May 2021 - The Yale SeaDog

THE YALE SEADOG, MAY 2021

Vol. VIII

NROTC Alum Named as Friendly Fire: Handsome Dan Exercise in Teamwork, Caretaker Coordination, & AvoidMIDN Yang ing Yellow Paint On 26 March 2021, Yale announced that the new caretaker and handler of its bulldog mascot, Handsome Dan, would be Kassandra Haro ‘18, a former member of the Yale NROTC unit. An unfortunate medical disqualification in her senior year prevented Ms. Haro from commissioning in the US Navy. Luckily enough, Ms. Haro, who had worked all four years as an undergraduate tour guide, was offered a temporary job at the Yale Office of Public Affairs and Communications (OPAC).

In Fall 2020, the former Handsome Dan, known as “Walter”, announced his retirement. Walter formerly belonged to the Yale athletics department; after his retirement, the role of Handsome Dan was then transferred to OPAC. Haro was then chosen to be the new Handsome Dan’s handler due to working in the OPAC offices and for her experience growing up with multiple dogs. The new Handsome Dan, known as Kingman, is named after Kingman Brewster, the President of Yale from 1963-1977 who was responsible for helping Yale go co-ed. He is an old English bulldog and is expected to grow up to about 70 lbs.

What differentiates Kingman from his predecessors is Haro’s plan to make the bulldog more accessible to non-athletic student organizations and college events. The average day involves one social event (such as visiting a residential college), taking publicity photos (such as with the admissions office), and of course, lots of naps. Once Kingman gets older, Haro plans to base him out of the Continued on page 2

MIDN Shi The Spring Semester started off with a month-long quarantine but ended with the anticipation of one of the most interesting events of the semester: paintball. With excited and smiling faces, the midshipmen of the Yale NROTC Battalion boarded two buses to travel to Hogan’s Alley Paintball and Airsoft in Meriden, CT. Lieutenant Melvin was the brains behind the organization and operation.

The wooded paintball range had an expanse over several acres.

Continued on page 2

Top: The battalion takes a group photo at the end of their paintball experience Bottom: The newsletter staff (left to right): MIDN Tanaka, Yang, Shi, and Calvert take a photo with Kingman

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Issue No. 2

YALE NROTC AMONG FIRST TO RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

MIDN Calvert This March, midshipmen were vaccinated by the Connecticut National Guard at Camp Nett in Niantic, CT. Yale NROTC was one of the first units in the country to have this opportunity. Taking proper safety precautions, midshipmen traveled to Camp Nett on the morning of March 13th with their respective companies. Midshipmen received the Pfizer vaccine, returning on April 10th for their second dose. Thanks to careful coordination by the unit and battalion staff, the process ran smoothly and efficiently.

Continued on page 2

Handsome Dan, continued from page 1 visitor center and plans for 2-3 small events per day, or 1 big event. As a mascot, Kingman must also attend training where he learns special mascot-specific commands like “photo” as well as the basics like “sit”.

Being responsible for Handsome Dan also comes with its pressures. Haro still works for OPAC and does administrative work, however she now also manages Handsome Dan’s social media, schedules, training, etc. In our interview with Ms. Haro, she reported that some of the pressures of the job include making sure Handsome Dan does not get overworked or overwhelmed. Another concern is overstressing Handsome Dan, which might cause him to become reactive and bite, and making sure that he does not eat something dangerous and get sick.

Ms. Haro’s time as a midshipman in NROTC prepared her well for the substantial responsibility of caring for the university’s mascot. During her time as a midshipman, Ms. Haro helped found the SeaDogs and through the years served in multiple positions such as the secretary and VP. She helped with the logistics of the first Yale leadership conference for the reestablished Yale NROTC unit. As an undergraduate, Ms. Haro majored in political science, and her primary responsibilities on campus involved ROTC, tour guiding, and working at the bioethics center. It was a distinct privilege to be able to interview Ms. Haro and Handsome Dan for the SeaDogs.

A good time was had by all.

Paintball, continued from page 1 Scattered amongst the trees were a variety of barriers such as barrels, wooden plank walls, a battered plane, and a yellow-splattered building in the middle that was highly coveted by every team for its good cover and tactical angle. The teams were split up by squad; and within each squad, fire teams or buddy pairs were formed. This exercise was especially applicable to the Marine Options.

A few midshipmen outed themselves as Most Valuable Players, whether that be their excellent aiming skills or ability to dodge paintballs as they advanced the field, taking out enemy squads in the process. Less brave midshipmen hid themselves behind a chosen barrier and never left, except the occasional head poking out to place some well-aimed shots. Nevertheless, the goal was for one team to completely obliterate the other, and both types of midshipmen proved themselves valuable in the offensive or holding out until the very end. Unfortunately, in the second-to-last round, MIDN Zamora managed to take out an excellent sniper MIDN Pankey in the back of the head by friendly fire. However, we cannot necessarily say that this was an isolated incident or very surprising; up to 20% of American troop casualties in recent wars are estimated to be friendly fire cases.

Midshipmen left the paintball alley with painful bruises, ruined yellow clothes, but big smiles on their faces.

Vaccines, continued from page 1

The vast majority of the unit was fully vaccinated. Thanks to this exciting new status, the battalion had the opportunity to hold a few in-person events. The first in-person PT took place on April 28th.

Midshipmen participated in a modified version of the Manchester United Fitness Test and squad vs. squad soccer games. This was the first time the battalion as a whole was able to gather in-person since last spring.

Later that week, on April 30th, midshipmen tested their grit and tactical skills as they competed in paintball at Hogan’s Alley. This event was highly attended and wholeheartedly enjoyed by both midshipmen and the unit staff. To finish out the school-year, the unit also gathered in-person for this semester’s final Naval Science Lab and the class of 2021 gathered in-person for their commissioning ceremony.

Thanks to nationwide availability of the vaccine, midshipmen look forward to in-person summer training as they prepare to attend CORTRAMID, and 2/C and 1/C cruises. As a whole, the Yale battalion anticipates an exciting fall semester with many more opportunities for in-person training, classes, and events.

Midshipmen on the bus to receive their first COVID vaccination on 13 March

The Sea Dog

The Yale NROTC SeaDog newsletter was established in 1957 under CO Captain Black. It made a comeback after a few years out of service, first in 2013, and again in 2020. It is printed twice per academic year. This semester’s publication would not have been Battalion Chain of Command and Billets, Spring 2021 MIDN 1/C Bella Back possible without the help of CDR Adam Schlismann, LT Quinlan Commanding Officer: MIDN 1/C Valente Melvin, and the staff. A huge thanks to everyone who contributed. Executive Officer: Hernandez-Bautista Battalion Sergeant Major: MIDN 2/C Cynthia Frimmet Captain Ronald L. Withrow, USN Company Commanders: MIDN 1/C Jacob Asher

Commanding Officer, Yale NROTC MIDN 1/C Charlie Markert Squad Leaders: MIDN 3/C Arron Ku Editors in Charge of this Issue: MIDN 3/C Joseph Murphy Editor-in-Chief: MIDN 3/C Emily Quisenberry

Wendy W. Shi MIDN 3/C Cavan Walsh Staff Reporters: Training Officer: MIDN 2/C Dan Huynh

Juliana N. Calvert Supply Officer: MIDN 4/C Ashley Tanaka

Ashley K. Tanaka Public Outreach Coordinator: MIDN 3/C Andrew Jones

Catherine J. Yang Public Affairs Officer: MIDN 2/C Wendy Shi Guest Columnist: PAO In-Training: MIDN 3/C Catherine Yang

Jacqueline Hayre-Pérez

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CAPTAIN’S CORNER LETTER FROM THE CO

Commanding Officers’ Expectations of Their Junior Officers What are your Commanding Officer’s (CO’s) expectations of you as a new junior/company grade officer? There are several; in this installment I will discuss two – Officers as Leaders and Decision-Makers.

