DAHLGREN, Va. (Feb. 23, 2018) - University of Virginia Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Midshipmen pause in front of a U.S. Navy 16-inch battleship gun on the parade field during their tour of Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). Lt. Aaron Brotman, assistant professor of naval science for the university's ROTC program, left, and Chris Hodge, NSWCDD director of technical development, are pictured with the 14 Midshipmen in front of a gun that served aboard USS New Jersey (BB-62) before it was retired to Naval Support Facility Dahlgren. Navy scientists and engineers briefed the future naval officers on technologies and facilities such as warfare analysis, laser weapon testing and development, and MOATS - the Maginot' Open Air Test Site. MOATS has been specifically designed for testing the radio frequency susceptibility of electronic equipment to potential high power microwave weapon systems. The Midshipmen saw how NSWCDD engineers conduct lethality work impacting the evaluation of high energy laser technology in addition to the design and development process required to integrate future laser weapon systems in various platforms. NSWCDD scientists and engineers discussed various aspects of electrical and computer engineering, including systems the ROTC Midshipmen would be interacting with as Navy and Marine Corps officers.
The mission of the University of Virginia Naval ROTC program is to develop Midshipmen 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, in order to commission college graduates as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated towards careers in the naval service, and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government.