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HomeApril 2026 Seabadger Update
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University of Wisconsin-Madison NROTC Alumni Association

Seabadger Update

April 2026

Join us For Reunion Weekend!

October 2nd & 3rd, 2026

 

Visit our Reunion 2026 webpage for more information and to Register!        GO BADGERS--Beat Spartans

Call for Nominations

2026 Board of Directors


Departing Directors: Mark Stone Keith Guyer Chris Murdoch


If interested please contact our nominations chair, George Ketterer. He can be reached at glketter@wisc.edu.

Update on Membership Classes

 

Please note that one year memberships are no longer available. We currently have over 250 members, and only 6 of them are on a one year membership. The administrative cost outweighs the benefits.

 

Please renew for a five year or lifetime membership.

Current Membership Summary (as of April 1)

Welcome Memberships   17
Faculty/Staff Memberships   02
1 Yr Memberships   06
5 Yr Memberships   54
Life Members                                  149
Total Membership 228

Classes with no association members: (Yikes)
2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Classes with highest percentages of members:
1982 (60%) 1986 (56%)  1988 (50%)

Honoring Those who Have Departed

The association is taking steps to track all NROTC Alumni, whether or not they are members of the Alumni Association.  We remember these alumni who have left us so far this year..  (Note:  This list may not be complete, our tracking effort is ongoing).  Our complete list will be published on the web site later this year, and includes when possible, a link to the members obituary, or death notice.

          Class Name Date of Death
1946 George J. Hess 13-Jan-2026
1946 Robert E. Forbess 16-Jan-2026
1953 Paul L. Trump 28-Jan-2026
1946 Philip G. Clites 4-Feb-2026

Shipmates, thank you for your service, we have the watch.

From the President

Hello everyone.  I've enjoyed putting the last couple of newsletters together and I  surely hope you are finding them interesting.   I've not been persuasive enough in getting articles submitted from the membership, so I'm doing my best to find things of interest to share with you.  In trying to find Navy news relevant to Wisconsin, my Google search came across an obituary for Harold John Day, who passed away last August 31st.  He served in the Navy starting at age 17, serving on the USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47) just after the end of WWII.  After leaving active duty, he attended UW Madison and graduated with a BS and MS in Civil Engineering.  His was a life well lived and I would recommend reading his obituary if for no other reason to honor the memory of a fellow Sailor and Badger.  

I'm also proud of the fact that Wisconsin is again building warships for our Navy.  Growing up, I knew we had shipyards in Wisconsin, but I don't recall that they built Naval vessels.  Now we have three shipyards just in Wisconsin, all part of Fincantieri, an Italian shipbuilding firm.  The three facilities are:

Fincatieri Marinette Marine in Marinette
Ace Marine in Green Bay
Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay

I know we have at least one alumni working for them and perhaps we can get him to tell us more about what he does and what his company is doing for the Navy.  You can read more about Marinette Marine here.

More from Mark:


My Master's thesis at the Naval Postgraduate School was related to the development of an "Expert System for Aircraft Maintenance Scheduling." One of the references I used was called "When Artifical Intelligence Meets Natural Stupidity." Always chuckled at that title. But time moves on and....


Our alma mater is once again at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence. In December 2025, the UW Board of Regents approved the creation of the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence, UW–Madison's first new college in over 40 years (since the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1983). It reorganizes the existing School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS) — including the Departments of Computer Science, Statistics, and the Information School — into a standalone college. The college is expected to begin operations on July 1, 2026.


  • It unifies and expands programs in computing, data science, information sciences, and AI.
  • The goal is to meet surging student demand (computing-related fields are among the fastest-growing majors), create new academic pathways, and drive interdisciplinary research/education.
  • Physical support comes from Morgridge Hall, a 343,000-square-foot facility that opened in fall 2025 and now houses CDIS (and soon the new college).

Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin has emphasized that this shapes a future where UW–Madison leads in innovation while advancing knowledge for the common good. Read more about it here.

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NAVAIR PANEL DISCUSSION AT SEA-AIR-SPACE



NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.--NAVAIR personnel kicked off Tuesday at Sea-Air-Space Exposition 2026 with “Start with the Fleet: Readiness, Capability, Speed,” a panel led by NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. John E. Dougherty IV, who was joined by Rear Adm. Todd Evans, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and chief engineer with NAVAIR; Vice Commander Capt. Joseph Hidalgo, representing Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC); and Paul McGinty, director of the NAVAIR Rapid Capability 


Read More

Modern Day Marine
Address to Congressional Breakfast


WASHINGTON --Before I get started, I want to take a moment to thank the Marine Corps Association and the Marine Corps League for bringing us together and for delivering another outstanding Modern Day Marine.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. To the Members of Congress and Professional Staff Members here today: thank you. Your support makes everything we do possible, and we are deeply grateful for it. I should also share that the Secretary of the Navy sends his regards. He regrets not being here with us this morning—but he is exactly where we need him: In the Western Pacific, meeting with key leaders, our allies, and Marines and Sailors. 

The Marine Corps has long shared a close and trusted partnership with Congress—one built on shared commitment to the defense of our Nation and a mutual understanding of the responsibility we carry together. Your steadfast backing—through good times and hard choices alike—has ensured that Marines remain ready, forward, and capable of answering the call whenever and wherever our country needs us. 

Modern Day Marine

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ARABIAN GULF (Dec. 16, 2025) A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) successfully launches from the flight deck of the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) while operating in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 16. Task Force 59 operated the LUCAS drone, which is part of Task Force Scorpion Strike, a one-way attack drone squadron recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Photo by Spc. Kayla Mc Guire)

U.S. Navy Employs Attack Drone at Sea for First Time


ARABIAN GULF --Personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (NAVCENT/C5F) successfully launched a one-way attack drone from a ship at sea for the first time, Dec. 16.

The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) achieved the historic milestone in the Arabian Gulf while launching a Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS).“This first successful launch of LUCAS from a naval vessel marks a significant milestone in rapidly delivering affordable and effective unmanned capabilities to the warfighter,” said Vice Adm. Curt Renshaw, commander of NAVCENT/C5F. “This achievement demonstrates the power of innovation and joint collaboration in this critical region.”

On Dec. 3, U.S. Central Command announced the deployment of the U.S. military’s first one-way-attack drone squadron to the Middle East. The LUCAS drone that took off from USS Santa Barbara’s flight deck is part of the Task Force Scorpion Strike squadron formed to equip U.S. service members with the latest cutting-edge tools. 

The LUCAS platforms operated by U.S. forces in the Middle East have an extensive range and can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.“This platform will undoubtedly enhance regional maritime security and deterrence,” said Renshaw.NAVCENT/C5F’s unmanned and autonomous operations task force, Task Force 59, executed the successful LUCAS drone launch from USS Santa Barbara.

Always a SeaBadger!


Let’s Connect! uwnrotcalum@gmail.com



University of Wisconsin Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Alumni Association

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Madison, WI 53726-4086


Founded in 1987, the University of Wisconsin Naval ROTC Alumni Association, Inc. is a tax exempt organization as described in Code Section 501(c)(3).

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