June 2021 News Bulletin

UNC NROTC

Alumni Association

News Bulletin

June 2021

In this edition:

Message from the President
Unit update from Commanding Officer Captain Andy Hertel
Commissioning 2021
Midshipman Awards
2021 Fall Reunion
Armory Preservation Update
Call for Membership: Join, Renew, Upgrade
Now Hear This: Scuttlebutt
Taps

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Message from the President

Hello Alumni Association Members!!!

We have a new crop of 12 Ensigns and Second Lieutenants from UNC-CH….3 Marines and 9 Navy officers, with an additional Marine graduating this summer!

I was honored to be in-person as the Guest speaker at the Commissioning Ceremony on the morning of 15 May 2021 aboard the Rizzo Center Leadership Campus. It was a lovely day and special for everyone involved; especially for 2 of our board members who were there in uniform to commission their children. Congrats to the Keech and Rivers families!

We have just completed our Summer 2021 quarterly board meeting and we are happy to report some very interesting and important initiatives are underway and moving along, smartly. First, we are hoping to roll out a more updated and more functional website in the next few months. We feel it is time to make some improvements and we are excited! More to follow. We are happy to report a successful meeting with the Chancellor this week. Please see the recap provided by Rob Rivers in this Bulletin. We plan to offer a detailed presentation on the history of the U.S. Navy and it's impact on Chapel Hill at the Annual Members Meeting in November.

With that said, we are moving forward with an in-person belated 30^th Association Anniversary Celebration, Reunion and with other fun surprises on the weekend of 4-6 November in Chapel Hill. So, please save the date so that we can make this the biggest and best ever. Also, because so many appreciated the virtual opportunity last year, we are expecting to offer that opportunity for those that may not be able to travel to Chapel Hill. If you are able to attend in person, this weekend will include the Wake Forest vs UNC football game which is also the Military Appreciation and Homecoming game.

So, stay tuned for more information coming out about our Reunion and be on the lookout for a new look and feel to our UNC NROTC Alumni Association Webpage.

Finally, if you would like to be more involved with the Association, we are looking for nominations to serve on our board of directors. Elections will be held during the Annual Membership Meeting on 6 November. Terms will begin 1 Jan 2022. Please contact me at waldropms@aol.com to find out more!

Stay healthy and Go Heels!

Marianne Waldrop ‘87

Greetings from Chapel Hill!

We wrapped up one of the most interesting and challenging academic years about one month ago, but we ended it in style with 13 officers joining the Navy and Marine Corps at a wonderful (in person!) ceremony at the Rizzo Center. It was an inspiring day as family and friends joined us from all corners of the country to send these leaders out to the fleet. We have Tar Heels now serving as prospective Aviators, Surface Warfare Officers, Submariners, and Marines.

Although life has not returned to normal on campus just yet, I expect next year will look a lot more like normal than this past year did. We are planning a fully in person experience for our incoming classes and are excited about the opportunities this will provide to grow our future leaders more effectively. We will still employ some remote technologies where appropriate, but there will be much more ‘in your face’ learning going forward. I know all the staff and students are excited about the return to near normalcy. I also know there are many Midshipmen at this moment enjoying their in-person summer cruises!

No matter our methods - in person, remote, or some sort of mix - our mission endures; send Tar Heels out to the fleet, ready to lead our Navy and Marine Corps. Thank you to the UNC Alumni Association for you do to support our team.

Sincerely,

CAPT Andrew Hertel

Commissioning 2021

On 15 May 2021, the UNC-NROTC held its Spring Commissioning Ceremony. The 12 Midshipmen receiving their oath-of-office were:

Rank........................Name...............................Service Assignment

1/C....................... Allison, Kenya.................................Pilot

1/C....................... Gholson, Maria...............................SWO

1/C....................... Heard, Joshua................................Marine

1/C....................... Hornback, Elijah.............................SUB

1/C....................... Keech, Aaron..................................Marine

SSgt..................... McMahon, Clifford..........................Marine

1/C....................... Patrick, Mikayla..............................SWO

1/C....................... Protze, Mark...................................Pilot

1/C....................... Rivers, Jack....................................Pilot

1/C....................... Shea, John......................................Pilot

1/C....................... Strong, Catherine Rena..................Pilot

1/C....................... Taylor, Sophie.................................NFO

Colonel Marianne Waldrop USMC (Ret.), President, UNC-NROTC Alumni Association was Guest Speaker.

