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Today@NPS


January 2014
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U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danica Sirmans
NPS President, Provost Welcome Incoming Students

By Kenneth A. Stewart

NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ronald A. Route addresses the Winter Quarter’s incoming class of graduate students during orientation briefings in King Auditorium, Jan. 2.

Route reached out to the new university students, thanking them for their service while also challenging them to use their time at NPS to study, connect with their families, and to focus on advanced critical thinking.

“You have been working very hard, and now it is time to think about your careers and your future … We are going teach you how to think better, to think critically,” said Route.


“The critical thinking and problem solving skills that you learn here are something that you will use every day of your careers,” continued Route. “What I learned here as a student was very valuable to me and to my service … I wish I could trade places with you.”

NPS Provost Dr. Douglas Hensler also welcomed the assembled students, focusing his discussion on the nature of graduate studies at NPS.

“We are a learning institution,” said Hensler. “This institution is mission and vision driven, and we are pleased that you are able to be a part of that vision.”

This latest class of future NPS graduates will formally join the ranks of their fellow students for the first day of classes on Monday, Jan. 6.



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U.S. Navy photo by Javier Chagoya
NPS Students, Faculty Explore Lessons-Learned From Cyber Exercise

By Javier Chagoya

Capt. Matthew Weiner, a cyber warrior instructor with the U.S. Air Force Weapons School Training Unit at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., briefs NPS students and faculty on lessons learned from the U.S. Cyber Command sponsored Joint Cyber Flag Exercise 14-1.

The detailed briefing provided NPS personnel with a first-hand recount of the expansive exercise, with the hopes of applying lessons learned to NPS’ own cyber programs.

“The Cyber Flag is a joint cyberspace training exercise fusing attack and defense across the full spectrum of operations against a realistic and thinking enemy in a virtual environment,” said Weiner.

A team from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) also participated in the 11-day exercise, working with participants within the scenario to execute command and control protocols to thwart simulated cyber attacks.

“The Cyber Flag exercise provided a very realistic training environment,” said Air Force Maj. Gabrielle Bryant-Butler, lead planner for joint plans and exercises in DISA’s Operations Directorate. “DISA’s participation provided an unparalleled opportunity for the individuals who operate and defend the [Department of Defense Information Network] to hone their skills.”



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U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danica M. Sirmans
Physics Professor Joe Hooper Honored With Menneken Research Award
By MC3 Danica Sirmans

NPS Department of Physics Assistant Professor Dr. Joseph P. Hooper demonstrates the three-inch, single-stage light gas gun used to study failure properties of reactive materials in his Spanagel Hall laboratory, Jan. 6. Hooper was honored with the 2013 Menneken Faculty Award late last quarter, recognizing outstanding effort and achievement in research with impact on Navy/DOD technology.

“Most of our research focuses on the physics and materials science of non-nuclear conventional weapons,” said Hooper. “One of our main projects is on reactive materials, compounds which are largely inert under normal conditions but can release significant combustion energy when put into a warhead.

“These can potentially offer a range of new weapons effects, as well as providing materials that are safer than traditional explosives but maintain similar lethality,” continued Hooper. “The safety aspect is a big issue for the Navy since our ordnance is traditionally stored next to our personnel.”


Hooper has published nine peer-reviewed articles since joining NPS in 2011 and is working on both computational and experimental research programs that he notes have been largely empowered by the participation of several NPS students.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a large group of students involved in our research,” said Hooper. “Students bring a lot of operational experience and insight to this research, which helps a great deal in thinking clearly about the direction of a project or its possible applications in the fleet.”

The Carl E. and Jessie W. Menneken Faculty Award for Excellence is awarded annually in honor of its namesake to an NPS faculty member for outstanding effort and achievement in research with identifiable impact on the Navy and Department of Defense technology. 



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U.S. Navy photo by Javier Chagoya
Comoros Sends Its First Student to NPS
By Javier Chagoya

Comoros National Defense Officer Capt. Adaine Moudjib is the first of his nation to attend the Naval Postgraduate School. Moudjib hails from one of the world’s youngest countries, the Union of the Comoros, an archipelago nation of volcanic islands located in the Mozambique Channel northwest of Madagascar.

“I was selected to come to NPS due to my educational background and language skills,” said Moudjib who speaks five languages – French, English, Arabic, Malagasy and Comorian, a Bantu language closely related to Swahili.


Moudjib is participating in the NPS Department of National Security Affairs new international defense planning certificate program.

“I hope my studies will bring more ideas to me and I'll be able to contribute some solutions to problems in our small armed forces,” said Moudjib.