The CO will expect you to be a leader and decision-maker from DAY ONE, commensurate with your rank and assignment onboard. You may be starting out at the bottom: unqualified, as a division officer of a smaller division, not many collateral duties etc. But trust me, you are still making an impact, and what you do is noticed.

About leadership. Exercise it freely, but don’t be a “ball hog,” a one-person show. Yes, as a brand new, intelligent member of the team, you will recognize many things you think needs to be addressed. Certainly, write these things down in your wheelbook (aka, steno pad, aka “paper brain) to get to later, but your attention should be focused on what is in your own wheelhouse - your division. And then, you MUST involve your senior Enlisted leader in this. Discuss your observations with him/her, understand the problem and what is causing it, identify who has responsibility to fix it (e.g., some things will be in the SEL’s arena, other things yours, and some things both of yours). Then get after it.

Gaining respect. As a brand new, first-tour junior officer you occupy the awkward position of outranking every Enlisted person on board, but nearly every one of them knows more about their jobs, watchstations, warfare areas etc. than you do. Embrace this. Becoming an effective leader begins with gaining the respect of those you lead. Your Enlisted men and women will respect your rank, but you must earn their respect as a leader. You are still a member of the team, and you are still a leader, but you need to gain a lot of knowledge, skills, and experience, and they are charged with helping you. They know this – especially your SEL if they are a Chief because one of their most important roles is developing the junior Officer. So how do you gain their respect? First, by giving it, and showing interest in what your people do.

Have them show you how they operate their equipment, how they do their maintenance etc. I have found walking with them when they are on watch taking a log set was one of the most effective ways to do this. You also get to know them personally. Not just the name on their shirt, but their individual traits, strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, hobbies, families etc. Your SEL has (should have!) valuable insight into this – ask him/her. Next you need to uphold standards and immediately hold people accountable for falling short. If it is your divisional personnel, make sure you also discuss your observations and actions with your SEL. Make your expectations clear and you and he/her work as a team to enforce the standards. There may be pushback from the junior Enlisted ranks (not the SEL if they are worth their salt and have high standards as well)…stand firm. They will respect you for this. Show your team you care about them and appreciate what they do, listen to them (REALLY listen to them), have their backs, and ensure they have the proper training and resources to do their jobs and you will gain their respect as a person.

Decision-making. It varies in complexity and type (e.g., off-watch and on-watch). Regardless of the type, you need to make informed decisions. Do your homework. When making decisions that involve your division, ensure you involve your SEL. If these decisions will impact other organizations (e.g., another division, your department) then ensure you consult the leader of that group as well (e.g., the other division officer, your department head).

When making decisions on watch, solicit the input of your subordinate watchstanders when practical (HINT: most of the time it is practical). Ensure they are REPORTING critical information and RECOMMENDING action that they think is required. In my experience most will do the former, but few will do the latter because they don’t feel empowered to suggest courses of action to the watch officer. (You can fix this). YOU must also have the knowledge to be able to direct immediate actions during emergency situations. Your ability to make timely and correct decisions will improve as you gain knowledge, experience, and confidence. A similar process is used off-watch, although you will most often be under less time-constraints.

In conclusion, your CO expects you to immediately exercise leadership and effective decision-making, right out of the gate. Yes, you are junior and have a lot to learn. Nevertheless, there are plenty of opportunities for you to excel if you seize them. Make it so!

Stay tuned for more on the subject of Commanding Officer’s expectations next edition.

Congratulations to the Class of 2021! Well done Ensigns and 2nd Lieutenants!

CAPT Ronald L. Withrow

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A UNIQUE PT PLAN MIDN Yang

Despite another mostly-virtual semester, Training Officer (TrainO) MIDN 3/C Dan Huynh has adapted the TrainO program to make the most of the situation. Similar to last semester’s PT program, PT consisted mostly of two TrainO workouts sent out weekly. What is new is the squad competition system. Points are given for completing TrainO workouts, completing extra workouts on one’s own initiative, and maxing out the plank every week. In addition, MIDN Huynh recruited four other midshipmen to assist with the TrainO program due to an expansion of the PT program. For instance, this semester saw the inaugural “Weightlifting Fundamentals Program”, in which TrainO staff helped novice and beginner weightlifters familizare themselves with techniques and learning new movements. Unfortunately, due to the difficulty of securing Payne Whitney Gym appointments this semester, the program was only limited to novice and beginner weightlifters. Hopefully, in future semesters, the program will be able to be expanded to all in the unit who wish to participate.

Another new feature of the PT program was the incorporation of pig eggs into workouts. The TrainO staff organized a pig egg construction event that lasted allday on Saturday, 20 February 2021. “I wanted to introduce resistance to our workouts to increase gains instead of just bodyweight workouts,” explains MIDN Huynh, “and get more people comfortable with weightlifting principles.” The TrainO also organized weekly blog posts about fitness and nutrition, written by members of the unit who wanted to do so. With battalion-wide PT on-hold due to COVID-19, the TrainO staff also assigned weekly “workout buddies” to encourage battalion members to meet up with each other and conduct workouts in a socially-distanced, safe manner. MIDN 4/C Imhoff, a member of the TrainO staff, expressed her enthusiasm for the new program, “I really love that it’s [PT] is a competition. I think it keeps midshipmen motivated and allows people who do other workouts to still participate and gain points for their squad... I also like that we are given a buddy to try and meet up with each week to try and create camaraderie even in a COVID environment”.

MIDN and staff with their newly constructed pig eggs

NAVY MAKES BIG CHANGES TO THE PFT AND PFA MIDN Calvert The Navy recently changed the format of the PRT and PFA to include a forearm plank in place of the previous curl-up event.

The Yale battalion has been quick to adapt to this change and this semester’s PT plan, headed up by Train-O MIDN Huynh, included reporting a weekly maximum plank time. This encouraged midshipmen to consistently practice and evaluate their level of fitness for this event.

Midshipmen strive to reach the threshold for maximum points on their respective fitness assessments. For the forearm plank, this entails a 3:35 plank for Navy options (age 20-24 years category) and a 4:20 plank for Marine options. Many members of the battalion achieved this maximum-point threshold throughout the semester.

This semester’s PT plan provided midshipmen with extra incentive to do so by including an element of inter-squad competition as part of the larger Captain’s Cup competition. By completing weekly workouts and entering their weekly maximum plank time, midshipmen earned points for their squads. Midshipmen could obtain additional points for their squad by reaching certain threshold times on the forearm plank.

