Rear Adm. Mike D. Bernacchi, Commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), commissioned 13 Naval ROTC midshipmen from Auburn University, May 5.

The midshipmen, commissioning from one of the largest Naval ROTC Units in the nation, became Navy and Marine Corps Officers during the early morning ceremony held at Auburn's Student Center Ballroom.

It was the first Auburn Naval ROTC commissioning presided over by Bernacchi since taking over as NSTC commander in 2017. In his opening remarks, the admiral recalled some exceptional Auburn graduates and thanked the families of the day's commissionees.

"I am extremely honored and grateful to have the privilege of being here at Auburn University. As some of you may know, Auburn has quite an illustrious association with many of bravest and most accomplished service members in our nation's history. Among these are Gen. Carl Mundy, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps; Rear Adm. Ken Mattingly, Apollo 16 astronaut; Adm. Mike Rodgers, Director of the NSA and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command; and Medal of Honor recipient, Maj. Gen. James Livingston, who, under intense enemy fire and painfully wounded three times from grenade fragments, fearlessly led his men in a successful assault against enemy emplacements within the village of Dai Do in Vietnam, Bernacchi said.

"Now imagine that. An Auburn graduate in his mid-twenties effectively maneuvering his men, directing their fire, and shouting words of encouragement in the intense heat of a chaotic battle, even while severely wounded and dangerously exposed to the enemy. These are the shoes you have to fill-and don't think for one second that you won't be expected to rise to such an occasion one day."

After thanking the Auburn Naval ROTC staff for ensuring the midshipmen receive the best possible training in their quest to become officers, Bernacchi surprised the crowd with an impromptu showing of appreciation. He directed all thirteen commissionees to stand, turn around, and face their families. The group raised their right hands, made eye contact with their parents and loved ones, and repeated after the Admiral.

"I promise to always be grateful for all the love and support you have given me my entire life. I surely don't deserve it. I promise that I will continue to be grateful... and remember your birthday... and I love you... very much... and thank you again."

Bernacchi went on to welcome the families into the Navy.

"Today... you join our Navy family. The ROTC staff has spent the last four years developing your midshipmen's character and professional competence. They are an incredibly talented group of professionals. But you are the key, for you laid the strong foundation upon which the instructors build. You have been there, guiding them, teaching them, instilling values and molding them, their entire lives," the admiral said.

"We owe you our most sincere gratitude. And as you already know, your job is not over yet - it's never over. As officers in the greatest and most powerful Navy and Marine Corps the world has ever known, these young men and women will continue to need your love, prayers, and support as they always have."

The ceremony continued with Bernacchi administering the commissioning oath to the midshipmen as they repeated the oath's historic words in unison. Afterward, each newly commissioned officer had their ranks affixed to their shoulders by their selected family members, and then executed their first salute with an enlisted service member of their choosing. The Auburn commissioning ceremony finished with the singing of "Anchors Aweigh," "The Marine Corps Hymn," and a brief "War Eagle" Auburn chant.

Family and friends gathered for refreshments to congratulate the newly commissioned officers and meet the staff they'd heard so much about. As they exchanged stories and shared joy, many of the parents described watching their children commission as one of the proudest moments in their lives.

"He's yet another in a long line of military service in our family dating back to the Revolutionary War," said former U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Evan Barnard, Ensign Justin Barnard's father. "To see the tradition carry on is pretty special."

"Our family has always had quite a long history of enlisted service, but Trent is the first one of us to ever commission," said former U.S. Navy IM2 Adam Mapes, Ensign Trenton Mapes' father.

"We're all extremely proud of how far he's come and can't wait to see where his new career as an officer takes him."

After the ceremony, the commissionees gathered around their commanding officer, U. S. Navy Capt. Willie Billingslea, to present him with a token of their appreciation. The group of 13 was the first group in the unit's history to take a senior trip -- an event that Capt. Billingslea spearheaded to build historic and civic understanding, and to simulate the experience of a wardroom joining together on liberty. The newly commissioned officers presented their Skipper with a framed group photo of the Gettysburg Battlefield tour as a token of their appreciation for his vision.

As the crowd dissipated, Bernacchi's said his words to the newly commissioned ensigns and second lieutenants would fade. "In a few years, none of you will remember what I said at your commissioning, and that's ok," he predicted.

"What is important is that you will never forget your experiences in the ROTC program. Leading is hard, and good leaders are tough! There is no better example of developing physical and mental toughness than watching your training led by your Navy and Marine instructors over the course of four years. We are expected as officers to lead with integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness, and I know you have what it takes."

Bernacchi's words may fade, but every young man he commissioned on May 5 should remember his message.

"These are not just words; they are our way of life as naval officers. These core attributes and our way of life - the standards we set - the standards we enforce - and the standards of the thousands who have gone before you, are the same standards you will maintain for the thousands who are about to follow you into harm's way."

Commissioned as ensigns May 5 were Justin Barnard from Franklin, Tennessee; Zachary Cirillo from Jensen Beach, Florida; Samuel Di Rito from Jackson, Georgia; Robert Glennon from Huntsville, Alabama; Henry Gue from Auburn Alabama; Russel Mays from Wayne, Pennsylvania; Trenton Mapes from Buford, Georgia; Mark Miller from Englewood, Colorado; John Samoluk from Pensacola, Florida; Michael Taylor from Vero Beach, Florida; and Craig Yeager from Ball Ground, Georgia. Commissioned as U. S. Marine Corps second lieutenants were Michael Crookshanks from Cumming, Georgia, and Jared Heinrich from Jacksonville, Florida.

Two of the commissioned officers will report directly to the Surface Warfare fleet within a month; Ensign Di Rito and Ensign Glennon are both headed to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to join the crews of USS Port Royal (CG 73) and USS Chung Hoon (DDG 93). Ensigns Barnard, Cirillo, Mapes, Samoluk, Taylor, and Yeager will also report in June to follow-on duty at Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Goose Creek, South Carolina, where they will pursue careers as Submarine Officers. Ensign Mays and Ensign Miller will report this summer to their follow-on duty station at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, to pursue careers as Naval Aviators. Ensign Gue's follow-on duty station is Washington Naval Yard, where he will work as a Naval Reactors Engineer. 2nd Lt. Crookshanks and 2nd Lt. Heinrich will report as Marine Corps Officers to The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia.

Bernacchi and his NSTC staff at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, support the Naval ROTC program. The mission is to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically; and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, loyalty and Navy core values; in order to commission college graduates as Naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the Naval service and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

NSTC also supports 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy's Citizenship Development program. NSTC encompasses Recruit Training Command (RTC), the Navy's only boot camp, also at Naval Station Great Lakes, the Naval ROTC program at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command (OTC) at Newport, R. I., Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

For more information about NROTC, visit https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/.

For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/, the NSTC Facebook pages https://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining/ or www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.