2013-2014 ISU NROTC "The Drift"

Iowa State University Naval Reserve Officers

Training Corps Cyclone Battalion

Officer’s Call

Highlights of the Year:

The Drift

The Cyclone Battalion Drill Team competed in the Great Plains Drill Meet at the University of Nebraska.

ISU ROTC units held a rare Tri-Service Change of Command. Commander Asjes was guest of honor at Dining Out. Two new awards were established to honor ISU NROTC

Alum Capt. Jack Dobberke, USMC, and friend of ISU NROTC Dr. Robert Ray Dappen, ISU Alumni and WWII Navy Veteran.

23 Freshman midshipmen joined the battalion. 11 midshipmen were commissioned in total: 6 in the fall

and 5 in the spring. Cyclone Battalion had 52 midshipmen in 2013-2014 with a

battalion average GPA of 3.44!

2013-2014

For current events and donation information:

www.navy.iastate.edu

or on Facebook.

Inside this Issue:

Highlights 1

Captain’s Corner 3

Officer’s Call 4

Battalion Life 6

Campus and

Community

13

Commissioning 18

Alumni News 23

Cyclone Battalion poses after the tri-service change of command ceremony.

The Drift 2014 Strategic Plan

Command Vision

National ranking as a top performing unit

Provide a world-class education in Naval Science

Enhance facilities and pursue community out-reach to attract and support education, ranking and promote community service

Provide quality of service and advanced educa-tion opportunities for staff members and their families

The NROTC unit at Iowa State

University continues its proud legacy of

producing the best quality officers, by striving

to provide the best education possible while

enhancing the overall quality of service,

facilities and life for both students and staff

members alike.

Future Goals Set and maintain tiered GPA goals by class. Increase overall physical fitness of battalion utilizing class-based incremental score expec-tations. Increase Navy/Marine Corps Birthday Ball attendance of alumni every year. 2014 Date: November 8. Generate local familiarity with the NROTC at Iowa State University.

Page 2

December graduates prove that PT is continuous!

Color guard in an iconic Iowa backdrop.

Officer’s Call

CAPT Ricks Polk

Captain’s Corner

The Drift In our continuing effort to better communicate with alumni,

families and friends, we have given this edition of the Drift a new

look. We were blessed to have a former Lieutenant Commander

and NROTC graduate from Northwestern, Ms. Angela Richard,

completing her Master in Communications Studies, volunteer to

review the Drift and propose changes that would allow this

yearbook/newsletter to better communicate the Unit’s activities and

achievements in academic year 2013-2014. We have adopted

many of Angela’s recommendations.

Our hope is that you can easily find the items that are most

important to you and your family. We have also worked to remove

duplicity. To that end, I will keep my remarks brief and will provide

a few highlights of what you’ll find inside.

We had a banner year by every conceivable measure. From

Freshmen Orientation to graduations and commissioning, the

heartland’s best and brightest have continued to make Iowa State

NROTC the cream of the crop. We have put significant effort into

advertising the success and activities of the unit throughout the

year with good press coverage in the Iowa State Daily and Navy

media outlets. My goal is to make Iowa State NROTC a household

word. I want young Americans beating on our door and putting

Iowa State at the top of their scholarship applications. That won’t

happen by chance. It will take all of us working as a team. If you

have ideas about how we can communicate with alumni, family,

friends, and young Americans throughout the Mid-West and the

country, please let us know.

I want to also take a moment to thank many of you that

have provided funds in support of the Unit this year. Your

financial support has allowed us to provide student

scholarships and awards, attend the Great Plains Drill

Meet, provide tutors, and reach many of our strategic ob-

jectives. Coupled with the support we have received from

the university, I am happy to report that our classroom in

the Armory, one of the oldest buildings on campus, will be

receiving a complete remodel this summer; our students

deserve a state of the art classroom, and it is on the way.

Thank you for the part you have played in our

continued success. The great reputation of the Cyclone

Battalion is built on the strong shoulders of our alumni,

family, friends, community, and this great university. I

hope to see you at a Unit or University event in the near

future as your schedule allows. Go Cyclones!

Page 3 CAPT Polk, Master Chief Johnson, and CDR Buhr

Page 4

The Drift

CDR Harry Statia

Executive Officer’s Update

“It is because of

great alumni support

we are able to

continue to improve

the Cyclone

Battalion.”