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U.S. Navy photo by Javier Chagoya
NPS Staff Member Exercises Public Service Through Board Appointment
By Dale M. Kuska

NPS Energy Academic Group Deputy Director Alan Howard, pictured in front of Herrmann Hall, has recently been re-appointed to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, a state licensing body designed to protect consumers and promote professionalism in osteopathic medicine.

“I had wanted to serve the public and had been in discussions with [former] Gov. Schwarzenegger's administration in 2007 as to where my skills, education and interests could best be of service,” Howard said. “It was then I was first appointed to this board and it's a great honor to have been recognized by Governor Brown as a valuable member of the board and allowed to continue in this role.”


Howard’s background in management and administration provides a unique perspective to the board’s primary mission to protect consumers and promote professionalism in the field of osteopathic medicine. As a public member of the board, Howard says his contributions are focused more on public service and board operations.

“With my background and education, I tend to look at the business aspects of the board and provide more oversight there … things like board finances, budget, processes, reporting, etc.,” Howard noted. “But I weigh-in heavily on physician discipline cases as well, where there is an element of possible public harm if action is not taken by the board. Providing a safe, efficient, and compliant health care system with the highest professional standards for the people of California is our board's top priority.”

Howard’s reappointment extends through the end of 2016.



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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Shawn J. Stewart
Defense Energy Seminar Focuses on Human Behavior
By MC2 Shawn J. Stewart

NPS Department of Systems Engineering Associate Professor retired Army Col. Alejandro Hernandez addresses NPS engineering students, along with select faculty and staff, on the complexities of energy conservation in the military during a lecture held in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Auditorium, Jan 10.

Hernandez’s aim is to continue expanding the operational relationship between NPS and the Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office (E2O) in hopes of forging new ideas and expanding research capabilities.


“Conservation of energy for the USMC is a means to extend operational reach,” said Hernandez. “This is the continued sustainment of operations in both time and space without increasing the amount of energy required. The ability to extend operations affects all military activities, including command, control, communications, computers and intelligence.”

Hernandez discussed current research to identify and quantify factors of human behavior that have the ability to extend operational reach when changed. He also welcomed NPS colleagues Research Professor Dr. Michael E. McCauley and Research Associate Anita Salem to the conversation, bringing their expert analyses to the presentation.

Understanding energy dependence is a critical weakness of U.S. combat forces, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos declared energy a top priority, prompting him to challenge all Marines to conserve energy use on and off the battlefield. Amos also developed the Expeditionary Energy Strategy and Implementation Plan aimed at increasing combat effectiveness through efficiency and renewable expeditionary energy.



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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Chablis J. Torrence
IT Task Force Reviews Final Cybersecurity Inspection Report

By MC2 Chablis J. Torrence

After 10 months of preparation for last year’s cybersecurity inspection (CSI), reviewing policy and ensuring security configurations were in place and functioning, members of the NPS Information Technology Task Force met in Herrmann Hall, Jan. 9, to review the final report. In the end, the examination of the university’s secure SIPRnet network, as well as the .edu network, successfully passed the detailed, comprehensive inspection with a combined score of 76.7.

“The CSI program provides an inspection of network security compliance with DOD cybersecurity policies and configuration requirements,” said Terri Brutzman, Deputy Director, NPS Information Technology and Communications Services. “The inspection was a comprehensive review of both the educational unclassified network and the NPS military secret network.”

Brutzman says the cybersecurity inspection helps ensure the health and safety of the network, and includes a detailed evaluation of the physical network, administrative practices, user operational behavior, and network defense practices and policies.

All users of any DOD network are required to complete the annual cybersecurity training, held several times each year on campus. And with the tireless assistance of the ITACS team, all faculty, researchers, students and staff operating and maintaining systems on the network were able to ensure those systems were indeed compliant in advance of inspection team visit late last year.

“The preparation for this inspection involved every person at NPS with access on each network,” said Brutzman. “The effort was largely an ITACS effort, but could not have been done without the assistance and partnership with colleagues throughout the NPS community.”



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U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danica M. Sirmans
Student Orientation Fair Introduces Newest Class to NPS, Monterey Communities

By MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

Naval Postgraduate School Protocol Office staff members, Petty Officers 2nd Class Darin Wright and Jeremy Myers, ask Fleet Feet Sports representative Molly Evans questions about the services offered by the local business she works for. Evans was among among more than 50 organizations in attendance to welcome and introduce new NPS students, spouses and staff to the area.

The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Monterey Morale, Welfare and Recreation Information, Tickets and Tours (ITT) office at NPS hosts the event twice a year, each January and July. The purpose is to create an environment that encourages new and current NSA Monterey military members to interact with the local and civilian community.

