closer to the completion

of their degrees and ultimate commission. I would

like to congratulate the 13 new ensigns and 2nd Lts

on their accomplishment. While most college stu-

dents only had to worry about themselves, these

fine young men and women took on a much big-

ger challenge, excelled, and are ready to hit the

fleet. The Marine graduates will face an addition-

al challenge as they depart throughout the year to

The Basic School (TBS). I’m sure they will do well and carry on the proud tradition

of excellence UT/HT graduates provide within the Marine Corps. As you probably are already aware, sequestration has filtered down to our level.

Many events were cancelled this semester due to lack of funding. We were still able

to send MIDN to two Leadership conferences (Notre Dame and Annapolis), howev-

er, the Drill meet competition at Tulane was cancelled. We had a great time during

our Junior/Senior Mess night as we cruised Lake Austin onboard a pontoon boat.

Thanks again to MIDN 1/C Phillips for coordinating a superb venue. The

MIDN provided excellent entertainment as usual! Our NJROTC Round-up was also

well run and attended. Shout out to MIDN 2/C Beck and all his assistants for or-

chestrating a great event for prospective young students. (continued on page 2)

CO’s Corner

Captain John Eden

UNIVESTIY OF

TEXAS NAVAL

ROTC

3 June 2013

The Spur

and Anchor It’s been an out-

standing semester

at the unit. Here

are some highlights!

Inside this issue:

CO’s Corner 1

XO’s Corner 2

MOI’s Corner 3

Change of

Command

3

Award Ceremony 4

Mess Night 4

A Word From

PTI

5

JROTC Round Up 6

Captain’s Cup

President’s Cup

7

Spring

Commissioning

8

The Spur and Anchor

This is a saying from my days as a

midshipman at the U.S. Naval Acad-

emy. I was thinking about it because

the semesters here at UT seem to be

going by more quickly each year.

We just finished our first semester in

the new building and it still has that

“new car” smell. All are welcome to

visit and get a tour. Spring is upon us and we are com-

missioning our largest class during

my tenure. The Navy and Marine

Corps are getting some of the finest

people I have ever had the pleasure to work with.

Future Pilots, Submariners, Surface Warfare Offic-

ers and even a Nurse, they have it covered. I look

forward to hearing great things about our grads in

the fleet. I do not look forward to next month. It is always

difficult to say fair well to a shipmate but when it is

the last member of the original staff that joined me

in 2010, it is especially so. Major Ty Kopke and his

wonderful family will transfer this summer to North

Carolina. Ty and I saw eye to eye from day one and

together we set out to provide the

fleet the very best officers. If you

open the book of huge successes this

unit has enjoyed the last three years,

you will see the author is Ty Kopke.

He is a Marine’s Marine and it has

been a true honor to serve with him.

Semper Fi. We welcome in the new Marine Of-

ficer Instructor, Captain Lucas Balke

and his family. He is an infantry of-

ficer coming from a tour of duty at

Camp Pendleton. Ooh Rah !!! Wel-

come aboard ! Now some of you must be saying, “my good-

ness, how long has the XO been there?

Seems like forever!” You are almost right.

This is normally a three year tour but back in

2011, I asked the Admiral for an additional

year and received it. You will have to put up

with me for 12 more months.

Have a great summer and please be safe. Just

because you are not wearing a uniform does

not mean you are not on duty. Hook ‘em !!!!

Time, Tide, and Formation Wait for No One CDR Vernon Neuenschwander

(continued from page 1)

MIDN 1/C Watkins did a superb job this semester as Battalion CO and provided great leadership to

his staff and the Battalion as a whole. Towards the end of the semester, we had the Change of Com-

mand and MIDN 1/C Taylor Poli has now taken over the helm. I look forward to working with her

throughout the summer and next fall. It’s sad to say, but we will be losing Major Ty Kopke and his wonderful family this summer as

they execute orders to move to North Carolina, MCAS New River, to serve as Operations Officer for

MALS 29. His leadership and comradeship will be missed, but the impact he has had on numerous

students will stay with them forever. Thank you Ty and Jen. Major Kopke’s replacement will arrive

in June, Captain Lucas Balke. He, his wife Chelly and family are coming from Camp Pendleton, 1st

Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and we look forward to their arrival and wel-

come them to this great program. Many thanks go out to the Midshipmen and Alumni Foundations for their outstanding support

throughout this year. The Spring Awards ceremony provided generous cash rewards to numerous

battalion members. Your donations have helped many pay for the numerous expenses not covered by

the NROTC scholarship.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit our new home, please do! You are welcome any time.

We are gearing up for another Freshman Orientation to continue the circle of life within the military.

Have a great summer!

MOI having the option to choose self

over country these students choose

to serve something larger than

themselves. They choose to protect

the freedom that each of us enjoys,

and like past generations they sacri-

fice so the rest of us can be free.

