Recent News
Welcome to our recent news. To read our past newsletters and The Helm, visit our Historical Archives Newsletters.
Tulane ROTC Hosts Aviation Fly-In and Female Mentorship Panel
Tulane ROTC hosts aviation fly-in, female mentorship panel By MIDN 3/C Hannah McCall, Tulane NROTC Public Affairs Officer September 25, 2022 Students examining the cockpit of a TH-57 Sea Ranger It was an event your typical college student will never experience. Navy and Marine Corps instructor pilots [...]
2022 Alumni Gatherings
Joint Commissioning 2022 At the Joint Commissioning, several Alumni gathered to witness the cadets and midshipmen become new officers for the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. General David Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps and 1981 Tulane NROTC graduate, gave the [...]
Tulane NROTC Taffrail Log Summer 2022
Alumni News Congratulations!! to the Tulane NROTC Alumni Association Awards winners. 2nd LT Mark Shreve (2022) was presented with the Barrow Award for outstanding military bearing. Ensign Thomas Schwartz (2022) won the Wintle Award for superior performance. Doug Hurley (1988), NASA astronaut, visited the [...]
Spring Awards and Battalion Change of Command 2022
Change of Command The Midshipmen of the Tulane Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps held their Spring Awards Ceremony and Change of Command on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in the Navy Building on the campus of Tulane University. The Change of Command saw MIDN CO MIDN [...]
Women Making Waves 2022
Lida Pardue Cooper (2004) was a featured speaker at the Tulane Professional Development Series, Women Making Waves 2022. She was a panelist on the Prioritizing Diversity and Inclusion event on March 16, 2022. Lida Pardue Cooper graduated from Tulane University and was commissioned through Tulane Naval [...]
Thomas Early (PNS 1993- 1994)
1942 - 2020 On Monday, November 2, 2020, Colonel Thomas Michael Early, USMC, (ret.), loving husband of Marie and father of Patrick and Kathleen, passed away after a long illness at the age of 78. Throughout his long distinguished career in the Marine Corps, he earned [...]
Joint Commissioning 2022
Congratulations Ensigns and Second Lieutenants!! The Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse on the campus of Tulane University was the site of the Joint Commissioning for the Tulane Reserve Officers Training Corps on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Eighteen midshipmen and cadets were sworn in as Ensigns [...]
DOD ROTC Partnership Excellence Award
The Tulane Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps was awarded the Department of Defense ROTC Partnership Excellence Award for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. This award was presented on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at the Navy Building on Tulane's main campus. The DOD Award recognized the unit and [...]
TUNROTC Annual Meeting
Friday Social The Naval Reserve Officer Training Command at Tulane University held its annual meeting and social November 12 and November 13, 2021. Friday's festivities were a social and reunion held at the [...]
Fall Commissionings 2021
On Friday, September 17, 2021, Brett James Harris was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. The small ceremony was held in the Navy Building on the Tulane University Campus. Surrounded by family, 2ndLt Hargis took the oath of office from Captain Dorinda Pintos. His [...]
Ens Jahn USS Curtis Wilbur
190309-N-JN784-1222 PHILIPPINE SEA (March 9, 2019)- Ensign Austin Jahn mans his watch station in the Combat Information Center aboard USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54). U.S. Navy warships train together to increase the tactical proficiency, lethality, and interoperability of participating units in an Era of Great Power Competition. (U.S. [...]
USS Roosevelt
NORWEGIAN SEA (July 5, 2021) Ensign Bryna Loranger, right, gives training to Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Shurette Nelloms during an anti-terrorism drill aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), July 4, 2021. Roosevelt, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its second patrol in the U.S. [...]
Spring Awards Ceremony 2021
Tulane NROTC Awards Ceremony 2021 The Tulane Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps Awards Ceremony was held on April 21, 2021. Awards and Recipients 1. THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NATIONAL DEFENSE ROTC AWARD Presented to: MIDN 4/C LaPata This award is presented to a MIDN who [...]
