Midshipmen from the University of Wisconsin Madison Naval ROTC program participated in Student Orientation Week at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2.

The 68 midshipmen spent the week going over basic military skills and discipline necessary to succeed as commissioned officers of the Navy and Marine Corps. Twenty-two new students also participated in a New Student Orientation (NSO), which comprised of an introduction to military life, while the rest of the Badger battalion focused on leadership training and building esprit de corps. The command's active-duty staff of Navy and Marine Corps officers and noncommissioned officers led the week's events.

"I didn't know what to expect," said incoming freshman Midshipman 4th Class Katie Katula, from Stillwater, Minnesota. "I ended up learning so much about myself, and we became very close as a class. I'm excited for the future."

The curriculum for orientation week included physical training, uniform inspections, close order drill, and classroom academics, including Navy and Marine Corps history. The midshipmen were able to use training facilities throughout Fort McCoy and nearby Volk Field, including the obstacle course, leadership reaction course, and land navigation course.

"My favorite part of the week was definitely the leadership reaction course," said incoming freshman Midshipman 4th Class Samual Fetherston, from Ossea, Wisconsin. "I really enjoyed getting to know my classmates and working together to complete the course."

NSO week concluded with a ceremony in which the new scholarship midshipmen were sworn into service. After briefing parents on what the NROTC program will require of their students, Capt. Christopher Murdoch, professor of Naval Science and commanding officer of the NROTC unit, read the oath to the scholarship students. He congratulated the new midshipmen for their commitment and dedication in joining the NROTC program.

Following the ceremony, the unit hosted a social for family and friends of the new midshipmen.

"I was very surprised that my daughter chose this path," said the father of Midshipman 4th Class Abigale Nicholson from Plymouth, Wisconsin. "I'm very proud."

In the coming years, the midshipmen will participate in multiple military activities and complete a rigorous course of study at the University of Wisconsin. Upcoming events include naval science classes, drill meets, formal military balls, and annual summer training opportunities on ships, submarines, and at squadrons across the globe. Upon graduation and completion of the NROTC program, the midshipmen will be commissioned as active-duty officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.

Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans oversees the NROTC program as commander of Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes. NROTC was established 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 oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy's Citizenship Development program. NSTC includes Recruit Training Command (RTC), the Navy's only boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, NROTC at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command (OTC) at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, Navy Junior ROTC and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

For more information about Naval ROTC, visit http://www.nrotc.navy.mil/.

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For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/ or http://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining/.