While I would like to think that I’ve

taught the students a great deal, the

truth is that they’ve taught me much

more. My professional goal has

been to “leave them better than I

found them.” Instead I leave better because

they found me. The new MOI, Captain Lucas

Balke, is a younger, smarter, stronger, and

faster version……MOI 2.0 if you will. I

know that he and GySgt Reed will lead the

students to greater accomplishments. That is

almost as comforting as seeing the future of

America shining brightly when 13 new offic-

ers raised their right hands and took the oath

of office on 17 May 2013. God Bless and

Semper Fidelis.

As the semester draws to a close

so does a very rewarding tour. It

has been an honor and privilege to

lead the young men and women of

the University of Texas Naval

ROTC. To see the caliber of lead-

ers that have elected to serve their

nation is both awe inspiring and

humbling. Many pundits reflect

on Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Gen-

eration” and their selfless sacrifice

and contribution to America and

the world. I would like to reflect

on today’s generation of patriots….our midship-

men. Despite having a decade long war against

an unconventional enemy these students volunteer

to serve. Despite nightly images of disfigurement

and IED’s these students choose to go in harms

way. Despite easier paths that promise time with

family and safety in their communities these stu-

dents choose to serve months at sea or in foreign

countries. Despite having the world’s largest

economy with wealth and comfort at their finger-

tips these students choose to sleep on the ground and drink warm water from a canteen. Despite

Final Word Major Ty Kopke

Change of Command

Every semester, the battalion staff changes over and another

group of midshipmen get to experience the glory as well as

take on the challenge that comes with receiving a billet.

The Fall 2013 Battalion Staff are as follows:

CO - MIDN 1/C Poli

XO - MIDN 1/C DeFranco

ADJ - MIDN 1/C Barone

OPS - MIDN 2/C Callista Stoop

AOPS - MIDN 3/C Schlemmer

PAO - MIDN 3/C Ledesma

PTI - MIDN 3/C Ruiz

Leatherneck PC - MIDN 1/C Lee

DIVO - MIDN 2/C Sethurathinam

Mess Night is a tradition that takes place within the Navy

and Marine Corps to recognize and pay homage to the Ma-

rines and Sailors who came before us. It also gives us a

chance as a band of brothers and sisters to socialize with

one another in our best dress uniform. This year the

NROTC Battalion had mess night while cruising Lake

Austin. The mess consisted of all 1/C and 2/C Midship-

man, Active Duty, Unit Staff, and guest of honor Lt. Col

Little, a lawyer and UT alumni.

During the formal meal portion of the mess night, mem-

bers of the mess have the opportunity to charge another

member of the mess with a fine, but only with a legitimate

reason. Charges were enforced by the president of the mess

to those accused but only if he deemed the skit presented

against them worthy. This led to great comradery within

our battalion emphasizing espirt de corps. SSgt Urban

performed arguably one of the best skits of the mess, re-

ceiving an ovation for his efforts.

Following up the meal portion was the guest of honor’s

speech to the mess. Lt. Col Little gave an inspiring and

touching speech about what it takes to become an officer,

the difference between a good officer and a great officer,

and to never quit no matter what life throws at you. At the

end of his speech, he was awarded a gift from our battal-

ion presented by MIDN 1/C Watkins.

Mess Night was a great and memorable time for all

members of our battalion here at the University of Texas

at Austin.

Mess Night MIDN 2/C Alford

Award Ceremony On 23 April 2013, more than 40 mid-

shipmen received awards on both a bat-

talion level as well as awards from sev-

eral outside organizations including: the

Midshipmen Foundation, McCurdy

Scholarship, Austin Navy League, Vet-

erans of Foreign Wars, Reserve Officers

Association, Daughters of the American

Revolution, Sons of the American Revo-

lution, Military Order of the Purple

Heart, Armed Forces Communications

and Electronics Association, United

States Automobile Association, and the

Military Officers Association of Ameri-

ca. In addition to awards, the senior

midshipmen, MECEPs, and OCs were

presented with their Ensign/2nd Lieuten-

ant bars.

We’d like to thank all of these organ-

izations, including our alumni for letting

us recognize these outstanding midship-

men. Without the very generous dona-

tions from these organizations we

wouldn’t be able to achieve as much as a

battalion or as students.

The Spur and Anchor

The battalion accomplished many goals this Spring. We suc-

cessfully exceeded the Commanding Officers goal of remov-

ing 50 percent of NROTC members off of remedial PT. The

physical fitness levels did not improve just with the remedial

members, but also with our most fit midshipmen. For all the

midshipmen who are setting fitness goals and passing them, I

would like to congratulate you. Getting off of remedial PT is

obviously attainable, and I want to reassure you of all the hard

work you have dedicated to better yourselves. However, if you

have achieved a “good” on the PRT or PFT you have achieved

half of your goal.