PIECE OF NAVY NEWS MIDN Shi In 2021, tensions between the US and China have not ceased. We are reminded of this fact by futuristic fiction novel that was recently published: 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, written by by Admiral James Stavridis and former Marine Elliot Ackerman. The book outlines a grim prediction of future war between the US and China, caused by a series of missteps and arrogant decisions made by several global powers. The outcome is gruesome, putting into words the fears that many Americans and policymakers have had for years on the tension between two global powers. 2034 is a sobering and cautionary tale of the importance of making careful calculations. One of the trends that keeps ADM Stavridis’ up as night is the prevalence of cyberattack, which has been increasing over the years as both countries have grown more advanced in cyber stealth and artificial intelligence.

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INCREASED RECRUITMENT EFFORTS MIDN Yang The 2020-2021 school year saw a renewed effort from the unit to grow and strengthen the Yale NROTC program. Midshipmen were given the opportunity to volunteer to outreach to high school students who expressed interest in Yale and the NROTC program. A new billet, the Outreach Officer, was created to also facilitate this process.

Furthermore, events such as the “Women in Military Careers Forum” and an informational session in early February were geared towards informing and reaching the general Yale population. On 07 May 2021, MIDN Asher and unit staff also set up a table in Cross-Campus to further outreach to the Yale community. Brochures were also created and distributed. The goal of these outreach activities is to inform those who might be interested in the US Navy or US Marine Corps but do not know about the potential commissioning paths, such as ROTC.

WAR GAMES SIMULATION MIDN Yang On 12 March 2021, midshipmen participated in a humanitarian disaster response simulation run by representatives from the Naval War College during the weekly Naval Science Lab. Each squad was assigned to represent one of the following organizations: Medecins San Frontieres, International Medical Corps, Multinational Amphibious Relief Group, and the Multinational Carrier Relief Group.

Each organization was given a set amount of medical, food, and wash units to distribute amongst 7 regions affected by a hurricane. Each region had either a severe, moderate, or low need for each respective resource, and it was up to the squads to coordinate an effective response.

Some of my takeaways from this fascinating war game was the initial difficulty in coordinating an effective humanitarian response with other humanitarian organizations and the military and how limited information about the severity of damage and need could paralyze decision making or result in ineffective spread of resources to regions. The simulation was certainly educational and informative. A good time was had by all.

Dear Yale Mids,

LETTER FROM AN ALUMNUS

I hope this note finds you well as you approach the end of the school year. It’s an exciting time to be in naval intelligence as the nation moves away from two decades of counterterrorism and shifts to the challenges of Great Power Competition.

Intelligence enables well-informed decision-making for our warfighters (that’s all of you). As you all work toward a commission, I hope you’ll begin thinking now about what role intelligence should play in your future naval careers. All operations should be well-informed and seek to accomplish a desired end state. I encourage you to think about how our naval operations are informed (or not) and what you can do to provide different perspective, even as a junior officer.

The last NDAA saw the removal of the Restricted Line status from the Information Warfare Community. While the community comes to terms with what it all means, this much is clear – information warfare is at the forefront of the next fight. From disinformation to cyberattacks, the threats that the information domain provide are real and difficult to defend against. Our Nation and Navy need leaders like you to be active in leading the way. Never be afraid to ask questions and remember that not all questions are created equal. We need to be asking the right questions in order to get to the right answers.

If you’re interested in learning more about intelligence or the other designators in the Information Warfare Community, please don’t hesitate to reach out. While NROTC provides few opportunities to direct commission into the IWC, it is important to begin thinking now about how all of our jobs work together to make the Navy the strong fighting force that it is.

All the best, LT Gabby Fong gabriellefong1@gmail.com

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Introducing: Crayons Ready-To-Eat™️!

Crayons Ready-To-Eat™️ are colorful chocolate crayons designed by former Marine Frank Manteau taking advantage of a rare business niche. They are delicious, not to mention convenient, since they are triangular-shaped to prevent rolling off the table. Flavors include Squid Blue, Flyboy Yellow, Jarhead Red, Dawg Face Green, and Puddle Pirate Orange. Plus, they can actually draw! Midshipmen interested in ordering these sweet treats can help fund the project through their FundTheFirst website.

JARHEAD: Book Review MIDN Shi

Jarhead by Anthony Swofford is a Marine Corps classic, even turned into a movie, about how a STA Marine sniper learns to Embrace the Suck during the Gulf War. Jarhead is the type of book to awe you with its writing artistry, impress you with the deep digs into the complex mindset and emotions of an expert sniper, and stun you with its graphic depictions of the rough-and-tumble life of an enlisted Marine in the midst of modern war. Anthony Swofford writes a poignant memoir of his deployment in the Saudi Arabian desert in support of Operation Desert Shield. He does not hold back on his deepest fears and most vulnerable emotions. It is interesting to read about their physical, mental, and emotional struggles as he and his fellow Marines become expert killers and expert “sinners” during boot camp and war. Depression, boredom, infidelity, musings of bullets shooting through the body to create “pink mist”. They also talk about women and their escapades, often in graphic detail. However, the crudeness of Swofford’s raw words should not deter one from enjoying his excellent writing.

One of the most interesting things about Jarhead is the commentary of culture. Though often seen as an elite and respected fighting force, Swofford comments on how his buddies separated themselves from true patriotic men, instead characterizing animalistic killing machines. The discrepancy between real life and news reports, ideals and reality, are important to think about, especially when the military markets itself as fulfilling ideals of service, pride, and country.

I would recommend this as a pleasure read to everyone, both civilian and military. I especially recommend it to Marine Options, if they haven’t read it already, as an interesting and unique take on the perspective of an enlisted Marine in a historical era. However pleasurable, it will also provide introspection and thought-provoking discussion.

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BEYOND YALE NROTC and the NAVY with CAPTAIN JOE VALENTA Interview with CAPT Joe Valenta, USN (Ret) Y63E, Yale NROTC MIDN Shi

The last time we met with Captain Joseph “Joe” Valenta, he wrote to us on his contribution to the original design of our proud NROTC logo. With a couple decades in the reserves and in prominent management positions in the private sector, we now direct our focus to his long and rewarding career. Our interview provides some insight into his journey.

Tell me a little about your experience with NROTC and your commissioning.

I was a mechanical engineering student and interested in the nuclear program. Both surface or subsurface could go nuclear. But I was not interested in submarines; I was interested in surface ships. So, we flew to Washington, and we had an interview with Admiral Rickover. I don’t know how many of you have heard of Admiral Rickover. That was somebody everyone would shake in their boots hearing about about, right?

My interview was fairly short. They ushered me in, and Admiral Rickover asked me what I was doing at Yale.

I said, “I’m an engineering student.” And he said, “Well, that’s good. What do you do on weekends?” And I said, “Well, I date”. And he said, “You mean, you’re an engineer, sir.” And I said, “Well, yeah.” And he said, “What? Don’t you think you’re at Yale to learn something?” And I said, “I am learning something.” And he said, “That’s it, you’re out of here, you’re dismissed.” So my interview was probably less than five minutes, maybe three minutes or so. I heard in reading, maybe the Reader’s Digest--they had stuff about these interviews--that if they’re short, you’re out. Well anyways, I ended up getting selected.

