During the ceremony, guests were welcomed by Dean Lisa Rosen-Metsch, who highlighted the long history of military veterans obtaining their education at the Columbia University School of General Studies (GS), founded as a freestanding undergraduate college in 1947 in large part to serve veterans returning from the war, as well as more recent initiatives at Columbia designed to help veterans continue their education after service, including the Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI), founded in 2017.
Dean Rosen-Mestch’s welcome was followed by remarks from Guest of Honor John P. Coffey, General Council for the Department of the Navy, and Captain Timothy Gibboney, Commanding Officer of the NYC Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit, about the honor and responsibility of serving in the United States military.
“Our mission is to develop young men and women mentally, morally, and physically. And imbue them with the highest ideals of duty and loyalty—and with the core values of honor, courage, and commitment. I’m happy to say that all of our commissionees today have met that threshold,” Captain Gibboney said.
The Honorable John P. Coffey then administered the Oath of Office to the commissionees before family and friends were invited to participate in the installation of rank and rendering of first salute, a significant military tradition believed to date back to the 19th century. Gogue received her first salute from Staff Sergeant Josstin Gogue, USMC, Retired.
Prior to her arrival at GS in 2019, Gogue began her service in the United States Marine Corps in 2009 as a Marine Musician. She was assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, Cherry Point, North Carolina from 2009 to 2011, after which she reported to the Quantico Marine Corps Band in Virginia, one of the oldest professional musical ensembles in the Marine Corps, and served in multiple leadership positions as a flautist. Gogue has also served as a Military Police Augment and the Assistant Command Visits Coordinator for Marine Corps Base Quantico. In 2016, Gogue had the opportunity to transfer to School of Infantry West Coast in support of the location opening training for female Marines for the first time in USMC history.
After receiving their commissioning scrolls, the ceremony closed with the playing of Anchor’s Aweigh and the Marines’ Hymn, followed by a reception to celebrate the achievements of the newly-commissioned officers.
2023 NROTC Commissionees
Charlie Garcia
United States Marine Corps
Fordham University
Alaura Gogue
United States Marine Corps
Columbia School of General Studies
William Hearn
United States Navy
SUNY Maritime
Samuel Krewatch
United States Navy
SUNY Maritime
Kent Neville Baron
United States Navy
SUNY Maritime
Matthew Radovanovich
United States Navy
SUNY Maritime
Michael L. Reyes
United States Marine Corps
Fordham University
Uri Shakked
United States Navy
SUNY Maritime
