Marine Corps League Honors Villanova NROTC Midshipman

Villanova University's Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) recently held its Spring Review. Eight members of Newtown Square's General Smedley D. Butler Marine Corps League Detachment attended. Past Commandant Earle Drake presented the Detachment's "Gung Ho Award". Each spring at the Review, the award is presented to the Midshipman (MIDN) with a Marine contract who has shown great leadership potential. This year that Midshipman is MIDN 1/C Owen Fallon. The award consists of a KA-Bar Marine Fighting Knife in a walnut presentation case. MIDN Fallon was admonished to use it wisely.

The Spring Review program also celebrated an NROTC Change of Command ceremony. MIDN 1/C Abigail Kaiser relinquished command to MIDN 1/C Walker Haynes. MIDN Kaiser will be commissioned as a Navy Ensign in May as a Surface Warfare Officer and report to the USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) in Rota, Spain. MIDN Haynes is a junior, is studying Economics, and carries a GPA of 3.16.

The Commanding Officer of the Villanova NROTC program is Colonel Kenneth M. DeTreux, USMC. Colonel DeTreux is a proud native of Philadelphia. He was graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School, and attended Temple University while across town he was enrolled in the NROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania. Colonel Detreux is a career infantry officer with over 27 years of operational and leadership experience. This year the Guest of Honor at the Spring Review was Rear Admiral Gerard M. Mauer (USN Ret.), a Villanova graduate. Attached are several photos.The first photo shows Midshipman Owen Fallon, this years "Gung Ho Award" recipient, flanked by Marine Paul Donohue on left and Marine Jim Donegan on the right. Paul is a graduate of Villanova and its NROTC program. Also, not shown, but in attendance with his wife Rose was Tom Tanner, PDC. The middle photo shows some of the Detachment members in attendance. The third photo shows the change of command from MIDN Kaiser relinquishing command to MIDN Haynes.