WHAT A YEAR! The Cyclone Battalion has amazed us all once again with the quality of midshipmen and officers produced by the NROTC program here at Iowa State both past and present. The battalion stayed extremely busy helping out the local community and promoting awareness of global issues with Relay for Life, and with programs on Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR). The midship-men excelled in showing their passion for community service by helping out with local charities such as the Ames Kiwanis pancake feed, adopt a highway, and Toys for Tots. The current corps of midshipmen is more physically fit than ever before and worked hard to increase the battalion GPA to a remarkable 3.44 by the end of the spring 2014 semester. You can all be very proud of your midshipman!

It was another banner year for awards handed out this spring at the awards cere-mony and dining out showcased the accomplishments of the midshipmen as well as reminded us about the history of the battalion and the ties we share with alumni and friends.

Former XO, Commander Dave Asjes shared with the Battalion some leadership keystones he learned from one of his former commanders, RADM Dave Nichols. Those keynotes really represent what we all strive to pass on to our protégés and relate directly to what the NROTC program here at ISU is trying to instill in our future officer corps. Last issue we introduced some new members of military staff and now we wel-come aboard the new XO, CDR Dan "Chilly" Buhr. He has picked up the ball and is running with building the relationships forged over the past few years with alumni and friends of the unit. As an ISU NROTC alum, he is fully engaged with working to make the Cyclone Battalion a household name throughout Iowa and the mid-west. Please give him your support as he and the entire staff work to improve relationships with the University and supporters of the NROTC program.

The Drift

As I walked out onto the parade field in front of the Campanile for the Battalion change of command, I had so many flashbacks of 20 years ago when I was doing the marching myself. The pride in my heart welled up to the point I felt misty-eyed. To say that I’m happy to be here would be a massive under-statement. I have been working for several years to get these exact set of orders to Iowa State University NROTC. Iowa State is my Alma Mat-ter, and I’m very proud to call Iowa my home. Even in the few short months I have been on deck, I can already see the quality of the students and midship-men here at ISU NROTC and it makes me proud to be leading them as the new Executive Officer.

In seeing the most recent Commis-sioning I can tell you that the quality of Officer that we are making right here in the Heartland is top-notch. The Battal-ion could not be in better shape and I have to thank CDR Harry Statia for the hard work and dedication that he has made to the Unit over the last four years. I look forward to serving this community, our University, and our Country for the next three years. I feel extremely blessed to be here, and am looking forward to seeing the next gen-eration of fine Americans lead the charge in keeping our country the fine place that we all have come to know and love.

.

CDR Dan “Chilly” Buhr

Cyclones Welcome new XO, CDR Buhr

Page 5

Officer’s Call

Capt Peter Opalacz

Cyclones Welcome New MOI

Farewell, CDR Statia

Cyclones Welcome New AMOI

I checked on station here at the ISU NROTC unit and started to get my feet wet this past summer in June 2013. It has been a great transition coming from operating in the Fleet Marine Force with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines to a group of young aspiring midshipmen with aston-ishing pride and dedication to their uni-versity and unit. I’ve learned a lot from this new generation of future officers as they are preparing to enter the military

and lead Marines and Sailors in support of America. The potential is endless and I will ensure the mentorship and leader-ship required to be successful beyond college will be instilled as they stride closer to commissioning as officers in the Marine Corps or Navy.

I will be training MIDN as a Platoon Commander at Officer Candidate School and training in Croatia during the entire summer.

Officer’s Call

My wife, Stacy, and I, along with my daughter, Mckenzy, and son, Chase, moved to Ames in August. We chose ISU because of the four seasons and great family environment. The unit along with the community have been very pleasant and welcoming. We are glad to be a part of the Cyclone family. After

completing a nine month deployment then a full summer of training at OCS as a Sergeant Instructor the transition into a training command has been smooth. I look forward to setting standards in marksmanship and drill competitions while increasing the overall moral, disci-pline, and esprit de corps of our unit.

I want to take this moment to say thanks for all your support throughout the past four years, it has been an in-credible journey. We have been able to forge long standing relationships with key players within the university and the Alumni Association. NROTC Iowa State has a bright future and room for many great initia-tives to come to fruition. With the support from the University we are getting an updated state of the art classroom to teach Naval Science classes and allow for more interaction with the students. We have made great strides in establishing a ceremonial quarterdeck and creating new alumni recognition memorials to adorn the walls

of that space. There are many more initiatives in the works that my relief will honcho and see to completion. None of these great things could have been accomplished if not for the incredible relationships NROTC Iowa State was able to build over the past few years. I thank you all for indulging my ideas and strengthening the bond of the battalion between past and future alumni. As I make my transition to the civilian sector after nearly 30 years in uniform, I am grateful for having the experience of working with all the wonderful people affiliated with this program. I wish you all fair winds and following seas.