“We get to see a glimpse of what the community outside the gate has to offer while allowing vendors to market their products and services,” said Lindsay Carter, the Community Activities and Liberty Coordinator for NSA Monterey. “Vendors range from doctors’ offices to rock-climbing gyms.”

Vendors, community service organizations and NPS clubs are welcome to register with the ITT office to participate. Carter noted that some vendors from as far as Anaheim were in attendance at this year’s first fair. 



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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Chablis J. Torrence
DRMI Kicks Off Two-Week Course in Strategic Human Capital Management

By MC2 Chablis J. Torrence

NPS’ Defense Resources Management Institute (DRMI) welcomed the latest cohort of students to campus this week for the Human Capital Resources Management (HCRM) course. The HCRM program offers relevant economic concepts and strategic planning resources emphasizing human resources integration and total force management.

“Ultimately the course is about learning analytical tools and perspectives to improve programs and policies pertaining to human capital,” said DRMI Assistant Professor Dr. Laura Armey.

“We learn from each other’s experiences, knowledge and backgrounds a little bit more than we learn from the instructors,” said Saudi Arabian National Guard Brig. Gen. Dr. Khalid AlShohaib. “It’s a mix of knowledge that one could never get anywhere else.”

The HCRM course is a two-week program of classroom lectures, small group discussions and real-world case studies intended to develop the decision-making skills necessary in today's challenging defense environment.

“I hope our students take a step back from their day-to-day manpower and human resource problems and look at the overall process of managing people from a fresh and strategic perspective,” added Armey.



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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Shawn J. Stewart
Hastily Formed Networks Research Group Shares Philippine Deployment Experiences

By MC2 Shawn J. Stewart

Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Bumatay, left, an NPS student and member of the university’s Hastily Formed Networks (HFN) Research Group, details his team’s experiences supporting relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan during a campus brown bag lecture, Jan. 14. The HFN group deployed to the Philippines in support of Operation Damayan immediately following the devastating typhoon last November.

“Once we arrived in the disaster areas, we were able to provide communications support and training immediately … This was crucial as the devastation was widespread and communications were almost non-existent,” said Bumatay, a native of the Philippines.

“Filipinos have an ethos called ‘Bayanihan’ where the whole village comes to the rescue of a resident who may be in dire need of assistance,” added Bumatay. “I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in this mission and to have had the opportunity to answer the call to ‘Bayanihan.’”

HFN Research Group Director Brian Steckler shared some of the unique challenges his group faced while on site.

“Transportation on the ground was scarce and very expensive inside of the disaster area,” said Steckler. “We had to use cash everywhere because the entire economic system, including ATMs, banks, etc., was completely disabled.”

Despite having to overcome these and other logistical challenges, Steckler and his team expressed pride in their accomplishment and deemed the operation a success.  



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U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Dr. Nita Shattuck
NPS Professor Dr. Nita Shattuck Honored With Surface Navy Association's Literary Award
By MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

NPS Department of Operations Research Associate Professor Dr. Nita Shattuck is awarded the Surface Navy Association (SNA) Literary Award at the SNA Annual Symposium in Springfield, Va., Jan. 15. Shattuck was recognized alongside co-author retired Navy Capt. John Cordle for their article, “A Sea Change in Standing Watch,” which addressed the importance of sleep as it applies to operational readiness.

“It’s really about improving the lives of sailors,” said Shattuck. “The award was such a surprise and very humbling, but the recognition is not so much about the writing, it’s about addressing the needs of the fleet.”

Shattuck and Cordle’s U.S. Naval Institute-featured article discussed the benefits of maintaining a circadian rhythm to meet the needs of the human body in a stressful environment. Their study seeks to prove that setting the same working and sleeping hours reduces fatigue and fatigue-related errors within the fleet.

Shattuck and her students have studied the affects of sleep and fatigue in operational environments for the past 12 years.

“About a dozen NPS students have helped with this research project along the way,” said Shattuck. “Each of them have helped at different stages and I’ve really valued their input and operational experience over the years. It’s been essential.”

Cordle, who recently retired as a surface warfare officer, helped conduct studies aboard the USS San Jacinto (CG-56) by implementing a 3/9 watch-standing schedule. The schedule, modeled after an idea employed by the German navy, is unorthodox, but it has been proven to foster support for the much-needed circadian rhythm.

Shattuck is currently aboard the USS Independence (LCS-2) where she will be collecting data for the next three weeks on Sailors and their sleep patterns during rough-water trials.


