Mission & Philosophy

Mission

Our unit is one of best and largest commissioning sources for Navy and Marine Corps officers. Since opening our doors in 1983, we have prepared more than 600 Midshipmen for military careers as officers in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The NROTC mission is:

To develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, and loyalty, and with the core values of honor, courage and commitment 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.

Commanding Officer’s Philosophy

It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.

-John Paul Jones

This statement of command philosophy is my guidance to the staff, MECEP and midshipmen of the Boston Consortium. My command philosophy is captured succinctly by John Paul Jones’ admonition from over two hundred years ago.

Our Responsibility: We have two fundamental responsibilities at the Boston Consortium—graduating outstanding young men and women from elite universities and commissioning them as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps ready to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

My priorities include:

  • Personal responsibility: College is stressful and the personal challenges you will face will be many. From alcohol use to academic integrity to time management and physical fitness, you will frequently face moral decisions. Integrity is the hallmark of being an officer. I expect you to be honest even when it could lead to professional embarrassment or shame.
  • Academic success: The American taxpayers have provided you a very generous scholarship. Your job is to maximize your scholarship by doing the best you can and achieving the highest possible grade point average. A college education is the single most important personal investment you will make. The return on this investment is directly proportional to your academic performance.
  • Treat people right: The golden rule applies. Treat others as you want to be treated. Respect goes up, down and across the chain of command. Your success as an officer will be based on how you treat your people.
  • Ask for help early: College is difficult; NROTC duties and time constraints make it all the more so. The unit staff and I are here to help you succeed. The mark of a good leader is to know when to ask for help. The one commodity we cannot waste is time. If you are getting into academic, financial or personal difficulties, ask for help early. The sooner the unit staff and I can engage, the sooner we can help you resolve your problem and keep you on track to graduating on time.
  • Safety: A major part of personal responsibility and treating people right is safety. By its very nature military service is hazardous. For the college student, safety is often a forgotten subject. For our unit safety needs to focus on such items as the conduct of military training evolutions, getting adequate rest before driving home or taking an exam, understanding the consequences of alcohol use, and the meaning of looking after your shipmates.