Change of Command May 2021
Tulane University Naval Officer Training Corps got a new Professor of Naval Science on May 28, 2021. Captain Daniel J. Senesky, USN was relieved by Captain Paul Bowdich, USN in a moving ceremony held on the deck of the Navy Building on the Tulane Campus. Following all COVID guidelines, [...]
Commissioning 2021
On May 21, 2021, eight midshipmen culminated their college NROTC training with a commission in the US Navy or the US Marine Corps. The ceremony originally scheduled to be held at the Southern Yacht Club on the New Orleans Lakefront was moved to the Navy Building on the Tulane [...]
Women Making Waves 2021
CDR Jacobson Commander Katie (Hagen) Jacobson is a sixteen-year veteran of the United States Navy and is the Executive Officer of USS NITZE (DDG 94) in Norfolk, VA. On March 3, 2021 she participated as a featured speaker in Tulane's Alumni Association Women Making Waves 2021. Each [...]
Capt. Kevin Kennedy (92) – PNS U. Virginia
Captain Kevin Kennedy (92) has assumed command of Naval ROTC at the University of Virginia. Captain Kevin Kennedy graduated from Tulane University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and was designated a Naval Aviator in November 1994. He is a 2006 graduate of [...]
December 2020 Commissioning
For the second year in a row, the Tulane NROTC Unit held a rare December Commissioning on Sunday, December 20, 2020. At 1:30 in the afternoon at the Navy Building, a new Ensign was commissioned for the United States Navy. The Tulane NROTC Alumni Association welcomes Matthew R. [...]
History Presentation Sept 22,2020
Due to the circumstances of the day, the start is delayed. For convenience skip ahead 3:30 to see Tim Huete begin the presentation.
Annual Meeting October 2020
Annual Association meeting held October 15, 2020. Simply click the play button and the recording will appear.
Awards Ceremony 2020
The event was held on September 22, 2020. Originally, scheduled for the spring the ceremony was postponed until fall. Awards to graduating midshipmen were presented at their commissioning. Awards and Recipients New Orleans DAR National Defense Gold Medal MIDN 3/C Peliya Waters USAA Spirit Award [...]
2020 Commissioning
Please welcome the newly commissioned Ensigns and 2nd Lieutenant. Ensign Samuel Beal Ensign Torsten Blue Ensign Zachary Byrne Ensign Jamie Ferrari Ensign Jack Gibbons Ensign Evan Hughes Ensign Robert Ivey Ensign Bryna Loranger Ensign Isabella Mastendino Ensign Sean Panish 2nd Lt. Nicole Trusty (commissioned in December 2019) There were [...]
Tulane’s NROTC Polar Explorer
How a Tulane NROTC Alumni had an island named after him. Operation HIGHJUMP was officially named “The US Navy Antarctic Development Project 1946-1947”. It was led by Admiral Richard Byrd, the already famous Polar explorer. HIGHJUMP had a primary mission of establishing a permanent US base in Antarctica. It [...]
Lt. Louis Tulane Bass, Jr. – 1943
Louis Tulane Bass, Jr. was an Alumnus of the Tulane NROTC Unit. He was KIA [BNR] on 16 June 1945 over the Bay of Makassar, Sulawesi Province, Netherlands East Indies (now the country of Indonesia). He is also a descendent of the Paul Tulane family. This is his story. [...]
New Awards Plaques
At our General Meeting on November 1, 2019, two new plaques were unveiled on the Quarter Deck of our Navy Building for permanent display. Your Tulane Naval ROTC Alumni Association paid for, obtained, and presented these plaques to the Unit. The first plaque lists the names of recent [...]
Tulane NROTC Taffrail Log Spring 2020
Congratulations!! The Tulane NROTC Alumni Association celebrates all of the Alumni who have been recently lauded. General David Berger (1981) Commandant of the Marine Corps, will be recognized with the Tulane Distinguished Alumni at the Tulane University Alumni Awards Gala. https://alumniawards.tulane.edu 2nd LT Nicole [...]