Unit Contact Information: 515-294-6050

[email protected] www.navy.iastate.edu

SSgt Christopher Harrison

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The Drift

Freshman Orientation

The Drift

The Iowa State University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps welcomed 23 new midship-men to the unit with a five-day orientation from August 19th through the 23rd. Although the Cyclone Battalion’s NROTC freshman orientation was vigorous and challenging this year, it was not as intense as past orientations. In the past, Freshman Orientation was a week or more of strict military training, emphasizing discipline and military bearing. Some new freshmen found this to be a difficult environment to train in, especially while simultaneously adjusting to college life. Under the guidance of the Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), which oversees the NROTC program, the battalion revamped freshman orientation to focus on academic success and team building. This year’s Freshman Orientation was designed to lay the framework for critically-thinking leaders who demonstrate the Navy and Marine Corps ideals of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Overall this new approach to Freshman Orientation succeeded. With a heavy emphasis placed on building leadership skills, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and teaching time management skills for academic success, the midshipmen were oriented into the unit. By the end of the week, the group of college freshmen looked less like individuals, and more like a team that could succeed in the face of a challenge. BELOW: A group works through a leadership and team building obstacle.

“Freshman Orientation sets the stage for long-term

success. It is important to strike the right balance;

orientation is NOT boot camp, but we do want to

challenge these future leaders. I liked the way we

approached the ISU NROTC class of 2017... They

are off to a good start.”

CAPT Ricks Polk

Gwen Davies Nolan Dodson William Donahoe Erin Evans Crystal Felch

Dillon Hansen Kaj Johnson Samuel Kallas Anastasia King James Kluesner III

Quincy Lamp Taylor Mandsager Timothy McKeague Dustin Middlemist Brendan OConnor

Joseph Rauenhorst Garret Rowe Caleb Smith Nathaniel Steele Seanpaul Stickelman

Michael Tallon Benjamin Thompson Matthew Torres

Welcome Class of 2017

Page 7

Officer’s Call

Marine Platoon Conducts Fall Field Exercises

Battalion Life

Navy and Marine Corps The Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball

was held on November 16 in the Great Hall of the

Memorial Union at Iowa State University. This

year’s ceremony featured Jathan Chicoine as the

guest of honor. Mr. Chicoine is a retired Navy SEAL

who went on to become the Veterans Services Coor-

dinator at Iowa State. During his speech, he de-

scribed his transition from military to civilian life and

how his experience drove him toward his current ca-

reer. The ceremony also included video messages

from the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Green-

ert and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen-

eral Amos. It concluded with the tradition of the old-

est and youngest sailor and marine in attendance

sharing a piece of cake, which signifies the passing

of tradition and heritage to the future generations of

sailors and marines. TOP RIGHT: The youngest Na-

vy and Marine Corps Midshipmen, MIDN Donahoe

and MIDN Evans, take the first bite of the cake they

are going to share with the oldest Sailor and Marine

in attendance. BOTTOM RIGHT: The Birthday Ball

concluded with a night of dancing. The Midshipmen

and their dates dance to the Cupid Shuffle.

The Marine Platoon conducted several Fall Field Exercises (FEX) this year on October 19 in Pammel Woods and at the Ames-ISU YMCA camp. TOP LEFT: SSgt Hollins instructs MIDN Lamp on compass techniques for land navigation. TOP RIGHT: MIDN VanderBoon leads a fire team of Marine Option Mid-shipman during a S.U.L.E. Mission.

Page 8

The Drift

T-45 Goshawk Visits ISU NROTC

The Drift

The Iowa State Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps traveled to Des Moines, IA to tour and learn about a T-45 Goshawk that landed there on January 15. The T-45 is a jet flight trainer that is used in the intermediate and advanced portions of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Student Naval Avi-ator strike pilot training program. It was piloted by two ISU NROTC alumni, LT Rickert and LTJG Nun-nikhoven, who landed in Des Moines during a cross-country training flight to visit family and give their for-mer unit a chance to tour the T-45. “It was a special experience for all involved because it allowed individuals in different levels of their naval aviation career to both look toward the future and reminisce on the past,” stated ENS Shane Lyons, a future student naval aviator who graduated from Iowa State in December. “It was nice to see previous members of our battalion doing so well in the jet community. I am looking forward to getting out in the fleet and following in their wake.” LT Rick-ert said the trip was especially meaningful since his lifelong dream was to become a United States Navy fighter pilot. The trip marked the opportunity to return home, visit family and share in his accomplishment of achieving that goal. The visiting Ensigns and Midshipmen were able to tour the cockpit and ask questions regarding

aviation and the training pipelines. “LT Rickert and LTJG Nunnikhoven provided excellent insight and advice for success in the fleet,” said ENS Oftelie, a December graduate and future student naval flight officer. “The advice we received from our alumni was very helpful especially for the two of us who are get-ting ready to follow in the same career path in just a few short weeks.”