What was your experience with your first deployment, especially serving aboard ships during the Vietnam War? My first orders were to proceed to Norfolk and the USS Dahlgren (DLG 12) which is a little bigger than regular destroyers like the destroyers today. I was the junior division officer and I stood bridge watches. We went down to San Juan, a port down in the Caribbean, often. And I had no idea how long I’d be on the ship, but it was a little little less than a year before I got orders. So in that time, I was able to qualify and learn that I liked the shipboard lifestyle.

One day, they took about 30 of us in a room and told us that there were no openings on surface ships and they needed everybody in submarines. And yours truly did not want to go into submarines. So after the meeting, I went over and said to the commander who is in charge, “I can’t do that.” And he said, “Well, you’re gonna have to talk to the Admiral.” And you know who the admiral was? Hyman G. Rickover. And I said, “Sure, I’ll do that.” I didn’t think that was right because I always had the option. Next thing I knew, I got orders to the gunnery school and the USS Oklahoma City.

I got trained on the six inch gun and they flew me to Yokosuka and put my ‘61 DeSoto on a boat. And when I got there, it was in time for the ‘64 Olympics in Japan. I remember they had tickets for a few events, so I went up there with some of the guys; and then we got underway. And the rest of the tour was on the Oklahoma City. Pretty special tour looking back. Of course at the time, I have no idea that I was so lucky to get the flagship of the Seventh Fleet. You may recall your history of the Vietnam War, but I knew absolutely nothing about what was going on. Nobody told us; I couldn’t just sit there listening to CNN on the ship. We didn’t have any of that those days. We were just told that the idea was to protect South Vietnam since they asked us for protection against the communist invasion from the north. And that’s what we did. So the ship was over there. The idea of a flagship is that it was supposed to get relieved by another flagship, our sister ship, which was also loaded with six inch guns and missiles. But every time they’d come over to relieve us, they would break down or get orders to go somewhere else. So, our six month tour turned out to be a shade under three years, and I never got to return to CONUS, the continential United States.

I remember having a discussion with the guy on the ship, the ship’s legal officer, Bruce Johnson. And I said, Hey, we got to live on the ship. We’re bachelors and don’t get to go home with their family. A lot of the officers had their family over.

And he said, Why don’t you The USS Dalhgren passing under the Golden Gate get yourself an apartment? I said, “An apartment! You gotta A young LTJG Valenta, third from the right, on his first ship in 1966 Bridge in 1966 after 2 1/2 years homeported in Yokosuka

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be kidding me.” And to make a long story short, I ended up for the last two years having an apartment that was a second story of a Japanese house. It was 10 minutes walk from the gates of Yokosuka, and every time the ship went in, I went over to my little place and bought some steaks, and I had a little hibachi. They had one bath in the house, and I was the first one to use the tub and the water in the evenings. And that’s how I learned about the Japanese people. I have such a great warm spot in my heart for the Japanese people from doing this tour. And of course, when I was at Yale and wanting to select a duty, I had no clue that it was the kind of thing I could end up with. Looking back on it is an experience.

Now, back to the ship. I was the junior Officer of the Deck and Gunnery Divison Officer. Underway, our goal was to be the Admiral’s Taxi, meaning that we were carrying the 7th Fleet’s flag. There were about 300 sailors that were just flag people, and 900 that were the ship’s company, like me, which made about 1200 people total. Wherever the Oklahoma City went, it went fast because the Admiral always wanted to get someplace fast. In Tokyo Bay, they wanted 10-12 knots, and we always went 20.

We visited so many different ports. We went everywhere in the Phillipines, Manila, Cebu, Malaysia, Singaport, Thailand. Sattahip was the port we used to get to Bangkok. The people side was a really fun experience.

I think on August ‘65, Life Magazine published a big article about the USS Oklahoma City and put on its cover a picture of us firing our guns. I have have two of those magazines in the garage. You can find them in the antique stores.

What were you thoughts on the War?

The other thing I think I just want to mention is it’s interesting to me that I didn’t know anything about the war.

I heard, you know, that we had a war. And Lyndon Johnson was president. I didn’t hear anything about the Tonkin Gulf Incident. You know, all of the stuff when it happened, I just learned about it later and read books about it. And I’ve got two books that I want to recommend you guys look into. But I think it’s interesting that in those days, I didn’t know anything.

One of the advantages you guys have is that you’ve got the media and you know more about what you’re doing. That way, you can later save yourself. “Did I do something I support?” you ask. “I’m doing what the country wants,” you answer, which is good, but you’ve got to deep down believe you’re doing things that are right to do. So you’ve got that dilemma.

Well, the dilemma was taken care of for me, because I didn’t know. Looking back on it and reading about the War, I can tell you that I’m a believer in stopping communism from taking over countries that don’t want it. And so just generally speaking, without getting political, I’m supporting what was done now and only learning about it later.

Was the ship attacked? Did you see any action?

That’s a great question, and the answer is no. We didn’t see any combat action from a ship to ship, ship to airplanes, or ship to anything else. The only event that others saw that we heard of was the Gulf of Tonkin incident. We did do a lot of shore bombardments though, as shown in the Life Mag. What are some tough decisions you encountered in your civilian or military life and how did you approach them?

Here comes Old Joe back from the great Vietnam War in December ‘66, under the Golden Gate Bridge, and that’s one of the bluish pictures I sent you. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge there.. So the shipping over comes up about six months before you’re getting ready to leave. I had always said, “I’m leaving, I’m going to graduate school” and I had my eye on going to MIT and the Sloan School of Management. So I wasn’t necessarily thinking of making the Navy happen again, but I was open to it.

We got this new Skipper named Captain David H. Bagley. He took me under his wing, so to speak. One day, he called me in his cabin and said, “How would you like to go to Monterey at the Postgraduate School? How would you like to get a doctorate degree in engineering?” I said, “I really appreciate you thinking of me, but I don’t think I’m going to do that.”

Two factors played into my decision: 1) I would have served another nine years in the Navy and 2) I’m not a super technical person. Even though I was a mechanical engineering graduate, I was always more of the management, “dealing with people”, and “getting the job done” side. So I ended up turning CAPT Bagley’s offer down. One thing led to another, and I received an MS degree in Management from MIT Sloan School in 1969.

Mr. Valenta gave the order to fire these 6” guns off the USS Oklahoma City, which were featured on the front of the August 1965 issue of the Life Magazine

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The actual photo used in the August 6, 1965 Life Magazine

What doesn’t make an effective leader, and what is best avoided when leading people?

Favoritism without merit.

Tell me a little about your job in the civilian world and the reserves.

After I got my degree, I started working for United Airlines. They transferred me to Chicago, and I was an industrial engineering manager in the United Airlines headquarters. Then I run into a guy that’s a member of a Navy unit, that does training at the Pentagon, and I joined. Do NOT discount the reserves. I got to be one of the people who helped install PCs in reserve centers. I got to keep my connections and fly out to different places and do cool things.

Are there leadership experiences that you learned in the Navy that helped you with your business work?

I will tell you that I was happy to have my division experience when I went into my corporate life at United, and then in a managerial position at IBM. Almost every group that I was in used financial systems. There were programmers and financial analysts and people that would be doing the work. And then I would be the manager or the director above several managers. Number one is knowing how to lead by example and knowing exactly what you’re doing, not just saying that you’ve done it.