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Photo courtesy PEO CS & CSS Public Affairs
Army’s TACOM Life Cycle Management Command Congratulates NPS DL Cohort
By PEO CS & CSS Public Affairs

A proud group of NPS graduates from the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy’s Advanced Acquisition Program (AAP) displays their certificates during a ceremony at the U.S.  Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command  (TACOM LCMC) late last year. The AAP is a 12-month, distance-learning program focused on graduate-level defense acquisition and program management education.

Kevin M. Fahey, Program Executive Officer Combat Support & Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS), helped sponsor the cohort of 31 students, and keynoted the small ceremony at the TACOM LCMC facility in Warren, Mich.

“This is a very challenging program,” said Fahey, “requiring you to think hard, work hard, and prepare for even greater challenges.  Your graduation is timely, because that’s just the kind of effort we need in today’s challenging environment.”

NPS’ AAP provides federal sponsors with an on-site source for Level III Program Management certification training, and NPS is the only other education provider that provides Defense Acquisition University (DAU) equivalency in Program Management. The curriculum covers acquisition and program management, contract and financial management, acquisition logistics, test and evaluation management, manufacturing and quality assurance as well as software acquisition management.


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U.S. Navy photo courtesy Charlie Orsburn, DRMI

NPS Works with Senior Panamanian Security Officials to Develop Resource Management Plans
By MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

Monterey Police Department Assistant Police Chief Michael Aspland, center, meets with senior Panamanian government officials at the Monterey Police Department, Jan. 21. The meeting was part of a three-day, Defense Resources Management Institute (DRMI)-led workshop that sought to identify Panama’s long-term resource management education requirements and to develop an appropriate engagement plan to meet those requirements.  

Panama’s Vice Minister of Public Security, the Honorable Manuel Moreno, along with the commissioners of the Panama National Police, National Boarder Service and National Air-Naval Service participated in the resource management assessment. DRMI’s Luis Morales accompanied the group of officials throughout the assessment and workshop.

“The Ministry of Public Security wants to improve the utilization of their scarce resources,” said Morales. “We’ve started the preparations for a five-year strategic plan for optimization of their resource allocation process.”

DRMI faculty will continue to work with the Panamanian security agencies via Video Teleconferencing (VTC) to assist them as they develop a long-term engagement plan.



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By U.S. Navy photo
NPS Tapped to Help Navy Combat Sexual Assault
By Kenneth Stewart

NPS Associate Professor Gail Thomas addresses a diverse group of Sailors at the U.S. Navy Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Forum held in San Diego, Jan. 13. The forum was the first of several events that seek to radically change the way Sailors think about, prevent and educate others on the damage caused by sexual assault within the Navy.

“This is not just a Navy priority, it's a national priority,” said Thomas. “We asked our participants to envision a future where there is no sexual assault."


Thomas and NPS Center for Executive Education Acting Director Winli McAnally guided Sailors through a series of exercises designed to encourage innovation in the manner in which SAPR is taught and discussed within the Navy.

“[Participating Sailors] did all the work … We choreographed it, but it was their thoughts and suggestions that made the event a success,” said McAnally. “I feel like we inspired people to go out and change things.”

The forum kicked off a 7-month fleet engagement ‘listening tour’ led by the director of the 21st Century Sailor Office, Rear Adm. Sean S. Buck. Buck will be engaging Sailors across the fleet in an effort to address, amongst other things, SAPR, suicide prevention and stress management.



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U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

NPS Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During Annual Breakfast
By MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

Members of the Monterey Chapter of the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) are joined by Seaside Mayor Ralph Rubio, the Village Project Inc. Chair and keynote speaker Ann Todd Jealous, and NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ronald A. Route during the 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Commemorative Breakfast, Jan. 25.

“We often hear of Dr. King in the context of the extraordinary, but I think it’s just as important to talk about the ordinary,” said Jealous. “I share the imperfections of his humanness so that you will understand that perfection is not necessary in order to make great and positive change. We just have to care enough to not let our fears and our imperfections stop us.”

Jealous participated in the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where, as a 16-years-old, she heard King’s famous, “I Have a Dream,” speech.

NNOA advisor and NPS Graduate School of Business and Public Policy Associate Dean Cmdr. Simonia Blassingame offered closing remarks at the commemoration.

“I have marched and commemorated Dr. King’s birthday for as long as I can remember, but I have not quite heard the story put together in the way that Mrs. Jealous told it today,” said Blassingame. “You gave me so much to think about, and I enjoyed it tremendously.”

The Jealous family is active in a number of community designed to empower people to improve their lives. Jealous’ husband, Fred Jealous, is founder of the Breakthrough Men’s Community, a men’s organization focused on self-improvement. Her son, Benjamin, recently completed a five-year term as President of the NAACP.