ENS Lyons climbs into the cockpit of the T-45 as LT Rickert lifts the canopy.

Page 9

Officer’s Call

CAPT Polk Inspects the Battalion

Battalion Life

The Battalion Change of Command

ABOVE: MIDN Larkin salutes as the color guard marches past during the parade. RIGHT: MIDN Honeyman passes command of the battalion on to MIDN Larkin.

On November 5, CAPT Polk inspected the entire battalion to ensure the proper fit and wear of their uniforms before the Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball. LEFT: CAPT Polk discusses the trends he noticed in the Midshipmen's uniforms immediately following the inspection so they know what to fix before the Ball. BOTTOM LEFT: The midshipmen stand formed and ready to be inspect-ed by CAPT Polk. BELOW: CAPT Polk closely in-spects MIDN Kokjohn’s ribbon rack.

Page 10

The Drift The Drift

Marines Attend Rigorous Pre-OCS Training

Once a year the Marine option midshipmen of Iowa State University head to Camp Dodge for practical application field training. This year they joined midship-men from the University of Kansas and Platoon Leaders Course (PLC) candidates from Iowa and Nebraska. “The goal was to create stress similar to Officer Candidate School (OCS) in order to prepare them for the initial shock once they arrive in Quantico,” said Midshipman James Kokjohn, one of the instructors for the event. This year, ten candidates joined nearly thirty other candidates from the Midwest and were placed in an inten-sive training environment to challenge their mental and physical stamina. Events included day and night naviga-tion, small unit leadership evaluation missions, leadership reaction course missions, and the confidence course. Midshipman Genevieve Halvorsen, a junior, said that she “especially liked having a female DI (Drill Instructor) to train with.” One of the biggest stressors for the midshipmen that head to OCS is the mental stress. At OCS the in-structors attempt to create as much stress as possible in order to see if and how they deal with the stress. It is the continual stress that makes even the simplest tasks im-mensely difficult. Instructors can create this stress by providing short “time hacks”, giving the candidates mini-mal time to complete a task. A key stressor is fear of the unknown. Part of this comes from the stories they have heard from those who have already experienced OCS. This training was meant to give them confidence before going to OCS. “Without a doubt I feel that the training we have received at Iowa State has made me confident in any training environ-ment”, says Midshipman Quincy Lamp, a sophomore at Iowa State. This is the first year that Bullpup was conducted with more than just members of the Iowa State NROTC. The main planning was done by the Marine Corps Re-cruiting Station Des Moines, but individual events were planned and carried out by members of each participating unit. SSgt Ryan Hollins and Midshipman Kokjohn were in charge of the Land Navigation Courses, spending hours planning and preparing the course.

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Officer’s Call

ISU Participates in Great Plains Drill Meet

Battalion Life

Over the weekend of April 18-20, the Iowa State NROTC drill team, led by MIDN Halvorsen traveled to the University Of Nebraska-Lincoln to compete in a drill competition. There the team competed in two major categories which included a drill portion and an endurance team portion. The drill portion consisted of platoon drill, squad drill, and color guard. The endurance portion included many physical challenges such as pull up competition, stretcher relay, log sit-up, tug of war, swim relay, boots-n-utes relay, and dizzy izzy relay. The Iowa State NROTC drill team put in a lot of hard work and dedication into preparing for this meet. A lot of early mornings and sacrificed time over the entire year. When it came to the competition they demonstrated how adept they were at platoon drill claiming second place right behind Nebraska’s NROTC drill team. Immediately after platoon drill, Iowa State acquired first place with an exceptional display of squad drill. Iowa State’s drill capabilities were demonstrated when MIDN Pollard corrected the instructor on being given the wrong drill card. The Iowa State color guard demonstrated their excep-tional abilities, coming in third place. Overall Iowa State came in second place during the drill portion of the meet right behind Nebraska. During the Endurance team portion of the

Field Meet:

0.3 mile relay

Swim medley

The “dizzy izzy”

Pull up competi-tion

Log sit ups

Tug of War

Drill Competition:

Inspection

Squad drill

Platoon drill

Color guard

drill completion, midshipmen demonstrated their physical abilities taking home second place . During the pull up competition the team was able to come in an overwhelming first place. During the stretcher relay each midshipmen was able to show their ability to improvise and carry the stretcher all the way to the finish line coming in second place behind Nebraska. In the log sit-up every midshipmen worked as a team to complete 73 sit-ups putting them in third place. In the izzy dizzy relay midshipmen showed their ability to push through a loss of stability to give Iowa State first place in that category. Also, the team earned silver in both the swim relay and boots-n-utes re-lay. In the end Iowa state was able to leave Ne-braska knowing that they acquired second place overall at the drill competition. The team was able to leave with a first place trophy in squad drill. Each midshipmen represented the Iowa State Cy-clone Battalion with amazing integrity and sports-manship.

MIDN Pollard has his squad formed for competition.

Page 12

The Drift

The Drift

On April 5th the Cyclone Battalion at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa celebrated their spring tradition of hosting their Awards Ceremony and Dining Out. Lieutenant Jordon Mack presided over the Awards Ceremony. In his comments, he noted that the Iowa State University (ISU) midshipmen significantly outperform their peers at the university in both academic and leadership criteria. For example the Battalion’s average Grade Point Average is 3.44 and nearly all the midshipmen are in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) majors. Considering that the average GPA for the college of engineering is 3.0 and the average GPA for the college of liberal arts is 2.9, the midshipmen of Cyclone Battalion are all superstars. The midshipmen at ISU take the road less traveled and don’t succumb to peer pressure and the temptations of college life. During the awards ceremony, twenty midshipmen earned 38 separate awards. After the awards ceremony, the Battalion hosted a Dining Out that was attended by 98 guests including 3 former and current unit XOs, a Vietnam veteran and F-4 radar intercept officer who spent almost 7 years as a prisoner of war, and many family, friends and senior officers. The guest speaker was Commander David Asjes, USN (ret.) who was the unit XO from 2005 to 2010. CDR Asjes was a naval flight officer in F-14s and a test naval flight officer who earned master’s degrees at both the Naval Postgraduate School and the Naval War College. He started his Navy adventure at the U.S. Naval Academy where he majored in Systems Engineering. CDR Asjes shared with the Battalion some of the leadership lessons that he collected over his 25 year career in the Navy, including some ways to discern the real deal from the imposters. He also shared the following leadership keystones that his former commander, RADM Dave Nichols shared with him to illustrate that leadership emanates from the heart of the leader.

Awards Ceremony and Dining Out

1. Your most meaningful memories arise from those times when your character, integrity, endurance, stamina or fortitude was most challenged and you had the courage to do the right thing. 2. The things that make you feel best about yourself are not the things you do for yourself, but the good things you do for others. 3. The unfailing key to success is to do the best at the job you have right now. The rest will take care of itself. 4. The experiences in life that truly elevate the human spirit do not arise from material rewards, but

from the moral and spiritual rewards of sacrifice, duty honor and courage.

Three XOs - CDR Asjes, Statia, Buhr

and CDR Larry Spencer.

Awards given to MIDN 3/C Freeman and

MIDN 1/C Crocker.

CDR Larry Spencer awards Navy sword to

MIDN 1/C Kelly Larkin.

Page 13

The Drift

ROTC Football March-On

Iowa State University Men’s Football Team faced off against TCU on November 9th, 2013 for ISU’s Homecoming. Before the kickoff, ISU NROTC and AFROTC marched into the north end zone of Jack Trice Stadium to represent the mili-tary units at Iowa State. The units began their movement across the parking lot at Hilton Coliseum, marching through the tail-gate lots to the entrance of the stadium. “The Pride of Iowa State” Varsity Marching Band began their pre-game performance as usual, how-ever as they began to condense to the center of the field, the ROTC units emerged from the north entrance of the stadium. The Navy ROTC Unit was led on to the field by the Battalion Commanding Officer, MIDN 1/C William Honeyman. Once the Battalion was in place, they turned and faced the center of the field to await the Joint Forces Color Guard that was marching the colors into position. An order to salute rang out from MIDN Honeyman as the marching band began to play the National Anthem. Upon completion, the ROTC Units exited the field to let the football game begin. The ISU NROTC Unit participates in events

such as this to instil pride in the Midshipmen at

Iowa State and to increase public knowledge of

the program’s existence. This march on event ex-

ceeded expectations as the Midshipmen exited the

field to the crowd chanting “U.S.A.”, showing their

pride that Iowa State Alumni go on to serve the

nation. The continued support of the community is

why the Iowa State Navy ROTC Unit continues to

participate in events like this.