Yale NROTC thanks you for the interview!

A piece of advice Mr. Valenta would give to young adults is: “Make decisions you think are right for yourself, network, and do not discount the reserves.” He especially emphasizes networking, since it allowed him to take advantage of many opportunities in his lifetime.

Books on Vietnam that Mr. Valenta recommends: Dereliction of Duty by H.R. McMaster; and Vietnam War Almanac by Harry Summers, which is a “chronology of everything that happened in Vietnam, by date.”

Mr. Valenta now, at a Lexington, Massachussets Fall tour

Mr. Valenta served 4 years active duty and served 24 years in the Reserves, whereupon he retired as an O-6 in 1991. Mr. Valenta founded the Northwest Chapter of the Naval Order of the US, an organization dedicated to keeping naval history alive. He now resides in Seattle, Washington.

THE COASTAL MOTORBOAT: OP-ED MIDN Joseph Murphy

The ‘bigger the better’ does not necessarily apply to the Navy, as the First World War shows. When one thinks of naval conflicts in WWI, two primary technologies usually come to mind. The first one is the submarine, a new technology used by the German Imperial Navy which endangered American lives to the point that the United State decisively joined the Entente. The second camp is those who think of the battleship, with Dreadnoughts and Superdreadnoughts battling it out in the gigantic yet inconclusive conflict at Jutland in 1916. While these two ideas dominate the textbook explanation of naval conflict in ‘the war to end all wars’, it would be inaccurate to assume they are entirely representative of naval thinking at the time. While Mahanian warfare was popular with multiple heads of state, WWII proved the limitations of this approach when two nations equally sought to mass their fleet strength. Also, this relative détente propelled each side to find different angles of attack.

The German submarines are infamous in the American memory, but many people fail to remember the traditional commerce raiders the German Navy also employed to destroy enemy shipping. The craftiest of these was the SMS Seeadler, a three masted sailing ship the Germans snuck past the British blockade in 1916. She proceeded to seize sixteen prizes or 30,099 tons to her 4500 tons before her capture in September 1917. While the British were shamed by this weak opponent’s incredible efficiency, they played a similar trick in their postwar conflict with the Bolsheviks in 1919. Lt. Augustus Agur, commander of a 40-foot CMB (coastal motor boat) armed with only two torpedoes, sunk a 440 foot Bolshevik cruiser named the Oleg. This sinking proved pivotal to British maritime supremacy in the Baltic and allowed for a combined air and sea attack on the Bolshevik’s fortress of Kronstadt later in this forgotten campaign. The lesson from both episodes is simply that overwhelming force is not always effective in a peer to peer conflict. If the United States continues to be challenged by the People’s Republic of China, tiny sneaky boats meant to take advantage of enemy confidence will give the US Navy the edge by allowing it to wage war while investing less resources.

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TIPS FROM THE GRADUATING MARINE OPTION SENIORS Some of our senior Marine Options share their tips on how to get through and take advantage of Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS). All incoming senior Marine Options must pass this 6-week long training program in order to commission as officers upon graduation.

MIDN 1/C Valente Hernandez OCS Advice: You cannot really prepare for the stress or the performing under much less than ideal conditions, but you can prepare physically and academically. Take the time to prepare adequately for the physical rigors of the OCS, and learn as much knowledge as you can before hand. That way you can focus on other deficiencies you may have during the program.

Advice for Underclassmen: Make the most of the NROTC program. We are such a small unit that each and every one of you plays a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere and climate of the unit, so show up ready to perform and with optimism.

Favorite NROTC memory: Dining In 2020 will be one of my all time favorite memories of NROTC. That evening I felt the closest to my peers, and really felt like part of a bigger family. It was a night filled with many, many laughs and great conversations both through the event and afterwards. Given it was the last normal event before COVID hit, it holds special significance in my memories.

Hometown: Houma, LA Major: Political Science (International Relations) Intended/Desired MOS: Cyberspace Officer

Staff Sergeant Allegra Pankratz OCS advice: Remember that at the end of the day, you’re getting paid to climb ropes and crawl through the mud. Have some fun and just get through it. The reward will be worth it.

Favorite memory: Pre-lab lunches at BK, sandbag bear complexes with the Marine Options Hometown: Wichita, KS Major: Global Affairs Intended/Desired MOS: Unmanned Aerial Systems Officer

MIDN 1/C Mohammad Makhmudov OCS advice: I recommend always staying positive and showing enthusiasm no matter what you are told to do. It is definitely easy to feel annoyed after being told to dump your pack and then fill it back up for the tenth time in a row. However, being motivated, even if you have to fake it, sends a good message to everyone else in your platoon. Plus showing enthusiasm even when you’re not feeling it prevents you from going internal during the uncomfortable parts of OCS. Advice for underclassmen: My advice for underclassmen is to find your weaknesses and improve on them. Everyone has some area that they could further develop and your time at Yale is the perfect time to do that. The best way to find out what your weaknesses are is to put yourself outside of your comfort zone. Just like muscles require stress in the gym to grow, your leadership abilities require stress in the form of external challenges in order to develop.

Hometown: Lilburn, Georgia Major: Global Affairs Intended/Desired MOS: Infantry Officer

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COMMANDER’S CORNER LETTER FROM THE XO

It didn’t take long after I arrived at NROTC Yale to realize that service assignment is one of the most important and most stressful events in a midshipman’s four years here. I thought I would use my space in this edition to put some relevant advice into writing. (Marine Options, you too will go through the service assignment process, albeit later when you are at TBS; this hopefully will be germane to you too.)

First, take the time to talk with the staff. NROTC units are set up with officers from a wide variety of backgrounds for a reason. Every one of us is happy to make time to sit down with you and have a frank, informal discussion about the pros and cons of our respective communities. We’ll give you first-hand information and advice on how to thrive in training pipelines, what community culture is like, etc., that you won’t get from Naval Science classes. Even if we don’t have first-hand experience in something specific you are interested in, we can put you in contact with someone who does. (I’m not a helicopter pilot, but I know plenty of them if that’s your goal.) And don’t neglect those of us from communities that may not be your first choice. If you talk with all of us as part of the process of learning about the various communities, you might discover that a job that didn’t interest you much when you first arrived at Yale actually has some intriguing upside. Over the course of your three years here prior to service assignment, if you haven’t spoken to one of us about our career background at least once you are doing yourself a disservice.

Of course, some of you will have a consistent number-one choice throughout your time at Yale. If this describes you, do what you can to make yourself competitive for selection into that career field, and don’t wait until spring semester of your junior year to start. If you have your heart set on Aviation, spend some time on a high-quality flight simulator prior to taking the ASTB, and get pointers from those who have already taken it. If your goal is SEALs or EOD, let us connect you with individuals who can help you optimize your fitness regimen. Effort and commitment can pay off when assignments are made.

Finally, be open to the possibility that you could be a good fit for more than one community. There is nothing wrong with having a clear first choice. But sometime there are multiple options open to you which are each promising in their own ways. While I was fortunate to get my first choice, I’ve known quite a few people who were sent to a community they didn’t ask for but ended up having a great experience anyway. Remember that, while each of us joins for a mix of reasons, the most important of these should be to serve our country; you’ll get to do this no matter your community. Much of what has made my time in the Navy worthwhile has not been community-specific. You will have the opportunity to lead people, travel the world, and immerse yourself in an institution you can take pride in no matter which specific warfare community you end up joining.