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U.S. Navy photo by Javier Chagoya

Allocating Resources to Competing Activities … Optimization Fun!
By Javier Chagoya

Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP) students in this quarter’s Business Modeling and Analysis course listen to Associate Professor Dr. Aruna Apte describe a modeling and linear programming exercise that utilizes the popular children toy, Legos.

Apte and her colleague, fellow GSBPP Professor Dr. Uday Apte, developed the hands-on learning technique, forcing students through the challenging processes of allocating scarce resources among a list of competing alternatives.

“The exercise puts fun into the fundamentals of understanding how to formulate and solve linear programming problems, and for the students to develop an intuition about the economic concepts underlying the method,” said Aruna Apte.

Students work in teams of three or six persons, and must determine how many Lego bricks it takes to make a robot, ladder or a sailboat, with each assembled toy assigned a determined value. Students must then make as many of the three toys as possible from the bricks available, and build the mix of toys that yields the greatest possible revenue.

Note: The methods noted in this report are copyrighted material.



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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Shawn J. Stewart
Naval War College Monterey Program Honors Academic Achievement
By MC2 Shawn J. Stewart

A select group of the 20 NPS students earning academic honors from the Naval War College (NWC) Monterey program for the first quarter of Academic Year 2014 are pictured during a brief ceremony in their honor near the NWC program offices in Halligan Hall, Jan. 28.

Graduates who completed the program in the top five percent earn “with Highest Distinction” honors. Top graduates for this past quarter include Lt. Cmdr. Zathan Baker, Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Garms, Marine Corps Maj. Marykitt Haugen, Lt. Ashley McAbee and Army Maj. Christopher Watkins.

Graduates earning “with Distinction” honors by completing the program in the top 15 percent of their class include Lt. Daniel Bagwell, Lt. Christopher Gans, Lt. James Golliday, Army Maj. Brian Horvath, Lt. Cmdr. Austin Jackson, Army Maj. Logan Kerschner, Lt. Gregory Knott, Army Maj. Aaron Lozano, Army Maj. Craig Milliron, Army Maj. Brian Mulhern, Army Maj. Joshua Pusillo, Army Maj. David Risius, Army Maj. Steven Smith, Army Maj. Isaac Torres and Lt. John Vanassche.


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U.S. Navy photo by Javier Chagoya
Defense Analysis Department Leads Border Security Workshop
By MC3 Danica M. Sirmans

NPS Research Associate Lyla Englehorn leads an Algerian and Tunisian delegation in a discussion of international law as a part of a Department of State sponsored three-week International Border Security workshop, held in Ingersoll Hall, Jan. 28.  The workshop was tailored to give a coalition of military officers, law enforcement professionals, and civilian leaders a foundational knowledge of international maritime and land-based border security.

NPS Department of Defense Analysis Assistant Professor Heather Gregg will be leading the land-based border security portion of the workshop.

“The idea is that we expose our participants to short classes on a variety of subjects. There is a great deal of emphasis placed on dialogue and interaction, the workshop is a forum for the exchange of ideas,” said Gregg. “Both the participants and the faculty will be able to walk away from this event with valuable information.”

According to Gregg, NPS was chosen to sponsor the event because of its unique ability to offer short workshops on issues related to maritime and land-based border security. Gregg also noted that the workshop provided a great opportunity for Department of Defense and Department of State professionals to work side-by-side.


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By MC2 Chablis J. Torrence
NPS Student “Rescued” by Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson
By MC2 Chablis J. Torrence

Lt. Stephen Emerson proudly displays his game-day-inspired desktop image featuring Emerson and his son Andrew showing their “12th-Man” pride prior to the Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints National Football League playoff game at Seattle’s Century Link Field, Jan 11. Emerson won the Russell Wilson Fan Rescue Contest, which in conjunction with Alaska Airlines, flies loyal fans living outside the Seattle area to home games.

Emerson says he has his wife Laura, who urged him enter the contest, to thank for the win.

“My wife is the one who found out about the contest. I didn’t expect to win but my wife never lost faith,” said Emerson. “Andrew was crazy the whole game, he was standing up in his seat the entire time cheering the Hawks on. He was just excited and happy to be there.”

It was Andrew’s first game, but he is a longtime fan and has followed the Seahawks throughout his father’s deployments. Emerson, a submariner, is attending NPS’ combat systems program.





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Today@NPS showcases some of the speakers, conferences, experiments, lectures, and other events that take place at the Naval Postgraduate School on a daily basis. If you would like more information about any of the highlighted activities please contact the Office of University Communications at pao@nps.edu.
January 2014 Title

January 2014