Five Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) midshipmen were commissioned as U. S. Navy and Marine Corps officers during a ceremony held in the Memorial Union during Iowa State University's Spring commencement activities here, May 9.

The three Navy-option and two Marine-option NROTC students were recognized by their commissioning officers in front of an audience of more than 150 people. These newly commissioned officers will serve around the globe in a variety of military occupational specialties including aviation, surface warfare, and Marine Corps air and ground units.

Commissioned as ensigns were; Eliza Suzanne Carrigan, Connor Patrick Henkle, and Knute William Klinker. Commissioned as 2nd lieutenants were; Jovanie Rafael Martinez and Leah Marie Vander Boon. All were commissioned by officers of their choosing.

"I had been looking forward to this day for a long time. It's a pretty awesome feeling, and I am so glad I can share it with my friends and family," said Ensign Henkle. "I am so thankful that my grandfather could administer my oath of office. As a retired naval officer, he has been a huge inspiration for me. It meant a lot, and I will remember that moment for the rest of my life."

During his commencement address, Capt. Ricks Polk, Professor of Naval Science (NSI) and commanding officer of the ISU unit, expressed words of encouragement and offered up advice to the graduates and newly-commissioned officers. He first gave to each of the new officers a white Iowa State ball cap "to put in an office somewhere, so you remember where you came from."
Polk then proceeded to discuss his naval experience and what he learned throughout his career. He gave the new officers two main takeaways.

"There are so many things to share, but I've boiled down my experience to two things that have served me well throughout my life: trust God with all your heart, soul, mind, and spirit; and the best things in life have also been the hardest things in life."

"The feeling of being able to commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy was overwhelming," said Ensign Klinker. "The accumulation of all the hard work over the past four years finally came to fruition on that stage. I have a lot of people to thank for that."

Newly commissioned 2nd Lt. Martinez' grandfather, Samuel Khan said, "They always say, 'The few, the proud.' We are proud grandparents, but most of all about Jovanie, he has great respect for his grandparents, great respect for his parents. I admire him for that because it's the power that most people don't have, and he has that."

Polk finished his speech by telling the newly commissioned officers and their family members, "This is truly the best part of my job, watching the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps officers begin their respective careers. I have enjoyed sharing this time with each of you,"

The NROTC program, overseen by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, commanded by Rear Adm. Rich Brown, 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.

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

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