Marine Options Participate in FEX
Last weekend, the University of Pennsylvania Navy ROTC’s Marine Option midshipmen participated in a weekend-long Field Exercise (FEX) at Quantico Virginia. The overall FEX was organized by the George Washington University’s NROTC program, with Marine Options coming to Quantico from as far away as SUNY Maritime.
Marine Options conducted a variety of training evolutions, including the obstacle and endurance course, Small Unit Leadership Evaluations (SULEs), patrolling, Leadership Reaction Course (LRC), and pugil stick fights (MCMAP). They spent the entire time in the field, learning and/or practicing valuable field skills, including sleeping in a bivouac system outdoors.
Overall, this Field Exercise was a good learning opportunity, and provided a good opportunity to practice skills for underclassmen, good reps before OCS for 2/C, and an opportunity for 1/C to practice the fundamentals, but also higher skills like terrain association and basic platoon level attacks.
MIDN Hannah Wang
Midshipman Fourth Class and First-Year Student at the University of Pennsylvania
Original article written by Midshipman Third Class Suh of the University of Pennsylvania. Adapted for this forum by MIDN Wang.
Military Pride in the Philadelphia Community
Moto Run with Army ROTC
This week the University of Pennsylvania Navy ROTC performed a Moto run alongside Drexel Army ROTC. Midshipmen and cadets sang cadence songs as they ran to the Rocky steps outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The run put an important spotlight on our military pride and unit culture within the Philadelphia community while also strengthening cross-branch cooperation.
We are incredibly thankful for our Battalion Commander Midshipman Scurio, our Physical Training Instructor Midshipman Jacobs, and Drexel Army ROTC Event Coordinator, CDT Mackenzie Greiner, for setting up this important event!
MIDN Hannah Wang
Midshipman Fourth Class and First-Year Student at the University of Pennsylvania
Original article written by Midshipman First Class Conway of the University of Pennsylvania. Adapted for this forum by MIDN Wang.
Alumni Spotlight
LCDR Amanda Day and Capt Gabriel Benjamin
The University of Pennsylvania NROTC Battalion celebrates Class of 2012 Alumni USN Lieutenant Commander Amanda Day (maiden name Spaeder) and Class of 2014 Alumni USMC Captain Gabriel Benjamin. The battalion proudly recognizes alumni contributions to our great nation long after they leave our unit and earn their commission.
LCDR Day was the Battalion Commanding Officer in the Spring of 2012. Following graduation and commissioning, she served as a Surface Warfare Officer on the USS PRINCETON (CG 59), the USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CG 58), the German Bundesmarine frigates FGS SACHSEN (F 219) and FGS HAMBURG (F220).
Fluent in German, Arabic, and French, which she studied at the Defense Language Institute, she then laterally transferred and became a distinguished Foreign Area Officer (FAO).
LCDR Day’s next duty station will be in Abu Dhabi, UAE, where she will serve as a Security Cooperation Officer.
Since the fall of 2020, LCDR Day has volunteered over 125 hours each year. She helped coordinate badges and events with Junior, Daisy, and Brownie Girl Scout levels. In 2022, her efforts contributed to Girl Scouts earning 17 badges and seven girls earning their Bronze Award. The Bronze Award is the first of three nationally recognized community service-based awards Scouts can earn through their volunteer efforts. LCDR Day served as the Point of Contact for the community garden at the Girl Scouts’ school.
LCDR Day graduated with distinction from the Fall 2022 National Security Affairs Department. Bravo Zulu Lieutenant Commander Day!
UPENN NROTC Battalion also recognizes USMC Captain Gabriel Benjamin.
Captain Benjamin is a 2014 Drexel University graduate of the PENN NROTC Battalion. Captain Benjamin received the Naval Postgraduate School’s Marine Corps Association Superior Service Award for Outstanding U.S. Marine Student. “This award is presented to an outstanding student based on quality point rating (GPA), thesis/capstone project, curricular, and extracurricular activities.”
Captain Benjamin received an M.A. in Eurasian Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in September 2022 in addition to his M.S. in Cyber Security from National University.
Since graduation, Captain Benjamin has excelled in his career, deploying to Okinawa, Japan, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait from 2016 to late 2019 in support of various foreign partner exercises and military operations. Captain Benjamin was also attached to the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). He has overseen many communications and cyberspace operations.
Fluent in Russian, Captain Benjamin now serves as a Eurasian Foreign Area Officer out of Riga, Latvia where he supports U.S. foreign policy efforts in Eurasia in multiple capacities.
