Newport’s Third OCS Class Graduates

Since taking over the task of training new officers from Naval Station Pensacola back in August, the staff at Naval Station Newport, R.I., had some adjustments to make. For instance, the cold New England weather put an end to the traditional outdoor softball game between the candidates and instructors. No problem: They moved indoors during the cold months, with volleyball and bowling tournaments taking softball’s place. And the most important tradition, training men and women for command, continues apace. During a Dec. 21 ceremony, 41 new officers graduated from Newport’s Officer Training Center (OTC). That brings the number of officer candidates to successfully complete their training at Newport to about 100 since the change, with more to come. “Presently, we are averaging about 300 candidates on deck at any given time,” said Capt. Joseph A. McBrearty, commanding officer of OTC. “We expect that number to rapidly rise to nearly 400 candidates by summer 2008.” The newly commissioned officers will move to installations across the country to receive follow-on training in specific communities.