Campus and Community

Page 14

Officer’s Call

The Drift

Cyclone Battalion Runs to Remember

Veteran’s Day Workout

21 runners from the Cyclone Battalion participated in this year’s Remembrance Run, which brought in over 1200 participants to support 117 fallen heroes from the state of Iowa. The race was put on by supporters and volunteers of Iowa Remembers, a nonprofit organization that works to aid family members who have lost soldiers overseas. MIDN Martinez carries the guidon for the unit during the race.

The Cyclone Battalion teamed up with the Army, Air Force, and veterans from the community to observe Veteran’s Day in a reflective and meaningful way. This meaningful workout consisted of two 11 minute work cycles with a repetition scheme of 11 to represent the rich history of Veteran’s Day. In between the two workout cycles, students and veterans rested and reflected for two minutes to represent the moment of silence at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and

Germany in the First World War. This Armistice Day was later re-named Veteran’s Day.

Page 15

The Drift

Relay For Life On March 7th and 8th, ISU NROTC participated in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Members of the battalion walked, ran, or rucked from 1900 to 0700 in order to raise cancer awareness, as well as money in order to support the battle against cancer. This year the team raised $960 through individual donations and promotion in the community. This ranked the team as #29 of 122 total. Nearly 35% of the battalion showed up to support the event, with many sacrificing precious sleep to participate in the wee hours of the night. For some like Midshipman 4/C Donahoe, this was their first time participating in Relay for Life. He stated, “It’s amazing to see the ISU community come together to support the cancer cure.” Others like Midshipmen 3/C Andersen are veteran Relay for Lifers. He explained that, “Relay for Life is a lot of fun, because it’s not just a fundraiser, it’s more involved.” He participated because his own grandmother suffered from cancer and he mentioned, “it’s good for us to get out here and show solidarity for victims and families of victims of cancer.”

MIDN 2/C Carrigan and MIDN 4/C Stickleman share a

laugh while observing the event.


The American Cancer Society

Relay For Life movement

symbolizes hope and our shared

goal to end a disease that

threatens the lives of so many

people we love.

MIDN 4/C O’Connor, who organized the NROTC team, takes his turn on the track.

Page 16

Officer’s Call

Tri-Service Change of Command

Kiwanis Pancake Clean-Up

On March 1st, 2014 fourteen ISU NROTC Midshipmen supported the 55

th Annual Ames Kiwanis

Club’s Pancake Days. Midshipmen braved the bitter cold and snowy conditions to help with tasks ranging from cleaning grills to mopping floors and putting away folding chairs and tables. Pancake Days lasts from 0700 to 1900, so many tuckered out Kiwanis members appreciated the jolt of energy in wrapping up the event. Even those with the dirtiest and historically least favorable chore of cleaning the grills found joy in their work. MIDN 2/C Halvorsen noted, “There is a certain amount of satisfaction that comes from making some-thing as dirty as this grill shiny and clean again.” Proceeds benefit youth and community projects such as: ACCESS, American Cancer Society,

Ames Veterans Memorial, Emergency Residence Project, Teen Maze, Habitat for Humanity, Ada Haden

Heritage Park, Heartland Senior Services, Food at First, Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Fund, MICA Food

Shelf, Special Olympics, Story Co. 4H, Youth and Sheltered Services, Raising Readers of Story County.

The Drift

All three ISU ROTC branches gathered on central campus on April 22nd, to conduct the annual Tri-Service Change of Command Ceremony. ISU NROTC’s new Battalion Com-mander will be MIDN Genevieve Halvorsen, a Marine option and senior in culinary science. Vice President Dr. Hill, the guest speaker, noted that, “This country is in great shape, because of young people like you.” BELOW LEFT: Outgoing and Incoming CO’s preparing for pass and review (BOTTOM RIGHT).

MIDN Davies and Donahoe get their hands dirty cleaning the grills while MIDN Hitzhusen, Pollard and Cotter stack chairs.

Page 17

The Drift

Denim Day On April 23rd, 2014 ISU NROTC partici-pated in the annual Denim Day to raise awareness for sexual assault. In Italy in the 1990s a young woman was raped by her driving instructor. The perpetrator was initially convicted of the crime, but the Italian Supreme Court later overturned the ruling. Her jeans were tight enough that she had to assist in their removal, which judges interpreted as con-sent. The outrage from this decision served as the motivation for Denim Day. Midshipmen donned as much denim as they could handle in hopes of prompting dialogue with peers.

