ESG-2 Visits Utah NROTC Unit
22 March 2019
Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2 Rear Adm. Brad Skillman visits the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Unit at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21.
While visiting with the school, Skillman had lunch and roundtable discussion with the NROTC staff and a Naval Science Battalion discussion with Midshipmen.
Skillman spoke to the unit about leadership and current operations.
“The NROTC program is a great opportunity that allows you to interact with naval officers and enlisted personnel who have first-hand experience in the Navy and Marine Corps,” said Skillman. “The training learned in the unit from your leadership is the foundation you will need for the naval operations you will be involved in.”
Capt. Todd Vandegrift, commanding officer of the University of Utah, also provided remarks highlighting the importance of having a senior officer visit the unit and provide mentorship to the next generation of naval officers.
“We are delighted to have a visit from a sitting Strike Group Commander,” said Vandegrift. “Rear Adm. Skillman’s recent and relevant fleet perspective is an invaluable experience for our future officers.”
While at the school, Skillman also took a tour of the University of Utah Test Reactor (UUTR), a small nuclear reactor that is part of the University of Utah’s engineering program, led by university faculty.
The NROTC 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 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.
ESG-2 provides oversight and management of 12 major subordinate commands and 13 amphibious ships; totaling more than 11,000 Sailors and Marines with the capacity to embark an additional 14,000 Marines.
The commands of ESG-2 are responsible for the conduct of all amphibious and expeditionary actions from the East Coast of the United States to the Mediterranean Sea. The mobile, scalable, and self-sustaining nature of the expeditionary strike group allows a precision amphibious strike capability.