Lt jg Ashley Kiple (16) Ship Handler of the Year
The USS Little Rock Gold Crew Ship Handler of the Year is Lt.j.g. Ashley Kiple. The Ship handler of the year award is given to Surface Warfare Officers who demonstrate superior performance while standing Officer of The Deck Underway onboard the Navy’s newest platform, the Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship. [...]
Notre Dame Leadership Conference 2020
The Alumni Association through generous donations was able to sponsor two midshipmen to attend the Notre Dame Leadership Conference in South Bend, Indiana. MIDN 2/C Harris and MIDN 2/C Hargis came away with a wonderful learning experience and gave special thanks to alumni, John Stelly and Fritz Teuscher, who [...]
Tulane NROTC Mardi Gras Drill Meet 2020
The Tulane Naval ROTC Mardi Gras Drill Meet was held on Friday, February 21, 2020 on the Tulane University campus. The University Center Quad, Newcomb Quad, and Brown Quad were utilized for the contest. Students from around the country came together for the competitions of Color Guard, Individual Exhibition, Platoon [...]
Women Making Waves Featured Speaker
Women Making Waves Featured Speaker Tulane University hosted the sixth Women Making Waves Conference on March 7, 2020. Held in the LBC University Center, the focus was “How Global Events Ignite Leaders”; which fit right into the program goal of highlighting alumnae career and leadership successes. Commander Audry Oxley [...]
December 2019 Commissioning
The Tulane NROTC Unit held a rare December Commissioning on Friday, December 20, 2019. At 6 o’clock in the evening in the Navy Building, a new Second Lieutenant was commissioned for the United States Marine Corps. The Tulane NROTC Alumni Association welcomes Nicole Trusty as its newest member. Ms. [...]
Naval ROTC
My freshman year I lived on the second floor of Phelps House, the freshman dorm. We shared a bathroom with three other two-man rooms. The student dorm advisor was in NROTC and thought it would be neat to have a “Navy Suite”, so all of my suitemates were on [...]
Commissioning 2019
Congratulations to the Class of 2019!!! The Navy Building on the campus of Tulane University was the site of the 2019 commissioning. Six men and women received their commissions in the Navy and Marine Corps. The ceremony began at 9:30 AM with the Marching On and the National Anthem. [...]
Hail and Farewell to Unit Officers
Farewell and Following Seas The Unit Staff said Farewell to four members, as they depart for new adventures:. MSgt Bryan Smith, Asst Marine Officer Instructor LT Nicholas Munns:, Freshman and Submarine Advisor Capt. Donald Meyer, Marine Officer Instructor LT Crystal Gonzales, Sophomore & Surface Warfare [...]
Naval ROTC Awards and Change of Command 2019
Early morning on 9 April, 2019, the Tulane NROTC Battalion formed up on the Tulane University Center Quad for the annual Change of Command and Awards Ceremony. The Change of Command was the first order of business with Midn 1/C William Pankey being relieved of command and Midn 2/C [...]
Earl Higgins(63) Pens a New Book
Pelican Publishers approached Earl Higgins, class of 1963, a few years ago and asked him to write a new book. They wanted to put out a 100 Catholic list to join their 100 Jewish list. Thus was born 100 Catholic Things to Do Before You Die. Earl was an [...]
Judge Thomas C Wicker (44) Recipient of Scott Cowen Service Award
On Saturday, April 6, 2019 in the US Freedom Pavilion of the National World War II Museum, the Honorable Thomas C. Wicker, Jr. (RET) was awarded the Scott Cowen Service Award for exceptional contributions to Tulane University and the community. The setting was a fitting location as Judge Wicker [...]
Jim Hunter (76) Awarded Doctor of Ministry
Jim Hunter informed us that he was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania on May 11, 2019 at 10 am. It was a perfectly beautiful, sunny, cool day (it rains more days than not in Western Pennsylvania). His wife, Jeannine, was [...]
