NROTC Spring News Roundup
Spring 2024 was, as always, a very busy and exciting time for Navy ROTC! In mid- April, the midshipmen captured victory at the Sheehan Cup, the annual friendly sports competition against their fellow Air Force and Army ROTC members across the river at Boston University. That same week, the battalion participated in a motto run on the Esplanade in the pre-dawn hours of the morning. Their last leadership lab of the semester was held days later; battalion student leadership positions turned over and the seniors received their awards. “Dining in” occurred that weekend. (This is a long and cherished military tradition where the members of the unit gather together to dine in formal attire. It is held to strengthen the bonds of friendship and promote camaraderie among Battalion student and staff members.) The members of the Old Ironsides Battalion gathered the first weekend in May for a barbecue held at MIT to celebrate the end of the semester and academic year.
The pinnacle of the spring semester, however, and the highlight of a Midshipmen’s NROTC career, is being commissioned as an officer in their respective branch of service. Three Navy MIDN from the unit commissioned at Tufts on May 18, and eight received their commissions at Harvard on May 22.
On May 30, NROTC hosted the Joint Services ROTC Commissioning Ceremony for the MIT Class of 2024. This was the third such in-person joint ceremony held in as many years. Once again, we had a perfect day for the ceremony, dockside at the magnificent USS Constitution.
We were thrilled that Chancellor Melissa Nobles and Rear Admiral Leonard “Butch” Dollaga, USN, Chief of Legislative Affairs, joined us on this auspicious occasion as MIT speaker and Guest of Honor, respectively. The US Navy Band Northeast provided the perfect accompaniment to the ceremony. Navy ROTC commissioned four new officers (Ensigns); Air Force/Space Force ROTC commissioned a total of fourteen new officers (Second Lieutenants) and four Army ROTC students received their commissions as Second Lieutenants. Family, friends and ROTC staff celebrated the commissionees’ tremendous achievement at a catered reception at the USS Constitution Museum immediately following the Ceremony.
We congratulate all members of the MIT Joint Commissioning Class of 2024, and wish all the new officers much success in their military careers.
— Lisa Breen, NROTC