While at NPS, Captain Benjamin achieved an impressive 3.84 cumulative GPA with a complementary 3.8 GPA at the Defense Language Institute (DLI). He also completed an abundance of volunteer hours for various non-profit organizations. Serving as the Treasurer for the Foundation Wine Club with the NPS Foundation and Alumni Association, he recorded 130 volunteer hours, conducting annual budget negotiations, training new personnel, and reconciling the club treasury balance. Additionally, Captain Benjamin logged 100 hours serving as the Financial Operations Secretary with Grace Church Monterey Bay, establishing an automated cost management system and an Amazon non-profit business account while ensuring the financial policy was synchronized with the organizational mission. In addition to Financial Operations Secretary, he also served as a security consultant with the church, advising on risk management policies and assisting in security equipment research development. Semper Fidelis.
MIDN Hannah Wang
Midshipman Fourth Class and First-Year Student at the University of Pennsylvania
Post adapted from article written by ENS Overend and Midshipman Fourth Class Himes of the University of Pennsyvlania.
VADM Cheeseman, Chief of Naval Personnel, Visits Penn NROTC
Vice Admiral Cheeseman, Chief of Naval Personnel, visited the Philadelphia NROTC Consortium on Monday 14NOV2022 to address the unit and tour Penn’s and Drexel’s campus. VADM Cheeseman also met with Drexel University President, Mr. John Fry.
University Life
UPenn Midshipmen Participate in Military Excellence Competition
On the weekend of October 21st, nine University of Pennsylvania Midshipmen (MIDN) traveled to Cornell University, where they participated in the 2022 Cornell University Invitational Drill Competition. Combined with MIDN from the Villanova NROTC Unit, they competed in a wide range of athletic and drill events. Other schools in attendance included the Naval Academy, West Point, the Coast Guard Academy, the University of Rochester, the College of the Holy Cross, SUNY Maritime, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The events included a Color Guard competition, Platoon Drill Competition, Squad Drill Competition, Individual Drill competition, Individual 5k Race, 4x400m Relay, and 4×100 Freestyle Relay. Over the course of the weekend, University of Pennsylvania midshipmen competed to test their athletic and military skills, displaying to the rest of the attendees the caliber of midshipmen that our Unit creates and supports.
The Color Guard competed against more than ten other Color Guard teams. They completed movements such as Left and Right Wheels, Counter Marches, Eyes Right, and Presentation of the Colors. Below MIDN Tinney, MIDN Zegarksi, MIDN Button, MIDN Grady, and MIDN Robbins conduct a Left-Wheel and Presenting the Colors.
MIDN Himes, MIDN Conway, and MIDN O’Connor all competed in the 5k, pictured below. The 4×400 relay team consisted of MIDN Dwyer, MIDN Grady, MIDN Himes, and MIDN Conway, while the 4×100 Freestyle relay consisted of MIDN Grady, MIDN Conway, MIDN O’Connor, and MIDN Robbins. The weekend proved to be a valuable test of military drill skills and athletic performance. Brazo Zulu, Midshipmen!
University Life
Article adapted from original story by Battalion Executive Officer, MIDN Robbins.
Philadelphia ROTC Units Commemorate 9/11 Together
September 11th, 2001 is a day that is seared into the American conscience. It is a day that changed the course of thousands of lives, from the first responders on the 11th to the service members that deployed over the course of the two decades following the tragedy. In honor of the victims, first responders, and service members who lost their lives, the University of Pennsylvania NROTC Consortium joined the Red Diamond Battalion of the Temple Army ROTC unit at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts to commemorate the day.
Both Battalion Commanders, MIDN Conway and Cadet Corcran, spoke on the importance of remembrance and how we need to be battle-ready at all times. They also discussed our commonality as warfighters despite being in different branches of the armed services, and how doing events together would benefit us by learning new leadership techniques and the nuances of each respective service. As future Navy and Marine Corps officers, we need to be prepared to work with members of every branch, not just our own.
All participants then took part in a friendly competition running up the Rocky Steps.
Following the race, University of Pennsylvania NROTC Commanding Officer Col Ciuccoli and the Red Diamond Battalion’s Commanding Officer Lt Col Maszarose addressed the units, emphasizing the historical significance of the day and the need for unity of effort across military branches.
Original article written by Midshipman First Class Jorgensen of Temple University. Adapted for this forum by LT Miller.