More than 275 Naval ROTC midshipmen from 94 colleges and universities around the country chose the first ships of their Navy careers Feb. 13-15.

Ship selection is one of the most significant events for midshipmen as they take their first step toward joining the U.S. Navy surface warfare officer (SWO) community in the fleet.

"This is a great day," said Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC). "You all should be excited, because you have a great future ahead of you on some of our best platforms around the world, leading from the front as part of America's away team. Congratulations and well done to everyone, and we'll see you in the fleet."

Midshipmen are ranked according to their grade point average, aptitude scores, and physical fitness assessments. They made their selections with Navy Personnel Command's (NPC) surface warfare officer detailers (PERS-41) via Google Hangout video conference, which was broadcasted live over social media for Sailors in the fleet, family, and friends to follow along. This is the third time NROTC has used social media to conduct ship selection with PERS-41, providing midshipmen a memorable start to their SWO careers.

Midshipman 1st Class Geraldine Burnette, from Clark Atlanta University, an NROTC cross-town affiliate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, was the 2017 top-ranked midshipman and first to select a ship. She selected Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), homeported in Mayport, Florida.

"It's really unbelievable to think that I am the number one midshipman to select a ship this spring," said Burnette, from Cheraw, South Carolina. "I've always strived really hard to do the best that I can do. It really means a lot because I know I've worked hard to get to where I am now."

Evans introduced Burnette as the top-ranked midshipman and wished her success on Iwo Jima.

"Iwo Jima is a great ship, and I know the crew is going to benefit from having your leadership on board. Congratulations!" Evans said.

Next to select was Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA Tech) Midshipman 1st Class Laura Palombella, from Midlothian, Virginia. Palombella was one of 13 VA Tech midshipmen to select their first ships, the most of any school this year. Palombella selected Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), homeported in Rota, Spain.

"I'm very excited to choose where I get to start my career and to go overseas to do things that I've never been able to do before," Palombella said.

Palombella was joined by fellow VA Tech unit members in the top 10 rankings; Midshipman 1st Class Greta Ostergaard, from Ellicott City, Maryland, and Midshipman 1st Class, Stephen Acevedo, from Annandale, Virginia. Ostergaard selected USS Porter (DDG 78), also homeported in Rota. Acevedo selected USS Farragut (DDG 99), homeported in Mayport, Florida.

There were also seven midshipmen who were offered wardroom spots, hand-picked by the commanding officers of the ships they served on during Summer Cruise.

This new program was introduced by NPC's PERS-41 in November. It helps match the best new talent to ships, by letting surface ship commanding officers offer spots in their wardroom to midshipmen who demonstrate excellence while serving on Summer Cruise. If they accept, the position will be reserved for the midshipman during the ship selection, regardless of their ranking.

"We have some of the most talented future surface warfare officers participating in this ship selection," said Capt. Rick Cheeseman, director, Surface Officer Distribution at NPC. "It's exciting to watch as they team up with so many amazing ships, and become part of our great Navy fleet."

Purdue University Midshipman 1st Class Madison Mason, from Marysville, Ohio, was one of the midshipmen hand-picked to join Capt. Darren McPherson's wardroom. Mason accepted the offer and selected Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), homeported in San Diego.

"When I was informed that I was selected to return to the Lake Erie, I was ecstatic," said Mason. "I learned so much from them and they treated me like one of their own for those three weeks. Being requested to join a wardroom by a commanding officer is a great honor."

The full results from the ship selection are posted at http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/Pages/Spring-2017-ROTC-Ship-Selection.aspx/.

Following commissioning ceremonies and graduation, May-July, the newly-commissioned SWOs will be on their way to their first shipboard assignments as Navy ensigns.

The NROTC program is overseen by Evans and his NSTC staff headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes. The program 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.

The officers will 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), NROTC units at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command (OTC) at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

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

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

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