Getting ready for NROTC 2010

Earlier this month I traveled to Lexington, Virginia to discuss plans for this October’s Association of NROTC Colleges and Universities’ Annual Conference. Virginia Military Institute will be this year’s host and retired Colonel and Association representative Woody Sadler met with me to discuss logistics.

The Holiday Inn Express-Lexington will be our hotel for Association members during their stay, as well as Thursday evening’s Executive Committee Meeting, New Member Orientation and Welcome Reception.

Yes, that’s snow you see in the picture! Actually, when I left Lexington there was more snow on the ground there than when I returned to Rochester. And they were expecting two more feet that coming weekend!

Usually Saturday’s main business meeting is held at the hotel where our Association members stay, however VMI is able to do something different this year. The Naval ROTC department has a new building on campus, and is willing to have our Saturday meeting on campus this year. One of their state of the art classrooms will perfectly accommodate our Saturday business meeting.

Because we will be meeting on a traditional college campus this year on Saturday, our lunch plans will change as well. VMI has agreed to have us eat in their mess hall on campus, with cadets as our lunch hosts. I ate lunch on campus with Woody while I was there and it was very good!

Lastly, Woody and I met with VMI’s Alumni Office to discuss plans for Saturday evening’s cocktail reception and dinner. Both will take place in Moody Alumni Hall, a very historic building with a lot of character.

 

 

There’s still much planning that needs to be done for October, such as catering, transportation, Navy Day, etc. but I think we are in very good shape for this year’s conference. Special thanks to Woody Sadler at VMI for being my tour guide during my stay. Woody gave me a great tour of both Lexington and VMI, and access to areas not many “civilians” would be able to see.

And a very special thank you to Tom Osella, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express-Lexington. Tom brought me to the Radford-VMI basketball game while I was there. Fun game to watch but not a lot of defense as Radford downed VMI; 111-84.

-Scott

C&E and NROTC

One of my favorite parts of my job in the Conference and Events Office is working with the Association of NROTC Colleges and Universities.

The Association of NROTC Colleges and Universities was formed shortly after the end of World War II. Dr. Frederic L. Hovde, then President of Purdue University, took the lead in forming the Association, whose goal would be “to encourage the exchange of information and opinion between member institutions, and between these institutions and the United States Navy, looking toward the greatest possible success in the operation of the NROTC program.” This remains the goal of the Association to this day.

As Administrator to this professional society, I oversee their annual budget, invoicing of annual dues, publication of their annual report and their annual conference. I am currently going on my third year as working as the Association’s Administrator, and the annual conference is the highlight of the year for me.

The annual conference includes discussion of Association affairs (budgets, elections of officers and members of the Executive Committee, venues for future meetings). Though Association representatives are encouraged to submit agenda items, the focus of each meeting has typically been a Situation Report from a member of the Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) staff. The Situation report – followed (or, often, interrupted) by questions and discussion – presents an overview of the NROTC program (deemed helpful for new representatives) as well as updates on current issues facing or initiatives contemplated by NSTC and/or the Department of the Navy. Upon request, NSTC staff include in the Situation Report discussion of concerns identified by representatives prior to the meeting.

Our annual conference, usually held in October, rotates to a different host-school each year. The past two years I have been fortunate enough to work with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fl and the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC.

While I enjoy all parts of the annual conference, the best part to me is our annual Navy Day that takes place on Friday of the conference. This gives Association members an up close look at some of the newest advances in Navy training. Two years ago our Navy Day was a trip to Kennedy Space Center in Cocoa, Fl, and this past year Navy Day was held at the Navy Nuclear Power School and Patriot’s Point in Charleston, South Carolina.

Pictures I have taken at the past two annual conferences can be found here and here.

2009 Association of NROTC Colleges and Universities Conference

I am currently planning the 2010 annual conference, which will take place in Lexington, VA. Virginia Military Academy will be the Association’s host this year. Next week I am flying down to Lexington to meet with the representative from VMI, as well as local hotels for a site visit. I’ve never been to Lexington before, and am looking forward to my visit there.

We will discuss contract negotiations with the area hotels, bus schedules and contracts, meal logistics, audio/visual needs, and hopefully I will have enough time to squeeze in time for a VMI vs. Radford basketball game on Tuesday night! I will be sure to post a blog when I get back telling you all about my trip.

A lot of people I talk to are surprised to hear our office works with a professional society, but it is just one of many services our office can provide. Are you looking for someone to help you with a professional society that you are a member of? Feel free to call me at (585) 273-1765 or drop me an email at scott.verrenti@rochester.edu. 

-Scott