Fall 2026
Dear Northwestern NROTC Alumni and Friends,
Since 1989, Northwestern NROTC midshipmen have completed their degrees and earned Navy and Marine Corps commissions with the help of the Naval ROTC Scholarship Fund. This past October marked the 100-year anniversary of NROTC in the United States, and Northwestern is one of the original six schools authorized by Congress to establish an NROTC program. Those of us who were able to attend the celebration witnessed a fabulous weekend at Northwestern to mark this momentous occasion. Seeing all the faces at the tailgate and gala celebration reminded me that from our youngest midshipmen to our oldest alumni we all have something to celebrate. We have alumni in our ranks who forged the path in the ‘20’s and ‘30’s, and those who continued that proud tradition. We all have carried the mantle of military service for the past century and will continue to do so into the future. We sacrificed our time and often much more to be a part of this elite group. We forged bonds of true brotherhood and sisterhood through joint struggles in training from MIDN Indoc to drill practice, to early morning physical fitness training, to discipline in the rose garden. We all learned from our mistakes, were guided by our mentors, and became better Navy and Marine Corps officers as a result.
Our unit has educated many great leaders, among them ADM Lisa Franchetti (NU ’85) and President John F. Kennedy who did his NROTC training at NU in 1942. We were honored to have ADM Franchetti as our keynote speaker celebrating the 100-year anniversary. She expressed her excitement to be part of the Navy team no matter the role she was given in her career by working to overcome any obstacle in her path. It is now our turn to help the midshipmen and give them the assistance that many mentors have given us in our careers in the Navy and Marine Corps. We will be remembered by the actions we take today which will define the future of the NROTC Unit based at Northwestern. The Naval ROTC scholarship fund is here to support the midshipmen financially and ensure that now and, in the future, they will be able to continue their studies at NU and Loyola and go on to serve our country as officers in the US Navy or USMC. Your donations are critical in helping us achieve this goal. If you have donated in the past, thank you for your generosity and we hope you will donate again. If you have not, please consider a contribution. 100% of your donation goes toward grants for Midshipmen of the Northwestern NROTC Unit, and your contribution is tax deductible. Please complete the enclosed form, donate via our website (www.nu-nrotc.org), or use the PayPal QR code below. Thank you for your support.
We also welcome any alumni updates via the enclosed form. These will be included in a future Crow’s Nest and on the unit’s alumni website. The Crow’s Nest is a fantastic way to stay informed of happenings around the unit. To receive it you can 1) send us your email address through the enclosed form, or 2) visit the NU NROTC site and complete an online form to join the distribution (www.northwestern.edu/nrotc/alumni/crows-nest.html).
Best Regards,
Brad Owen
NU, Class of 1992
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Thank
You!