Who would like being led by a “good” officer? As future officers of the United States Navy or United

States Marine Corp we should all be committed to excellence. Scoring an “excellent” or above is the next

milestone we should all be trying to attain. Therefore, no midshipmen should return to PT with decreased

stamina, strength, and endurance. The best possible thing you can do this summer is to continue

As your Physical Training Instructor, I will increase the fitness level

of past PT sessions, and make sure we all feel great after the hour we

will spend together. PT will be made fun and intense, and the Battal-

ion will love the 2 to 3 hours that they are committed to PTing week-

ly. Look forward to run-swim-runs, Captain’s Cup, President’s cup,

and other events. Most importantly, the President’s Cup Event which

all midshipmen should be determined to win. I expect us all to be

ready to contribute, dominate, and defeat Army and Air Force!

Begin training and thinking about what events you would like to try

out for.

Next semester will be enjoyable, if you stick to improving your fitness levels this summer. It’s a lot hard-

er to gain back what you have lost, then lose what you have gained. If we all continue to work hard over

the summer than the battalion’s fitness will drastically improve. I am looking forward to seeing, and lead-

ing everyone’s improved fitness levels to new heights. However, please remember by remaining fit, we

are not only refining the Battalion but most importantly our-

selves.

Living a healthy lifestyle relieves stress, lowers your risk for

disease, improves your mood, controls your weight, and in-

creases your energy levels. Let’s not forget it will also help

your ability to lead which is what we will be doing as future

officers. We will be leading, and taking the PRT and PFT.

Do not be the person who does not commission, or loses a

promotion due to failed PRT’s and PFT’s. Physical fitness

will be important the rest of our careers, so why not start off

on a good foot? No matter where you are with your journey

to a healthier lifestyle, remember that every expert was a

beginner at one point.

A Word From PTI MIDN 3/C Ruiz

JROTC Round Up MIDN 2/C Schlemmer

On 6 April JROTC cadets from all over

the Austin area visited our unit in the

hopes of learning more about the path

towards becoming a Naval or Marine

Corps officer. The cadets received

briefs about the NROTC program as

well as received a tour of the UT cam-

pus. We then opened the floor to the

midshipmen by concluding their briefs

with a Q&A session form a midshipmen

from each class. In the afternoon, the

cadets were led to the LBJ lawn where

Rudy’s BBQ awaited them. The mid-

shipmen ate lunch with the cadets, of-

fered advice, and answered any ques-

tions they had. After lunch the cadets

participated in some friendly competi-

tion. The competitions consisted of

knock out drill, pull-ups, push-ups, and

sit-ups. All of the winners were award-

ed with UT NROTC unit polo. The day

came to a close with a giant group pic-

ture and everyone throwing up their

hook ‘em.

The Spur and Anchor

Each year the UT NROTC battalion competes in

an interservice competition with Army and Air

Force. The remaining competitions included:

Murph, 4x100 relay, Tire Flip, Tug-o-war, CFT,

O-Course, Bench Press, Mogadishu Mile, and

Ramp Relay. We might not have come out on top

this year, but we all put in our best effort. Thanks

to everyone who competed!

The battalion also holds their own competition

for the Captain’s Cup. The events included: PNS

Inspection, Knowledge Bowl, 4x4 relay, sit-ups,

push-ups, Murph, Ramp Sprint Relay, Kim’s

Game, Tug of War, and armed drill competition.

Congratulations to Leatheneck Platoon for wining

this year’s competition!

President’s Cup and Captain’s Cup!

Spring 2013 Commissioning

On 17 May 2013, 13 members of the University

of Texas Naval ROTC battalion began their ca-

reers as Ensigns or 2nd Lieutenants. The ceremo-

ny took place at the Texas Union Theatre among

family and friends. These individuals have suc-

ceeded in completing intensive leadership train-

ing that have challenged and prepared them for

their future as military officers.

Congratulations to our newest commissionees!

The Spur and Anchor

ENS Andrew Adams - Nuclear Submarines

ENS Jalyssa Bridges - Nurse Corps

ENS Charles Cahoon - Surface Warfare Officer

2nd Lt. Daniel Culpepper - The Basic School

2nd Lt. Ricardo Fernandez - The Basic School

2nd Lt. John Garcia - The Basic School

2nd Lt. Jason Haglund - The Basic School

2nd Lt. Zachariah Harvey– Marine Aviation

ENS Alyssa McKinney - Surface Warfare Officer

2nd Lt. Jordan Reyes - The Basic School

ENS Thomas Shirley - Pilot

ENS Carley Tadlock - Surface Warfare Officer

2nd Lt. Joseph Wright - The Basic School

the spur and anchor

Documents