CDR Adam P. Schlismann

PRESIDENT’S REVIEW AND AWARDS MIDN Yang

The annual President’s Review was at 1900 on 07 April 2021. Due to COVID-19, family and friends logged on through Zoom instead of having ROTC cadets and midshipmen drill in front of University President Peter Salovey. A select few cadets and midshipmen are also chosen with the distinction of receiving an award due to outstanding performance and leadership. Colonel George Granholm, commanding officer of Yale’s Air Force ROTC, and Captain Ronald Withrow, commanding officer of Yale’s Navy ROTC, gave opening remarks followed by Yale University President Salovey. Invocation was led by University Chaplain Sharon Kugler. The following midshipmen were recognized: • • • • • • • • • •

The Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Award: MIDN Tori Imhoff The General Society of the War of 1812 Award: MIDN Dan Huynh The Yale Veteran’s Association “True to Her Traditions” Award: MIDN Andrew Song The Yale Veterans Network Annual ROTC Award: MIDN Li The Order of the Purple Heart National Leadership Award: MIDN Cynthia Frimmet The RADM Frederick B. Warder Outstanding Achievement Award: MIDN Isabella Back The Corporal Langdon Laws Ricketts Award: Staff Sergeant Allegra Pankratz The Yale Veterans Association Class of 1966 Sword: MIDN Mahlon Sorenson The Admiral David S. Ingalls Leadership Award: MIDN Charles Markert The Yale Veterans ROTC Fund Award: MIDN Sofia Bliek and MIDN Mohammad Makhmudov

The graduating class of 2021 was also recognized and congratulated. Bravo Zulu to all!

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BOOK REVIEWS

Yalies are often a proponent of devouring books, and participants of Yale NROTC have done an especially good job of it. Aspiring Officer Candidate and graduating senior Jacqueline Hayre-Pérez and MIDN 2/C Shi (on page 5) give their takes on various militaryrelated books they have read over the past semester.

Women in the Navy: The Challenges Jacqueline Hayre-Pérez

Women in the Navy: The Challenges, is an anthology of various articles published in the United States Naval Institute’s monthly magazine Proceedings on the subject of integration in the Navy. Published alongside Women in the Navy: The History, this volume—as emphasized in the title— is focused on challenges and controversies. Spanning over 36 years, the earliest essay, “Women in Warships: A Right to Serve,” was published in October 1978 and the most recent essay, “Purple for Christmas,” was published December 2014. The collection includes both supporters and detractors of women: the essays make arguments about the current role and future potential of women’s service, perceived benefits and drawbacks of integration, and commentaries on general standard of living issues.

Why is it worthwhile to read seemingly outdated articles, none written within the last five years? Surely the Navy has changed considerably? The first of several reasons is that Proceedings is widely read throughout the fleet, and the perspectives herein were shamelessly intended to provide insight and perspective to the broader Navy. I cannot comment on how representative these articles are of prevailing attitudes in the Navy at these times; however, their publication in Proceedings means many of the less favorable opinions are not anonymous reflections of a self-proclaimed ‘silent minority,’ but very public expressions by senior officers looking to influence the service at large. The extent of that influence is impossible to quantify, but these ideas on all sides continue to resurface in contemporary discussions; they are not as antiquated as they may seem to our generation accustomed to a liberal academic environment.

Second, and most prominently, is that the collection of articles in this volume help trace both continuity and change in the type of arguments made about women in the service by members of the Navy. The national news cycle of today currently includes debates about the relationship (or lack thereof) between women and the draft and the ongoing issue of sexual assault in the military. This year, the Supreme Court has been asked to grant certiorari to National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System. Reportedly, the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act, which would remove the decision to prosecute sexual assault cases out of the chain of command, now has sufficient support to pass in the Senate. Additionally, the Task Force One Navy (TF1N) report analyizing issues of racism, sexism, and discrimination in the Navy and proposing solutions specific

to the service was submitted in late January after a year of social and political upheaval. The Navy continues to struggle with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion; this book is a meaningful read not only to see where we came from, but also to better contextualize contemporary issues—thereby hinting at where we may be headed.

Lastly, the book is easily readable, especially for those with a busy schedule. The essays are short, mostly less than ten concise pages each, and can be read as time permits. They can be read together, as a complete set, or read individually according to the specific interests of the reader.

For those seeking to continue beyond the book, Proceedings is published monthly—and, perhaps in the next 30 years, a second volume of this anthology will be compiled with articles from our time in the Navy. Perhaps one will be compiled on the Marine Corps. I hope these will reflect well on us and that we contribute to the growth and progress we want to see in the fleet.

Destroyer Captain: Lessons of a First Command Jacqueline Hayre-Pérez

Admiral (ret.) James G. Stavridis’ book Destroyer Captain: Lessons of a First Command is an edited version of the journal then-CDR Stavridis’ time as commanding officer of the USS Barry (DDG 52). It is an interesting read for a brief day-by-day of the happenings of the ship, combined with the skipper’s insights.

Read the full book reviews, from Turn the Ship Around to Pillars of the Earth, accessed here: tinyurl.com/spring21bookreviews

TWO NEW STAFF MEMBERS JOIN THE UNIT With current Submarine Officer Instructor LT Quinlan Melvin and Surface Warfare Officer Instructor LT Brandon Ordway being rotated out, the unit welcomed two new staff members who will fulfill those roles in the unit. LT Samantha Barszowski will be taking the role of Submarine Officer Instructor, and LT Dale Pettenski will be taking the role of Surface Warfare Officer Instructor. LT Barszowski has served on the USS Florida and the USS San Francisco, and LT Pettenski has served on the two US Navy Destroyers, USS Shoup and USS Higgins. Earlier in the Fall 2020 Semester, the unit also saw Captain Ratsamy May join the unit in the role of the Marine Officer Instructor and Gunnery Sergeant Roberto Portell. All are excited to learn from the new staff ’s extensive knowledge and experience.

LT Barszowski (left) and LT Pettenski (right)

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Reflections of an Aspiring Navy Officer Candidate

History of the West. I have deeply enjoyed the coursework, and the more I learned about being a SWO, the more thrilled I became about it in its own right.

Yale senior Jacqueline Hayre-Pérez has involved herself in the NROTC program as a civilian since her 2nd-semester junior year, completing 2/3rds of the Naval Science classes. She is heading to Officer Candidate School (OCS) this July. We ask about her story and how she became interested in the Navy.

Anyone you would like to thank?

How did you become interested in the Navy in the first place?

I originally found myself in the NROTC Unit’s Leadership and Management course last spring because I was curious about military culture. I felt called to religious ministry, and had a longstanding interest in serving God and country as an Army Chaplain. I confess that I came to the Navy because Yale does not have Army ROTC; however, by mid-February I was thrilled about what the Navy had to offer.

What appeals to you about the Navy?

