UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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BADGER SHIPMATEVol. XXVI, No. 1, March, 2014

Colonels Dinauer, Volk Named Distinguished Alumni

In this issueStaff/Student Mixer . . . . . . . . . .5-6Fall Commissioning. . . . . . . . . . . .6Reunion/Election . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Mailbag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Dues Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

The Association has established a Distinguished Alumnus Award to recognize exceptional military or civilian achievements of alumni and to inspire midshipmen. The board of directors has approved Colonel Stephen R. Dinauer, USMC, class of 1986, and Colonel Patrick L. Volk, USAF, class of 1988, for this award. Please see pages 2 and 3.

Colonel Stephen R. Dinauer USMC ’86Colonel Patrick L.Volk USAF ’88

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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During 27 years of service, Colonel Stephen R. Dinauer, a career infantry officer, led Marine units from the platoon to the battalion levels. His combat experience included two combat tours, Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm and as Commanding Officer, Third Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Al Anbar Province, Iraq, 2004-2005.

He served in the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC, with the Marine Embassy Security Group, and with the Antiterrorism/Force Protection Directorate. He was the Senior Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict.

Among his many decorations, Colonel Dinauer received the Bronze Star (with Valor Device), the Legion of Merit, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with Valor Device and one Gold Star), and the Combat Action Ribbon (with Gold Star).

Colonel Dinauer recently retired as Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer, NROTC, University of Colorado, Boulder. He remains at Colorado as Director of the President’s Leadership Class.

Steve grew up in Verona, Wisconsin, and fondly remembers the camaraderie of the UW NROTC unit. He met his wife Leslie, a midshipman herself, at an end-of-semester Christmas party. “I cannot remember what I said to her, but she poured a beer over my head and we agreed to a date after the winter break. The rest is history. Married in 1988, she has been a great partner: volunteered in the family support organizations at every operational unit we served in, was a paid employee of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, mother to our son Jack, earned a Master’s degree and late a doctorate, all the while partnering with me through 12 duty stations, the attack on the Pentagon, and too many insufferable officers’s spouses with a penchant for cucumber sandwiches. A Badger through and through, she was recently accepted as an Associate Trustee of the Memorial Union Building Association.”

Dinauer, cont’d

LTCOL Dinauer, Iraq, 2005

Steve and Leslie at his retirement party, Madison, August, 2013

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Colonel Volk completed 25 years of military service, much of it in support of the global war on terror. Serving in the Navy, 1988-1997, and Wisconsin Air National Guard, 1997-2013, he excelled as an aviator, achieving over 300 carrier landings and 3,500 flight hours in three different fighter aircraft. Also, he served in support of homeland security while assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, 2003-2013, retiring as its Vice Wing Commander. Pat has two sons, Robby (16), and Tony (18), and resides in Stoughton. He is now a pilot for United Airlines. “I have many great memories of UW-NROTC,” Pat writes, “but I think my favorite is the summer following commissioning. Following the Sunday commissioning ceremony (and more importantly the party that was still going strong at 0400), me and my classmates were instructed to report for duty at 0700 in the uniform of the day. I lived in the house across the street from the unit next to the church, so I was able to get home, change midshipman rank to officer rank, and make the meeting on time. As I recall, I was one of a few that were on time, and might have been the only newly minted Ensign in the correct uniform. After being summarily "mentored" by the unit Exec, we were given temporary assignments based on the needs of the Navy while we awaited our warfare schools. Most of my shipmates were sent away, but Ensign Volk was given the assignment of unit Sailing Officer. (I often wonder if it was because I was prompt and in the correct uniform, since virtually all of my classmates were more talented sailors than me). The unit was in the process of renewing our sailing fleet, so my job was to learn how to sail the new boats, and then instruct the staff how to sail them. I was assigned to the MOI (who had the "big picture"), and was basically paid to sail lake Mendota the entire summer. Many of my NROTC friends and I had great times during my version of that ‘endless summer.’”

Volk, cont’d

Final military flight, 3 July 2013

F-16

F-16C Balad, Iraq, c 2008

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Staff/Student MixerState Street Brats, 29 August 2013

Brandon Klewicki, Fond du Lac; Trevor Shimulunas, Two Rivers; Gunnery Sgt. Ivan Quan, Asst. Marine Officer Instructor

CAPT Russell Haas CO; Michael Sherman, Bloomington, MN; Atlanna Tschida, Lake Geneva

Eli Breiner, Wauconia, MN; Christopher Houben, Geneva, IL; John Brueckbauer, Mundelein, IL; Kyle Smith, Franklin; Carter Welsh, Menomonie Falls

Sofia Postiglione, Mendota Hights, MN; Sara Dillon, Silver Lake; Mary Liebfried, Janesville

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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T

3 Carrier Groups3 Carrier Groups  plus:plus:

USS New YorkUSS New York

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space bar or enter key to advance.space bar or enter key to advance.

