CAPTAIN DALE M. NEES, USN

Captain Dale M. Nees is the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit at the University of Notre Dame.

A native of Sarasota, Florida, he graduated with distinction from the United States Naval Academy in 1979. He is a 1985 distinguished graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School earning a Masters of Science Degree in Management (Financial and Material Logistics) and a 1999 graduate of the National Defense UniversityÕs Industrial College of the Armed Forces, earning a Masters of Science Degree in National Resource Strategy. He was also a 2005-2006 MIT Seminar XXI Program Fellow on Foreign Politics and International Relations.

His operational tours include service in both nuclear attack and ballistic missile submarines. He served as Electrical Officer, Reactor Controls Assistant and Main Propulsion Assistant on USS DANIEL WEBSTER GOLD (SSBN 626), as Engineer Officer on USS SEA DEVIL (SSN 664) and as Executive Officer on USS PASADENA (SSN 752). Captain Nees served as Commanding Officer of USS HOUSTON (SSN 713) from May 1995 to January 1998 deploying to the Western Pacific and receiving the Navy Unit Commendation. His last operational assignment was as Commander Submarine Development Squadron Five from July 2001 to June 2003, where he commanded U.S. Submarine Rescue Forces, the Navy's Deep Submergence Program, and oversaw operations of the Navy's Research and Development Submarines (USS PARCHE, USS DOLPHIN and USS JIMMY CARTER), as well as tactical development and employment of submarine off-hull sensors such as Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUV), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Special Operational Forces.

Captain Nees' shore duty assignments include Material Officer on the staff of Commander Submarine Squadron Three and Deputy Commander Submarine Squadron Eleven. He has also served as Flag Lieutenant to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples, Italy. During this period he was involved in humanitarian relief efforts (JTF PROVIDE PROMISE) and NATO operations (DENY FLIGHT) in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has also served as the Assistant Director, Office of Navy Budget, the Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), the Head of Submarine Platforms, Strategic Weapons Programs, Manpower, Policy and Budget on the Navy Staff and most recently was the Department of the Navy's Director of Congressional Liaison for Appropriation Matters. Captain Nees is currently serving as Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer of the NROTC Unit at the University of Notre Dame.

Captain Nees has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (Five awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Seven awards) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

COMMANDER JOHN HERMAN, USN

Commander Herman is a native of Highspire, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Navy in 1983. After completion of Basic Training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois and brief training at Nuclear Power School, he was accepted to the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island in 1984.

Upon graduation and commissioning from the United States Naval Academy in 1989, Commander Herman was assigned to USS ROBISON (DDG 12) as Gunnery Officer from December 1989 to September 1991. He was then ordered to USS TRIPOLI (LPH 10) where he served in Operations Department from October 1991 to May 1993. His first shore assignment was as Naval Gunfire Support Instructor at Expeditionary Warfare Training Group, Pacific from June 1993 to June 1995.

Following completion of the Department Head Training in Newport, Rhode Island in December 1995, he served as Operations Officer on USS ANCHORAGE (LSD 36) and as Combat Information Center Officer on USS PELELIU (LHA 5). In April 1999 he reported for his second shore assignment as an instructor at the Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island where he taught Amphibious Doctrine to Department Head Students.

In March 2001, Commander Herman attended the Naval War College where he earned a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. After graduation, Commander Herman again returned to sea as the Executive Officer of USS OAK HILL (LSD 51) followed by a tour as the Operations Officer on USS BATAAN (LHD 5) from April 2004 to May 2006. Commander Herman is now the Executive Officer of the Navy ROTC Unit at the University of Notre Dame.

His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (4 awards), and the Navy Achievement Medal (2 awards).

Rank: Major

Billet: Marine Officer Instructor

Name: David J. Hart

MOS/Desc: 0302/ Infantry Officer

Hometown: Unity, NH

Academic Background: Park University 2002 (BS Criminal Justice), University of Oklahoma 2008 (Masters Public Administration )

Military Schools: Recruit Training 1985; Special Intel Communication School (2651) 1985; Airborne 1987; Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape 1987; Jumpmaster 1988; Drill Instructor School 1993; Close Combat Instructor Course 1994; Officer Candidate School 1997; The Basic School 1998; Infantry Officers Course 5-98 1998; Fire Support in Marine Air Ground Task Force Operations 1999; Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor Trainer Course 2001; Expeditionary Warfare School (Resident) 2006.

