Setting Standards of Excellence

The following officers have led the University of Wisconsin-Madison Naval Training Schools or the Naval ROTC Program from 1942 to the present. The plaque of the NROTC Unit Commanding Officers is mounted adjacent to the Commanding Officer’s office and identifies those leaders who were the Professors of Naval Science. The listing to the right identifies those officers and those officers who assumed command for short periods of transition (in italics).

Just below is a link to download a detailed listing of staff of the NROTC Unit from 1946 to 2006. We plan to update the document to the present as we have time for further research.

World War II Naval Training Schools

Lieutenant Commander Elmer H. Schubert, USNR
Officer-in-Charge, Naval Training Schools    
1942 February - September

Commander Charles F. Greene, USN
Commanding Officer
Naval Training Schools
1942 October - November

Captain Leslie K. Pollard, USN,
Commanding Officer   
Naval Training Schools
1942 - 1945

University of Wisconsin-Madison Naval ROTC Unit - Established 1 November 1945

Captain Jack E. Hurff, USN, 1945 - 1949

Captain Robert E. Blue, USN, 1949 - 1952

Captain Norman W. Ellis, USN, 1953 - 1954

Colonel Douglas E. Reeve, USMC, 1955 - 1957 (first Marine to command the Unit)

Captain Reginald Rutherford, USN, 1957 - 1960

Captain Clarence M. White, Jr., USN, 1960 - 1961

Commander John E. O'Neil, USNR, 1960 - 1961
(Assumed command upon Captain White’s retirement)

Captain Forrest A. Todd, USN, 1961 - 1965

Captain Clarence E. Olson, USN, 1966 - 1969

Colonel William F. Dyroff, USMC, 1969 - 1971

Captain Bruce B. Garlinghouse, USN, 1971 - 1973

Captain Otto E. Krueger, USN, 1973 -1976

Captain John M. Henson, USN, 1976 - 1979

Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Van Horne, USMC, 1979
(Assumed command upon Captain Henson’s retirement)

Captain Royce L. Kriewall, USN, 1979 - 1982

Captain George W. Greene, Jr., USN, 1982 - 1985

Commander John B. Washbush, USNR, 1985
(Assumed command upon Captain Greene’s retirement,
first Wisconsin graduate to command the Unit)

Captain David M. Kletter, USN, 1985 -1988

Commander Ulis D. Hekel, 1988 - 1989
(Assumed command on Captain Kletter's detachment; August 1988 - January 1989)

Captain Gary L. Beck, USN, 1989 - 1991

Commander Ulis D. Hekel, 1991
(Assumed command on Captain Beck's retirement; May - August 1991)

Captain Richard G. Fenn, USN, 1991 - 1994

Captain John W. Peterson, USN, 1994 - 1997

Commander James R. CHEEVER, USN, 1997
(Assumed command on Captain Peterson's retirement: January - July 1997)

Captain Kris T. Ackerbauer, USN, 1997 - 2000

Captain John J Langer, USN, 2000 - 2001

Commander Scott K. Taube, 2001 - 2002
(Assumed command on Captain Langer's transfer: January - July 2002)

Captain Randall L. Bahr, USN, 2002 - 2005

Captain Arthur S. Mobley, USN, 2005 - 2008

Captain Kenneth W. Auten, USN, 2008 - 2011

Captain Russell E. Haas, USN, 2011 - 2014

Captain Christopher P. Murdoch, USN, 2014 - 2017

Captain Gregory J. Zacharski, USN, 2017 - 2021

Commander Matt Choquette, USN, 2021
(Assumed command on Captain Zacharski's retirement: May - September 2021)

Captain John J. Barnett, USN, 2021 - Present