A sailor is part of both a seafaring and military tradition, and a warship is a powerful and versatile tool in both wartime and peacetime. The one obvious thing the Navy has that the Army does not is the ocean and the lessons it teaches. A seafarer must be both cautious and bold, level-headed in choppy weather and able to navigate physically and mentally the vast emptiness stretching to the horizon. I’ve always lived by and loved the water and find its challenges very rewarding. I’m also excited by the prospect of standing Officer of the Deck, driving a ship, and leading a division, and am eager to learn the variety of skills required to do so. At any point in a Navy career, my work would go so much farther because it was done as part of a team. My impression is that there is a culture of accountability and personal responsibility, structure and discipline, and shared values leveraged towards goals larger than oneself.

Thoughts on drastically changing your career path?

When I was considering transferring my application from the Army Chaplain Candidate Program to Navy OCS as a prospective SWO, I was focused on gaining experience that would help me become a better chaplain. But at some point, my thinking shifted—I no longer view the SWO community as temporary and now hope to make it a career. Sometimes, I feel that I have turned away from my religious calling, but I know that my faith does not distinguish between service to God and service to humanity. For me, service to humanity is service to God and vice versa, and I am committed to dedicating my time as a SWO to that end.

How have the Yale NROTC courses supported your career goals?

When I first started, I knew very little about the Navy and the Marine Corps, their mission set and capabilities, and their varied career opportunities. I have since enrolled in most Naval Sciences classes, Navy Lab, and audited Military

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I remain deeply grateful to the program and everyone who made it possible for me to join the Navy. When I first met CDR Schlismann, he asked me what my interest was in his class, then told me his responsibility would be to teach me about leadership, not try to recruit me. A few weeks later, I sought his advice in office hours. When I said I wanted to apply to OCS as a SWO, he took care to double check that this was really the path I wanted. He gave me the resources, feedback, and space to make a decision I was happy with.

In the year since then, the officers have been generous with their time, insight, and feedback and in allowing me to enroll in their courses. They’ve gone out of their way to offer advice and help me take advantage of opportunities.

The midshipmen have been welcoming and inclusive; they have supported me as their classmate, given me pointers to improve my PT, and become my friends outside of the program. The now-2/C helped me understand terminology and formalities that I was unaccustomed to initially. Some good-naturedly enjoyed pulling my leg. The 1/C take care to include me when possible too. That the midshipmen asked if I’d be interested in being featured in their newsletter and put aside so much space is telling in and of itself!

Any last thoughts?

I am heartened by my experience with the program and hope to find community and common purpose with shipmates. I came from a school that was collaborative and team-oriented, found that again in NROTC, and seek that type of synergy in a long-term career. My relationship with the program has been unorthodox and has come without many of the additional responsibilities that the midshipmen shoulder— summer training, inspections, academic requirements, PT. I admire their commitment and intend to earn a place as their peer after OCS. It has been an incredible gift to learn from the staff and midshipmen, and I am committed to honoring what I’ve learned and paying it forward.

Quick Facts Hometown: Boston, MA; now San Antonio, TX College: Ezra Stiles Double Major: Political Science & Religious Studies (Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy) Athletics: Varsity Fencing, Club Archery, intramurals Extracurriculars: Connecticut Veterans Legal Clinic, Refugee and Immigrant Student Education, New Haven Legal Aid Association, Yale Students of Mixed Heritage, Accent Multilingual Magazine

MIDSHIPMEN 1/C Biographies MIDN Tanaka

MIDN 1/C Bella Back is from Panama City, Florida and is a member of Branford College.

Being an avid sports person her entire life, her favorite Yale extracurriculars are the triathlon club and rugby club, particularly because of the great communities that come from each extracurricular. Although she loves her major, Russian, her only regrets as a senior of Yale college would be that she was not able to take all of the fun and interesting electives that are offered. She notes that being the BNCO this past semester has been among the most rewarding experiences in NROTC not only because of the opportunity it has given her to become a better leader, but to also oversee the great enthusiasm and initiative throughout the battalion. Despite challenges brought on by the pandemic, MIDN Back notes that she has been able to overcome each of them with the support of the unit, including with her preparation for her submarine interviews. Her fondest memories in NROTC are those that foster the most community spirit, notably the annual Dining In event in the spring, in which midshipmen and staff lightheartedly poke fun at each other. To all younger midshipmen inspired by MIDN Back’s success as BNCO and a submarine-officer-to-be, she advises them to make the most of all opportunities in NROTC and Yale itself, from internships to summer cruises.

SSgt Allegra Pankratz is from Wichita, Kansas and is a member of Berkeley College. At Yale, she is a part of the Eli Whitney Students Society, which she says has given her the chance to work as a student representative for the Admissions Office, and her favorite part has been meeting prospective students. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and rock climbing around the various scenery offered by Connecticut.

Her favorite part of NROTC is PT with the Marine Options at the Yale Bowl, and the most challenging experience was being BNCO last fall, which required creative thinking on her part on how to adapt training for a virtual learning environment, as well as integrating the 4/C into the unit. Nevertheless, SSgt Pankratz’s incredible leadership has been a result of her enthusiasm to maximize her learning experience, which she says is a result of understanding the level of responsibility officers have while she was an enlisted Marine. She recommends that all midshipmen maximize their involvement in NROTC in order to make the most of their time at Yale.

MIDN 1/C Sofia Bliek is from Vernon, CT. She is a member of Ezra Stiles College and majors in psychology. Her favorite extracurriculars at Yale have been being a member of the women’s rugby team, working as a research assistant in the Canine Cognition Lab, and being a FroCo, or First-Year Counselor. Soon to commission as a Surface Warfare Officer (commonly referred to as a SWO), MIDN Bliek’s reason for joining the Navy is that she wanted to have a career that would not only be different from a typical desk-job, but would also allow her to be a leader. Her favorite part of NROTC is Dining In, particularly from her sophomore year. Her next stop is the USS Dewey, stationed off of Yokosuka, Japan, where she will be the Division Officer, which entails overseeing as many as a couple dozen sailors under her watch. She decided to become a SWO because of the leadership it requires from early on and the opportunity it offers for traveling the world. Although graduating during COVID-19 has been unexpected, MIDN Bliek notes that she has been able to make the most out of her interaction with friends nonetheless. She credits her parents to be some of her biggest role models—in particular, her father for being a hard worker and a problem solver, and her mother for her willingness to sacrifice and her determination to make her children the best version of themselves. MIDN Bliek’s advice for younger midshipmen is to stay humble, look out for fellow midshipmen, and to learn from both peers and mentors.

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MIDN 1/C Mohammad Makhmudov, a member of Pierson College, is from Lilburn, Georgia.

He is a global affairs major with emphasis on international security and an avid learner of Indonesian at Yale. Some of his favorite activities have been his experience as a FroCo, since he enjoys assisting first-years navigate the tough transition to college life. In his free time, he enjoys running, particularly in Georgia, and weightlifting at the gym. MIDN Makhmudov is a college programmer and joined NROTC as a first-year to initially try the program and see if it was a good fit. He immediately discovered that the program was perfect for him, and decided to become a Marine Option for the challenge it promised. His favorite NROTC memory is FEX, a Marine-specific training, particularly during fall of his junior year. One particular memorable event from FEX was when a fellow Marine option, MIDN Griffin Thomas, put green face paint on, notably appearing like Shrek. After graduation, MIDN Makhmudov will be attending The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia, for six months, where he will be trained to become an infantry officer. He credits his parents for being his role models, as they came to America to give their children a better life. MIDN Makhmudov also credits SSgt Pankratz as a role model, since from his first year at Yale, she has been an outstanding role model to follow. To younger midshipman, he recommends that they become involved with the battalion to get the most out of it as well as always improving on their weaknesses.

