Opening of Time Capsule reveals pieces of RTC history

BySusanMartin

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

ItwastimeatRecruitTrainingCommand

(RTC).

Timetoopenatimecapsule!

In an outdoor ceremony held May 18, RTC staff, guests, and two divisions of recruits gathered to watch the opening of theMasterChiefPettyOfficersMillennium Time Capsule Sealed in January 2000 by RTC master chiefs, the capsule celebrated the first recruits onboard RTC who would forgeintothenewmillennium. Thecapsulewasscheduledtobereopened in 2020, however, due to pandemic base lockdowns and restrictions, the ceremony wasdelayed.

RTC Commanding Officer Captain Kertreck Brooks addressed the guests remindingthemhowfartheNavyhascome inthepasttwodecades

“Today is a truly special day as we gather heretowitnesstheopeningofatimecapsule that has remained sealed since the turn of themillennium.Itisamomentousoccasion as we uncover the memories, hopes, and aspirations of those who came before us,” said Brooks. “As we open the time capsule and reveal its contents let us reflect on our sharedhistory,honorthosewhohavecome before us, and embrace the responsibility to lead and inspire those who will follow. Together, we carry the legacy of the Navy forward, always striving for excellence and upholdingthevaluesthatdefineus.”

Also in attendance as the guest speaker, was Master Chief Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) Andrew Chupashko command masterchief,OfficeofNavalResearch,who isoneofthefewremainingmasterchiefsstill on active duty who was a recruit when the timecapsulewassealed.

“I was one of you at one time back at the turn of the millennium,” said Chupashko. “The amazing people in front of you wearing these red ropes are truly some of the mostvaluablepeopleinmycareerandIcan saywith100percent certaintythatwithout them, there’s no way I’d be standing here today.”

He went on to address the recruits remindingthemofwhytheyenlisted

“If you serve this country and you do withhonor,prideandintegrity,you’vedone your job and you should be proud of that no matter what rank you obtain before you leave the service,” said Chupashko. “How you do your job and how you serve, that is the ultimate goal you should have in your life,servewell,lovewell,dowellandoneday you’ll be able to look back with no regrets andawholelotofpride.”

Chupashko carefully pried opened the capsule, revealing a trove of memories Amongtheitemswere:

„ base map containing location of the barracks prior to the recapitalization that beganatthattimewithnewbarracks; „ anRDCbadge; „ masterchiefpettyofficercollardevices;

„ chiefs’messchallengecoins;and

„ a list of names of all recruits in training in2000.

As guests milled around the capsule to view the items from the past, they also saw thenewitemstobeincludedfornextunveiling20yearsfromnowtoinclude:

„ Arecruittrainingguidethatisasnapshot intimeforRTC’scurrentcurriculum;

„ First Class Petty Officers Association Coin, that represents the replacements of futureSailorswhowillbecomepettyofficers andprogressintochiefpettyofficers;

„ Warrior Toughness program manual, a tool that helps the changing Navy lethality in all aspects of mind, body and soul in the eventofwar;

„ A wooden coin to commemorate this event and serve as a bookmark of how recruitstransitionthroughthemillennium; and „ A COVID prevention mask that will alwaysbringbackmemoriesofatimewhen the world seemingly came to a halt during the pandemic, including recruits and staff whowererequiredtowearit.

“The goal is to keep this tradition alive for future generations of Sailors who will commencetheirjourneyjustlikethemajority of Sailors currently serving in our Navy, right here at RTC, said RTC Command Master Chief Van-Troi Sibilia Martinez. “It is pertinent to mention that while there usedtobeatotalofthreebasictrainingsites,

SanDiegoandOrlandoclosedtheirdoorsin 1994, leaving RTC as the sole Quarterdeck oftheNavy.”

Astheyresealedthetimecapsule,thestaff felt a sense of pride in being part of a grand tradition They know that one day, they too wouldpassthetorchtothenextgeneration ofrecruits.

Boot camp is approximately 10 weeks andallenlisteesintheU.S.Navybegintheir careers at the command Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness andlessonsinNavyheritageandcorevalues Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline More than 40,000 recruits trainannuallyattheNavy’sonlybootcamp. For more news from Recruit Training Command,visitwww.navy.mil/local/rtc

Retired Navy Captain joins Naval Oceanography workforce-family

ByJonathanHolloway

Command, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss.—

Recently,Alabama-native(Mobile)andU.S. Naval Academy graduate, Todd Monroe, joined the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (Naval Oceanography)asthenewDeputyMaritimeOperationsCenterDirector.

Monroe’s outstanding Navy career is full ofinvaluableexperiencesthathaveallowed himahigh-levelofsubjectmatterexpertise inallthingsmaritime

Read more about Monroe’s career in his professionalbiographybelow!

ToddMonroe’sProfessionalBiography

Monroe served as a Surface Warfare Officer and Naval Oceanographer during 27 years of active service. He holds a dual Master of Science degree in Oceanography and Meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Science degree in Hydrography from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a Certificate of NonprofitManagementfromtheUniversity ofSanDiego

Monroe served on a variety of sea tours Highlights include participation in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM as Gunnery Officer and Navigator; as well as Operation ENDURING FREEDOMimmediatelyfollowing9/11,wherehe was Surface Strike and Tomahawk Launch Area Coordinator aboard USS ENTERPRISE(CVN-65)BattleGroup Asanoceanographer, he was the first Officer in Charge ofFleetSurveyTeam(FST)atStennisSpace Center,MS,chargedwithdevelopingsmall, rapidly deployable field-charting teams to assure U.S. Naval access and key partnershipsworldwide.MonroereturnedtoFSTin 2005asitsfirstCommandingOfficer.

Monroe’s shore tours include leadership operational, and staff jobs on every coast, including Executive Officer at the Naval Oceanographic Office and executive assistant for the OPNAV N3/N5 staff at the Pentagon. In 2010 he commissioned Fleet Weather Center San Diego as its first Commanding Officer, consolidating and streamliningNavy’sWeatherServicesacross twothirdsoftheglobe

Afterretirementfromactive-dutyin2013, MonroejoinedtheWyakinWarriorFoundation in Boise, Idaho as Executive Director assistingseverelywoundedandinjuredpost9/11Veteransinthepursuitofeducationand employment through financial, mentoring, professional development and community serviceofferings

Most recently, Monroe has been employed by General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), assisting with project management, strategic planning

STENNIS SPACE CENTER Miss.— Recently Alabama-native (Mobile) and U.S.NavalAcademygraduate,Todd Monroe,joined the U.S.Naval Meteorologyand OceanographyCommand (Naval Oceanography) as the newDeputyMaritime Operations CenterDirector.(PHOTOBY JONATHANHOLLOWAY) and Naval Oceanography requirements for Commander,NavalInformationForces Monroe’sdecorationsincludetheLegion of Merit, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and the Combat ActionRibbon

Monroe is married to Denise Bridget Laired of Mobile, Alabama. They reside in Bay Saint Louis, MS with Maggie the dog Brandon(23)andHannah(25)Monroelive inBoiseandNewOrleans.

Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than

2,500 globally-distributed military and civilianpersonnelwhocollect,process,and exploitenvironmentalinformationtoassist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions faster than theadversary