UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “Your team, your division, your squad are always looking.” These were the words newly commissioned officers heard on May 15 from retired Adm. John M. Richardson, former chief of Naval Operations for the U.S. Navy, the highest-ranking officer of the maritime service branch.
The 30 ensigns and second lieutenants were joined by family and friends at Schwab Auditorium to receive their new insignia. The recent Penn State and NROTC graduates will enter the Navy and Marines to become future leaders in the armed forces.
The keynote from Richardson touched on advice learned from a career serving on vessels such as the USS Parche, USS George C. Marshall and USS Salt Lake and as commander of the submarine USS Honolulu. He went on to a number of command and staff positions, served as the naval aid to the U.S. president and was the 31st chief of Naval Operations from September 2015 to August 2019.
Richardson’s first piece of advice to officers was to realize that subordinates are always watching.
“Your team is going to know how you conduct yourself when you’re in their visible sight and when you’re not,” Richardson said. “So be a good person, be a person of integrity all the time.”
He advised the young officers to be experts at their jobs and continue to be lifelong learners.
“Don’t worry about your next job, that will take care of itself,” he said. “Don’t worry about your shipmate’s job. That’s their job. Become an expert and own your job.”
Finally, Richardson advised that officers will need to learn to think of the team before themselves.
“Henceforth, your first impulse is going to realize that if you’re hungry, your team is more,” Richardson said. “So, your first impulse is going to find them something to eat, and only when they’re ready, and fed, will you take care of yourself.”
Future leaders in the armed forces will face a challenging world situation, Richardson said, with building tension that many people compare to the 1930s.
“There’s a tremendous competition emerging for influence in the world,” he said. “And more than just influence, there’s a competition emerging for who is going to set the rules for the way that the world behaves.”
To confront these tensions, he said, the U.S. armed forces must be prepared for anything, that even while there are hopes for the best outcomes, the worst must be prepared for.
“And by doing so, you’re going to make your families proud,” Richardson said. “You’re going to make your team proud. You’re going to make our nation proud, and I can’t wait to see you in the fleet.”
At the ceremony, new ensigns and second lieutenants took their oath of office onstage, joined by friends and family for a formal “pinning” ceremony of their new rank insignia on their uniforms.
The following is a list of newly commissioned officers and their next assignments:
- Ensign Joshua Alwine, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Michael Barton, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Kyle-David Byrne, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- 2nd Lt. Jarem Cortez, Marine Corps Ground, The Basic School, Virginia
- 2nd Lt. Dylan Dellatore, Marine Corps Ground, The Basic School, Virginia
- Ensign Joseph Donofrio, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Grace Forish, Student Naval Flight Officer, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Graham Gauthier, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Shane Gregan, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Robert Haggerty, Student Naval Flight Officer, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Antonia Haynes, Surface Warfare, USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), California
- Ensign Charles Loyack, Surface Warfare, USS Bainbridge (DDG 60), California
- 2nd Lt. Daniel Manolesco, Marine Corps Ground, The Basic School, Virginia
- Ensign Donovon McClellan, Surface Warfare, USS San Antonio (LPD 17), Virginia
- Ensign Margaret McKernan, Student Naval Flight Officer, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Mark Oller, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Devin Ortiz, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Peter Phillips, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Benjamin Probert, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- Ensign Spencer Rajtik, Student Naval Flight Officer, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
- 2nd Lt. William Rebert, Marine Corps Ground, The Basic School, Virginia
- Ensign Julian Romano, Information Warfare — Cryptological Warfare, Information Warfare Training Command Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Ensign Alexander Sanchez, Information Warfare — Information Professional, Information Warfare Training Command Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Ensign James Sandt, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- 2nd Lt. Matthew Sharkey, Marine Corps Ground, The Basic School, Virginia
- Ensign John Skehan, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Zachary Stevenson, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Joshua Wick, Submarine Warfare, Naval Nuclear Power School, South Carolina
- Ensign Tanner Wildasin, Surface Warfare — Nuclear, USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Spain
- Ensign Owen Williams, Student Naval Aviator, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Penn State Naval ROTC is led by Capt. Michael Majewski, NROTC commander and professor of naval science; Commander John Kerr, executive officer; Capt. Charles McCole, Lt. Matthew Ostdiek, Lt. Riley Robinson, Lt. Cody Roller and Lt. Thomas Toohig, assistant professors of naval science.
Naval ROTC is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.