Thanks to the generosity of one of the Association's Directors, each of the graduates received a 5yr. membership in the UNC-NROTC Alumni Association, with the top graduate, Ens. Catherine Rena Strong receiving a Life membership!

Each graduate also received letters of encouragement and congratulations from CAPT Hertel and various Board members.

CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021!

Midshipman Awards for 2021

Reserve Officer Association Award

MIDN 1/C John Shea

MIDN 2/C Jimmy Slaight

Daughters of the American Revolution Medal

MIDN 1/C Mikayla Patrick

George Herbert Leadership Award

MIDN 1/C Catherine Strong

Military Officers Association of America Award

MIDN 2/C Sophia Sherman

Tony F. Clark Oceanography Award

MIDN 1/C Kenya Allison

Major Bradley Allen Barker III Scholarship Award

SSgt Clifford McMahon

Sandra and Charles Julian Wolfe, Jr. Scholarship Award

MIDN 1/C Catherine Strong

Patrick Connor Award *

MIDN 1/C Mark Protze

Richard S. Johnson, Jr. Award

MIDN 1/C Aaron Keech

The Change of Command Ceremony from the current Midshipmen Battalion Commanding Officer, Midshipman 1/C Kenya Allison, to Midshipman 2/C Drew Warlick followed the Awards Ceremony

*Sponsored by UNC NROTC Alumni Association

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Save the Date:

2021 Annual Meeting, Reunion and 30th Anniversary Celebration

4-6 November 2021

UNC v. Wake, UNC Military Appreciation Day and Homecoming

Pat Connelly '85, Events Chair

The UNC NROTC Alumni Association has scheduled the Annual Meeting of the Membership, presentation of scholarships and awards, Board of Directors election and alumni reunion for Saturday, 06 November 2021 which coincides with the UNC v. Wake football game and UNC Military Appreciation Day and Homecoming.
Planning for the Reunion weekend is underway and details will be forthcoming as they become available via News Bulletin and on the Association website. Please make plans to join with your fellow class and shipmates in the fall. Any questions or comments please contact Pat Connelly, '85, directly at flierpat@yahoo.com.

Armory Preservation Update

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From the Chairman of The NROTC Alumni Association Committee for a Responsible Future for the UNC Naval Armory, Rob Rivers,

Our committee met with UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz at 0900 on Thursday, June 10, 2021, at South Building on UNC’s campus. In attendance were Rob Rivers, Sandy Henkel, Jeff Kennedy, and Marianne Waldrop joined by new Alumni Association member Ensign John Shea, the command liaison to the Association. From UNC were Dr. Rudi Coloredo-Mansfeld, Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences who holds ROTC under his purview, Cassie Diltz, Arts and Sciences Foundation, and Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz, Chancellor. The goal of the meeting was to provide justification for UNC considering the Armory an iconic structure on campus similar to South Building or the Wilson Library that should be preserved as part of the very fabric of the University.

The Chancellor and Dr. Coloredo-Mansfeld were very engaged and asked numerous questions during the 40 minute meeting.

The Chancellor noted that UNC is under intense pressure to increase its science offerings, and there simply is no more real estate available. Of further importance to UNC is the location of the Armory in what has become the science-focused area of the campus. He did state, however, that he was moved by our presentation and actually became emotional, according to him, during our briefing. He was impressed by our passion to save the Armory. He was provided a copy of our narrative history of the armory before the meeting, and his numerous notes on the printed copy indicated that he had studied it.

We feel positive about addressing this directly with the Chancellor and we remain positive toward a desirable solution over the next years. An informative presentation on the history of the Pre-Flight Program, and the function, purpose and occupation of the Armory during very formative years will be given at the Annual Membership Meeting. We will certainly keep you informed and involved and look forward to hearing how interested you would be in supporting any effort to preserve the armory financially, if that is deemed feasible. Contact the President at: waldropms@aol.com, president @uncnrotcaa.org.

2021 Membership

If you haven't already done so, it is time to join or renew your membership for 2021.

Please become a paid member. We need you!