Alumni Association Support for Midshipman
Support for the Midshipmen Battalion is a key function on our Alumni Association. Members continue to provide financial support. To date in 2019 the association and individual members have anted up to fund: Extensive renovation of the Wardroom. Air travel, admission fees and lodging for two Midshipman to attend [...]
Steve DeMatteo (96) Retires
DeMatteo retired from the Marine Corps after 23 years of Active and Reserve service. A CH-53E pilot, Steve was stationed with Marine Air Group 16 at MCAS Miramar, CA from where he deployed numerous times, participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, the amphibious invasion of Afghanistan as well as numerous [...]
Watson Wardroom Facelift
Thanks to the family of Louis Watson (1960) the Wardroom in the Navy ROTC Building received a magnificent facelift. The Unveiling and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held on the evening of March 29, 2019 and all lauded the outcome. Larry Tortorich, class of 1978, and father of alumni John [...]
Alumni Spotlight: General David H. Berger – Class of 1981
General Berger is currently serving as the 38th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. General Berger was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1981 following graduation from Tulane University, Naval ROTC. As a Lieutenant and Captain, he served as platoon commander in 1st Marine Division, and later [...]
New Commanding Officer
Welcome to Captain Daniel J. Senesky as the new Commanding Officer of the Tulane NROTC Unit. He arrived at the beginning of the school year and has had a chance to enjoy the university and the city. Captain Senesky is a Surface Warfare Officer who hails from New [...]
Dean Kimberly Foster, Ph.D.
Kimberly Foster arrived at Tulane in August 2018 to assume responsibilities as Dean, School of Science and Engineering (SS&E). Association members Brian Bourgeois (82) and Tom Dolan (75) met with Dean Foster to discuss the role of SS&E in attracting Midshipman candidates to Tulane Naval ROTC. NROTC scholarships are [...]
Douglas Hurley (88)
Doug Hurley, class of 1988, was pictured in the Wall Street Journal (right side) discussing manned space exploration on the day Elon Musk's rocket launch. Hurley has been chosen to be part of the SpaceX Commercial Crew. He will be on the test flight of the Dragon in April. [...]
46th Annual Mardi Gras Drill Meet Won by Texas A&M
Our Battalion conducted another successful Mardi Gras drill meet March 1,2019. Twenty six teams competed with Texas A&M coming in first, Norwich University second and USMA West Point at third. “I hope that each competing unit walks away with the realization that practice and commitment do, in fact, pay [...]
Honorary Lifetime Membership Award
At Homecoming, The Honorary Lifetime Membership Award was presented to Captain Patrick Huete for his constant and unfailing support of the Alumni Association during his tenure as the Professor of Naval Science. Humbled and honored described Captain Huete as he was awarded the plaque. He felt it was [...]
Letter to the Alumni from Captain Patrick Huete
As I reflect on the four years I spent as PNS I am very grateful for the opportunity to have led such a talented group of midshipmen and staff, both uniform and civilian. There was no better way to wind up my career, working a great job in [...]
Naval ROTC Homecoming 2018
Our association hosted a Homecoming Party at the Navy Building on Friday afternoon, November 9, 2018. The event was a catered affair that had alumni sharing stories and enjoying camaraderie. The Class of 1993 had a great turnout of alumni and was thrilled to be with one another [...]
Awards: Midshipmen Receive 2018 Honors
Association Board Members Present Graduation Awards to Midshipman 1/C Madeline Smith and Midshipman 1/C Jacob Marvell. The Alumni Association presented two awards. The LCDR Jack Wintle Award goes to an exceptional senior Navy Option and the General Robert H. Barrow Award goes to an outstanding senior Marine Option. Tim Huete, [...]
Shout-Out: Mardi Gras Drill Meet
Every year the Tulane Naval ROTC battalion hosts one of the largest drill meets in the nation. Traditionally held on the Friday before Fat Tuesday, the battalion faces one of its most difficult tasks all year–organizing, running, and accounting for the 30+ universities from across the nation that [...]