Every year the Sextant Society constructs a float for the VEISHA parade. This year MIDN Knute Klinker spearheaded the operation with 12 members and an enthusiastic spirit. The final float included a destroyer with one midshipman worn SH-60, which could refuel with candy. Unfortunately, due to riots, the parade was canceled, but members still finished the float and

got dressed up to take pictures with CAPT Polk. The float will be showcased in next year’s pa-rade — if it takes place.

The Float that Never Sailed


OC Jordan provides participants with the background of Denim Day.

Page 18

The Drift

Fall Commissioning

Ensign Daniel Oftelie

Hometown: Ames, IA

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Now At: Flight Training

Ensign William Honeyman

Hometown: Emerson, IA

B.S. in Agricultural Engineering

Now At: USS Howard (DDG 83)

Ensign Shane Lyons

Hometown: Costa Mesa, CA



The Drift

Page 19

Officer’s Call

Fall Commissioning

Ensign Ryan Schaefer

Hometown: Mendota Heights, MN


Now At: USS San Jacinto (CG 56)

Ensign Christopher Rogeness

Hometown: Orlando, FL


Now At: Nuclear Power School

Ensign Stephanie Palacheck

Hometown: Forest Lake, MN



Commissioning

Page 20

The Drift

Spring Commissioning

The Drift

Ensign Jeremy Crocker

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

B.S. in Meteorology

Next: Fleet Survey Team, Stennis Space Center, MI

Ensign Ian Jordan

Hometown: Peoria, IL


Next: Nuclear Power School, Charleston, SC

Second Lieutenant James Kokjohn

Hometown: West Point, IA

B.S. in Political Science and History Next: TBS in Quantico, VA

Page 21

Officer’s Call

Spring Commissioning

Ensign Alyssa McKenna

Hometown: Atoka, TN

B.S. in Industrial Technology

Next: USS Nitze (DDG 94), Norfolk, VA

Ensign Kelly Larkin

Hometown: New Hampton, IA

B.S. in Political Science and History

Next: Aviation Training Command, Pensacola, FL

Commissioning

Page 22

The Drift

CDR Harry Statia Retires after 30 years of faithful service to the Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy

The Drift

Commander Harry Statia, former Executive Officer of Iowa State University NROTC, retired from the Navy with 30 years of military service June 20th. Attending this memorable event was CDR Statia’s wife (Melissa) and children, along with over 80 honored guests and friends. It is easy to see the impact an individual like CDR Statia has made throughout his career by the representation of peo-ple from all over the country who attended his re-tirement ceremony. The event started with the welcoming of the ceremonial party and guest speaker Dr. Thomas Hill, the Senior Vice president for Student Affairs at Iowa State University. Dr. Hill reflected on his inter-actions with CDR Statia throughout his service as Iowa State’s NROTC Executive Officer and made

sure to emphasize his willingness to serve. Dr. Hill stated “It gives me great pleasure when working with these folks because it is always them asking us how can we help, or what do you need from us? No other departments wanted to volunteer people or time to make events run smoothly. I could always count on these selfless folks to come to our aid.” Three decades of service in the Navy and Marine Corps from Whidbey Island, Washington and Brunswick, Maine to Atsugi, Japan, highlight Harry Statia’s service around the globe. Starting his career as an enlisted Marine Electrician, he serviced the President’s helicopter (Marine ONE). CDR Statia then went on to serve as an A-6E Electrician in the Navy while pursuing his Bachelor of Sci-ence degree at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University during his off duty hours. “Harry Statia is driven to succeed,” said Captain Polk, Commanding Officer Iowa State University’s NROTC Unit. “He found what he wanted, and he pursued it to completion. In assignments all over the world he stands out as a leader, embodying the ideal of ‘service before self’, and living our core values of honor, courage and commitment. Harry Statia will be sorely missed, and I am confident that he will be equally suc-cessful in the next chapter of his life as a civilian.” When CDR Statia gave his remarks he paused to thank his mother, who had always been a strong motivator for him early in his military career. In reference to some of the hard times he had faced as a young Junior Officer CDR Statia reflected on her words of wisdom. “The squeaky wheel always gets the grease, but don’t ever forget that the squeaky wheel can also be replaced.” Her wisdom helped shape him into the officer that he had become during his career. CDR Statia honored her with a special medal during the ceremony to thank her for all that she had done for him. CDR Statia was presented with an honorary shadow box from the members of the ISU NROTC Unit to remember his career. A career that started out as an enlisted Marine, then enlisted Sailor, and finally ended as a U.S. Naval Officer, with 30 years of faithful service to his nation.