Wright Goodwin, Coronado, CA; Brendan Page, Rockbridge, OH; CAPT Haas

4th Class: John Bruerbauer, Mundelein,IL; Jackson Borchardt, Marshfield; Carter Welsh, Menomonie Falls, Colin Bernhardt,Wauconda, IL; Justin Silvis, McFarland; Kyle Smith, Franklin; Christopher Houben, Geneva, IL

2d Class: Jesse Metcalf, Stetsonville; Sean Greene, Silver Springs, MD; Aaron Holbeck, Two Harbors, MN; Richard Summer, Wind Lake; John Peterson, Brookfield; Riley Hoffman, Sun Prairie

Sarkis Zenobian, Excelsior, MN; Darian Chavira, Wind Lake; Avery Moore, Wauwatosa; Wright Goodwin, Coronado, CA; Brandon Klewicki, Fond du Lac

Patrick Callahan, Chesterfield, MO; CAPT Kris Ackerbauer, former CO; Sofia Postiglione

Photos by MIDN 2/C Sara Dillon, Public Information Officer, and MIDN 3/C Sofia Postiglione

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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3d Class: Ryan Serafin, Elm Grove; Reece Whitehead, Albany; Dan Tagliarini, Hartford, CT; Ben Fritz, Lakeville, MN; Jake Ahlgrimm, Falls Church, VA

Three Ensigns, One Marine Commissioned Following the conclusion of the fall semester four midshipmen earned their commissions. Three new ensigns have been selected for the Nuclear Power Program--Submarines in Charleston, South Carolina. The fourth officer, 2LT Hopkins, has been assigned to Marine Corps Officer Basic School in Quantico, VA. The University of Wisconsin maintains a proud record for sending its graduates to the Nuclear Power School. The new officers:

Ensign Matthew DeHart, Nuclear Engineering, RacineEnsign Joshua Smith, Electrical Engineering, Austin, TX

Ensign Matthew Ziesmer, Mechanical Engineering, Sugar Land, TXSecond Lieutenant Jorjio Hopkins, Rehabilitation Psychology, Madison

USMC (left): 2ndLt. Hopkins; Matthew Leszczynski, Becker, MN (MECEP); Tyler Hinnendael, River Falls; Steven Hoffman, Manitowoc (MECEP)

Above: Zak Ryder, Hartland;ENS DeHart; Alexander Fox, Butternut

Correction In the August 2013 issue Wally Meisner ’58 was incorrectly described as having served in the Civil Engineering Corps. The proper term is the Civil Engineer Corps. We regret the error and thank Wally for bringing it to our attention.

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

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Charles D. Collins Jr, LTJG USN ’64John T. Chapman, CPT USMC ’65

Norman K. Billipp, MAJ USMC ’66 John M. Pagel, CPT USMC ’72 Michael Strole, ENS USN ’74

David J. Lueder, CPT USMC ’79Dennis A. Dogs, MAJ USMC ‘85 Duane J. Hofhine II, ENS USN ’87

Inductees, Wall of Honor

Dr. Gordon R. Grimm ’46, in Winter Park, FL, 6 November, 2013Rev. Seth Joseph Duell ’47, in Yellow Springs, OH, 6 July 2008 Gilbert Dale Monson ’47, in Troy, MI, 27 September 2013William Edward Ternes ’55, 16 February 2014, in Sherborn, MassachusettsWillis Barnes Perkins III ’60, of Brentwood, TN, 9 August 2012Bruce Alan MacFadyen ’64, in Bozrah, CT, 9 July 2009. A history major.

Death Notices Received

Alumni Reunion/Election Scheduled

2014 Board of DirectorsPresident: Joe AbelVice President: Pat Volk Secretary: CDR Steve Ligler Treasurer: George Ketterer Director: Kris Ackerbauer Director: Stu Brandes Director: Ron Scott Director: Jeff Barta Director: Steve Dinauer Director (ex officio): CAPT Russ Haas

Bob Espeseth ’52 retired in 1982 after thirty years’ service. “Herb Brickson, Bob Kallestad and I have maintained contact with each other. I can still wear with pride the uniform in which I was commissioned. I served on the Military Education Council at the University of Illinois for many years and still attend NROTC functions. We currently live in a retirement complex near Champaign, IL.” respeset@illinois.edu

Rick Burn ’67 writes: “I am home today after being gone for 48 days. We work all our lives, but we still have childish dreams. As a pre-teen I remember vividly seeing the David Niven movie Around the World in 80 Days at least three times. That movie has been in my head for years. We were looking for a place to get warm. We left freezing Michigan on January 4th and returned on February 20th. We flew from Grand Rapids to London for three days. I had been to Scotland but never to London. We saw many sights and took in the show War Horse in the West End. On January 8 we took a South West Train to Southampton and boarded MV Rotterdam for a 36 night trip to Singapore via Lisbon, Malaga, Malta, Athens, through the Gulf of Aden (I watched with the pirate patrol), Oman, Mumbai, Thailand, Malaysia, and ended in Singapore on February 14th. Five nights in Singapore and then we flew back to Grand Rapids via Peking and Chicago. Around the world in 48 days instead of 80, but a dream of a 13 year old was attained. Surprisingly, we were able to do the trip for under $10,000. My only suggestion and question: Have you done your dream?”