Military Experience: November 1984 – October 1997 enlisted service, attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Combat and Operations, January – May 1991, OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD/ STORM (Kuwait, Iraq) October 1997 – October 1998 Student at Officer Candidate School, The Basic School, Infantry Officers Course October 1998 – December 2000, 3d Battalion, 8th Marines; billets, Weapons Platoon Commander, Executive Officer India Company; Executive Officer Weapons Company; Combat and Operations, April – September 1999, OPERATIONS SHINING HOPE (Albania), NOBLE ANVIL (Serbia), JOINT GUARDIAN (Kosovo), AVID RESPONSE (Turkey); April 2000, OPERATION EASTERN ACCESS (Vieques, Puerto Rico); deployments, July – August 2000, Combined Arms Exercise (CAX) 9-00. January 2001 – May 2002, Degree Completion Program, Park University, Parkville Mo June 2002 – June 2003, The Basic School, Instructor June 2003 – August 2005, Infantry Officer Course, Instructor August 2005 – May 2006, Expeditionary Warfare School, Student June 2006 – January 2008, 3d Battalion , 6th Marines; billets, Weapons Company Commander, Operations Officer; deployments October – November 2006, Mojave Viper; Combat and Operations, December 2006 – August 2007 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 06.08.1 January –May 2008 Operations Officer, 8th Marine Regiment June 2008 – Present Marine Officer Instructor, University Notre Dame

Awards: Navy Marine Corp Medal; Air medal with 2 strike flights; Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat “V” and 2 gold stars; Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 3 gold stars; Combat Action Ribbon

The MOI is directly responsible for the training of all Marine Option Midshipmen in preparation for Officer Candidate School (OCS) and The Basic School (TBS).

Lieutenant Gregory Keigher just returned from an individual augmentation Deployment in Iraq this past fall. He supported the Army’s 82nd Airborne unit as an Electronic Warfare Officer. LT Keigher is a P-3 Orion pilot and was previously stationed at Kanehoe Marine Corp base Hawaii with VP-4. LT Keigher spent two deployments supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. He has an undergraduate degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master Degree from the University of Central Florida in Educational Leadership. LT Keigher is the Senior Class advisor and will teach Leadership and Management courses.

A native of Vallejo, CA, LT Bly graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and was commissioned through ROTC in 2001. Following a year at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA she earned a Master of Science Degree in Information Systems and Operations before attending the Surface Warfare Officer's Course in Newport, RI. During her first tour in USS Stout (DDG-55) she completed a Mediterranean deployment as part of a NATO taskforce and served as First Lieutenant and Assistant Operations Officer. She then spent a year in Charleston, SC completing the Nuclear Training Program before reporting aboard USS Nimitz (CVN-68) to complete two Arabian Gulf deployments as the Reactor Controls Division Officer and assistant Reactor Training Assistant. Following this, LT Bly completed a 6 month tour in Afghanistan as the Chief Engineer for the Counter RC-IED Electronic Warfare Task Force where she worked closely with Army, Air Force and other units from the Multi-National Coalition. LT Bly is the Junior Class and Surface Nuclear Power Advisor.

LT Fensterer graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in May 2003 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. In June 2004, he received a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Following graduation, he reported onboard USS MILIUS (DDG 69) as the Electrical and Auxiliaries Officer completing a deployment to the Persian Gulf. In December 2006, he reported to Inshore Boat Unit FIVE THREE as the Assistant Officer in Charge and Officer in Charge of Maritime Expeditionary Boat Detachment THREE FOUR ONE completing a deployment to Camp Patriot, Kuwait. Lieutenant Fensterer will be the Sophomore Class and Surface Warfare Advisor at NROTC Unit – University of Notre Dame..

Lieutenant Drew W. DeWalt is the Fourth Class Advisor and Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the Naval ROTC Unit - University of Notre Dame. He reported to the unit in June of 2008. A native of Waco, Texas, LT DeWalt graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2004. After graduation and following nuclear power training, he reported to the USS CHEYENNE (SSN 773) where he completed submarine warfare qualifications. LT DeWalt served in a number of junior officer billets while onboard the USS CHEYENNE, most recently as the Assistant Weapons Officer and Ship's Diving Officer. While serving onboard, the USS CHEYENNE completed several operations in the western Pacific Ocean. LT DeWalt completed prospective nuclear engineer officer qualifications in October of 2007.

GySgt Macias joined the Marine Corps in August of 1995 as an open contract. He was then given the MOS of Motor Transport and attended school at Camp Johnson, North Carolina. He served with 3rd Medical Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group (FSSG) in Okinawa, Japan for a one year tour. From 3rd FSSG GySgt Macias was sent to Weapons and Field Training Battalion Parris Island, South Carolina to serve as a Rappel Master, NBC instructor, and Black shirt Instructor for the Crucible. He then was attached to 3rd Battalion, Mike Company as a Drill Instructor, Senior Drill Instructor, Series Gunnery Sergeant, and was sent to the Combat Training Pool as a Marine Combat Instructor Trainer of Water Survival. Gunnery Sergeant Macias was then sent to Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and completed one tour in Iraq as the Motor Transport Truck Master and just recently completed his second tour in Iraq as the Squadron Operations Chief.