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Officer’s Call

Our beloved Bev Hagen Retires after 45 years of Service to Iowa State and to the U.S. Navy

Last minute updates

On May 31, 2014, Beverly Hagen re-tired after dedicating over 45 years of service as a university and federal employee to Iowa State University Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. She served as Secretary and Supply Technician during her time with the NROTC. In her final position (as a Supply Technician), she was re-sponsible for duties formerly per-formed by a Yeoman, a Navy Chief, and Storekeeper, a Navy Senior Chief. She was instrumental in the procurement and issuing of Naval Science books, uniforms, and military gear for Midshipmen. Ms. Hagen has seen countless Midshipmen commission into the Navy and Ma-

rine Corps, from the likes of Rear Admirals Thomas Cropper and Randall Hendrickson to the most recent May 2014 graduates. Her most fond memories are from her time working in the old Naval Science building where the NROTC used to be located. She reminisced that, “I left my heart in that building…it was our building. It had everything we needed. The Midshipmen never had to go anywhere for lab periods because it was more than big enough, it even had a boat tank and space for drill.” She was also proud to have worked here while one of her son’s child-hood friends, Jake Dobberke, commissioned into the Marine Corps in 2008. Ms. Hagen was proud to have devoted much of her life to the Na-vy and Iowa State University but plans to spend her retirement with her family and working to increase Alzheimer’s awareness.

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NROTC Alumni Race Carrying Iowa State Guidon

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Three graduates of the Iowa State University NROTC (Roger Brown, Chris Sharon, and Mike LoCascio) raced in the Austin 10/20 carrying an Iowa State Guidon with battle streamers the entire 10 miles. They carried the guidon to represent those Marine Corps personnel who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in battle. The streamers are honoring Jeff "JJ" Smith and Eric "Recon" Bertaud. This group of alumni is also making a donation to the Fisher House, which helps build homes for veterans. BOTTOM LEFT: Chris Sharon, Roger Brown, and Mike LoCascio pose with a fellow Marine, Jon Hruska who did not run but support-ed them throughout the race. He is making an inside joke with his “fancy” numbers, which goes to show the liveliness and camaraderie associated with the Corps.

“As alumni there is nothing we want more than to recognize

our brothers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their

country.”

Chris Sharon

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Officer’s Call

Unveiling of Captain Dobberke Memorial

A very special part of this year’s awards ceremony was the unveiling of a leadership dis-play in honor of Captain Jake Dobberke who was a 2008 graduate of ISU and commissioned as a Marine Corps Officer. In late October 2011, while leading an escort mission in Afghanistan Capt Dobberke was grievously wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Before tending to his own life threatening wounds, he accounted for all his men and established perim-eter security. Only after looking after all his men, did Captain Dobberke put tourniquets on both his legs and bandaged his mangled left arm. What we do in our worst hour speaks most high-ly of what we are made of. The ISU leadership

ethic of service before self was embodied in Captain Dobberke’s actions on that violent day in Afghanistan. Captain Dobberke survived the attack and endured many surgeries to repair his broken body. After having both legs amputated he learned to walk on prosthetic legs and was the guest of honor at the Fall 2013 ISU Marine Corps Birthday Ball. Servant leadership is the hallmark trait of the greatest leaders and the dis-play memorializing Captain Dobberke’s selfless leadership will be an inspiration to future genera-tions of leaders at Iowa State. This display is the first of many that the Battalion is making to shine a bright light on the ethos of inspirational leader-ship.

Alumni News

TOP LEFT: The Captain Dobberke Memorial is unveiled at the Awards Ceremony. TOP RIGHT: Capt Opalacz and SSgt Harri-son present the Iowa State guidon at the Awards Ceremony. BOTTOM RIGHT: Midshipmen reflect on the Captain Dobberke Memorial.

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Every NROTC student at Iowa State benefits from generous Alumni donations. These donations are used to fund additional educa-tional scholarships and participation in University educational/recreational events. Whether you have given in the past or this is your first time, our goal is to make it as easy and painfree as possible. Please send an inquiry using one of the methods of contact on the left of this page if you are interested in donating to build upon and maintain this valu-able resource. Or, just follow the directions on the home screen as listed on the next page for easy to follow directions. A paper donation form and envelope are enclosed as well if you wish to donate through mail. Thank you for your continued support in developing our future Navy and Marine Corps Officers.

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Officer’s Call

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Documents

2013-2014 ISU NROTC "The Drift"