Jim Remington ’70 signs up for a five-year membership and adds, “Keep up the good work.”

CAPT Scott Singer ’87: “As someone who almost lost his scholarship due to poor grades I am proud to be approaching year 26 with 24 of them in the reserves. I recently took over the job as the Minnesota Emergency Preparedness Officer, and I look forward to protecting Minnesota and the Midwest FEMA Region V, including Wisconsin. Although I live in Minnesota, my wife (also a Badger) and I make it down for every home football game. Hoping the Navy will let me go past 30!”

Mailbag

John S. Lyman, LCDR USN ’53 Walter G. Updike, LT USN ’55Michael A. Fox, LTJG USN ’58

D. N. “Nick” Norris, LTJG USN ’61 Steven Plotz, LT USN ’62

William T. Arnold, CDR USN ’63 Lawrence P. Beam, LT USN ’63

Inductees, Wall of Honor

Mark your calendars! The Badgers will take on Illinois in the first home game of the Big 10 football season on 11 October 2014. President Joe Abel has scheduled an Alumni Reunion and general meeting of the association for that weekend, 10-11 October. We hope to obtain a group of tickets and also to reserve a bloc of hotel rooms. Plans are incomplete at press time, but we expect that the meeting of the association will be held on Friday, 10 October, followed by a banquet. The agenda will be published well in advance, but we expect that it will include a financial report, an election of officers, and approval of changes in our by-laws. We have recently filled several vacancies on the Board of Directors. Nonetheless, we earnestly invite new nominations. You don’t have to live in Madison to serve on the Board. So spice up your old sea stories. Consider getting involved. Let’s plan on a great weekend of fellowship and football. Go Badgers!

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN NAVAL ROTC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Can you identify this badge? Answer below.

Valedictory As a student and later as the editor of this journal, I’ve watched the UW NROTC story unfold for more than fifty years. I’ve seen again and again how “The Unit,” as it’s fondly known, is a massively under-appreciated program. From nothing more than a homely old auto repair shop on a far corner of the campus--a building which is still going strong and basically unchanged after 80+ years--the Unit has commissioned more than 1700 officers. My rough count finds 37 CDR/LTCOL, 47 CAPT/COL, 5 RADM, 1 BGEN, 1 VADM, a LTGEN, plus a US Senator and a president of the Board of Regents. Naval officers go in harm’s way, and at least fifteen of our graduates have given their lives in the nation’s service. Three of the lost were my friends: Bill Arnold, Nick Norris, and Steve Plotz. But as Colonels Dinauer and Volk have gallantly shown (see pp. 2-3), when called upon we’ve put ordnance on target. Seven years ago, when I became its editor, the Shipmate was a four-page, monochromatic journal mailed to about a hundred subscribers. It’s now eight pages long, printed in full color, and through the magic of electronic publishing reaches eight hundred readers. Several other innovations: a redesigned front-page layout, more photography, increased emphasis on alumni activities, and special features (sea stories, death notices, book notes, etc.) Readers say they like the appearance and content, membership has doubled, and contributions to the trust fund are up. The Shipmate, I think it’s fair to say, is now shipshape. For various reasons I’ve decided to pass the helm, so this issue will be my last. I’m very grateful to all who have helped me over the years, in particular our efficient Unit secretary Pam O’Connor. Our secretary, Captain Kris Ackerbauer, deserves special thanks for assuring that our address list is current and accurate. To my successor, whomever he or she may be, I wish fair skies and following seas.

Stuart D. Brandes ’61

Dues Time Again Please use this form when sending in your dues. Still a bargain at just $25/year!

Two great long term plans: five years for $100 or $300 for a lifetime membership.

NAME:Address:Email:

Contribution to Wisconsin Naval ROTC Alumni Fund:

Send to: UW Naval ROTC Alumni Assn., P. O. Box 5205, Madison, WI 53705-0205

Above: Surface Warfare Officer

Thanks, Dave! Dave Rawlings ’62, an original Plankholder in the Association, has resigned after serving as a member of the Board of Directors since 1989. He worked tirelessly and efficiently as our Treasurer, and we commend him with a hearty “Well Done!”

News:

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