MIDN 1/C Charlie Markert is from Portsmouth, Rhode Island. A member of Jonathan Edwards College, he is a double major in Mechanical Engineering and History. His favorite extracurriculars are being in the Varsity Lightweight Rowing team (in which he has been an active 4-year member), as well as being a member of the Yale Fly Fishing Club. He decided to join NROTC because of his father’s service in the Navy, which allowed him to see the unparalleled experiences offered by the Navy.

Although he initially considered joining the Air Force, MIDN Markert ultimately chose the Navy because of its wide range of jobs and proximity to the ocean. His fondest memory in NROTC is CORTRAMID, the summer cruise training typically taken by rising 3/C midshipmen, which gives students the chance to fly planes, ride helicopters and submarines, and much more. Growing up, his father, an F-14 pilot, has been an inspiration behind MIDN Markert’s aspirations to become a pilot, in which he hopes to push himself both mentally and physically. Despite the difficulty of graduating during the pandemic, MIDN Markert has maintained a positive attitude, particularly with regards to the extra time he has been able to spend with his family. He credits his grandfather, Joseph Pichler, for being his role model, since even though Mr. Pichler grew up with challenges of being an orphan, he was able to maintain an incredible sense of humility and generosity throughout his life. To midshipmen aspiring to be like him, MIDN Markert recommends doing activities with friends, as friends can provide motivation and help with improvements— particularly during a time like COVID-19.

MIDN 1/C Keyi Li is from Westborough, Massachusetts. A proud member of Branford College, he majors in Global Affairs and Applied Math. His favorite extracurriculars are being a four year member of the Lightweight Crew, which has allowed him to push past his physical and mental limits as well as experiencing incredible team bonding. He chose to join the Marine Corps because not only does he feel that service is a great way of giving back to his country, but he also wanted to meet people of all backgrounds and test his ability to live up to the high standards of the Marines that has been upheld throughout its rich history. His fondest memories of NROTC are Dining In, particularly in 2020 when Captain Brunstetter, a former staff at the unit, imitated MIDN Makhmudov’s mannerisms. Upon graduating, MIDN Li plans on spending his summer with friends and traveling, as well as preparing for TBS. Although graduating during a pandemic has more than its fair share of disappointments, MIDN Li remains positive and appreciates the extra time he has had with friends in New Haven. His role models are his parents, who have taught him to always work on self-improvement as well as being a doer rather than a sayer. His advice for younger midshipmen is to always show up to events, even when they might lack the motivation to do so, and to ask for help when needed.

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MIDN 1/C Valente Hernandez Bautista is from Houma, Louisiana, and is a member of Grace Hopper College. At Yale, he studies Political Science with a focus on International Relations. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering as a mentor for high school students enduring the lengthy process of applying to college for programs like QuestBridge. He also enjoys drawing and sketching portraits and buildings, along with watching and over-analyzing movies. MIDN Hernandez Bautista joined NROTC as a way to give back to his country, since it has given so much to his family after his parents escaped from dangerous parts of Mexico. More specifically, he chose to be a Marine Option because of its unique leadership model and unparalleled opportunity to lead and shape the lives of young Marines. The best memory he has in NROTC is the 2020 Dining In event because of the incredibly strong feeling of community and camaraderie that year. After graduating, he intends to go to TBS, and afterward, he will become a Cyberspace Officer for the next 6 years. He hopes to someday pursue a higher degree in law school. He has been able to successfully push through the challenges presented by the pandemic, notably preparing for Marine Officer Candidate School (OCS) in the summer before senior year. One silver lining to the pandemic has been that MIDN Hernandez Bautista was able to create deeper connections with his friends. Although being mainly self-driven and independent, he credits his peers, family, and God as motivation to become a better person. He encourages younger midshipmen to pursue curiosity and to put themselves out there to maximize their time at Yale and to develop as a person and a leader.

MIDN 1/C Jacob Asher is from Coronado, California. He is a member of Trumbull College and an Economics major.

Growing up in a Navy family, MIDN Asher was inspired to join NROTC by his dad and grandfather, who was an F-8 crusader pilot. Some of his extracurricular activities are being a member of the varsity sailing team and the president of the fly fishing club—both activities which have given him a great opportunity to spend time outdoors and maximize all of the great resources available at Yale. His fondest NROTC memory was during CORTRAMID, in which he flew a T-34 plane. Being able to control an aircraft for the first time in his life, this moment defined MIDN Asher’s interest in pursing aviation, along with spending much of his childhood with the naval aviation community. He looks to his father, a retired Navy Commander, as a role model from both a military and life perspective. His advise for younger midshipmen is to work hard and put all efforts into getting into their desired communities for service selection.

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SEADOGS CROSSWORD PUZZLE - MIDSHIPMAN EDITION MIDN Tanaka

Can you match the fun fact to the midshipman?

Across 2. Knows Filthy Frank songs on the guitar too well. Also used “friendly fire” on Pankey during paintball...

5. Lived in China for three years 9. Has a second degree black belt in taekwondo 13. Has played every IM that Yale offers besides innertube water polo 14. Has a twin 15. Has lived in 3 different countries 17. Works for a Major League Baseball team. Anyone know the name of the plump catcher for the Minnesota Twins??

18. Is the newest member of the unit. Also, everything is a race.

19. Had 6 dwarf hamsters 21. Read all Twilight books in within a month in 5th grade 22. Has a saved list on Google Maps of 400 (and counting) destinations they want to travel to 24. Plays bass guitar 25. Competed in several of the same track meets in high school as the current pole vault world record holder 26. Nicknamed after a presidential candidate (of the same last name) by friends 28. Head planner of the Yale NROTC Leadership Conference in 2021

Down 1. Collects WWII-era magazines and newspapers that profile women’s contributions in the war 3. Plays guitar and ukulele 4. Can play piano and flute 6. Favorite football player is Victor Cruz 7. Favorite ice cream flavor is mint 8. Finished their first marathon in November 2020 10. Is the president of Yale Undergraduate Student Dairy Association. And the king of trivia.

11. Has a pet rabbit named Juice.

Has been seen on Josh Beasley’s YouTube channel.

12. The youthful brother 16. Has three sisters and no brothers 20. Has a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification for SCUBA 23. Hometown and college are both Berkeley. Was the unfortunate target of CAPT Patel’s math problems 27. Is a novice Swahili speaker 29. Dream car is a yellow 1977 Celica GT liftback. Also an expert paintball SURVIVOR 31. Is neighbors with Mark Zuckerberg 33. Is a 4-year member of the Lightweight Crew team

Across (cont.)

30. Has scared off a bear in the PCT backcountry 31. Lived in London as a kid. Ankle mysteriously started hurting around the first in-person PT of the year...

32. Is an expert at roasting people, especially the weatherman.

34. Name is a typo. Also is our resident (self proclaimed) supreme weatherman.

Answers can be found at: https://bit.ly/3vVFnbt

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