Bob Currier, Brockport Navy Club Commander and Navy Club USA Commandant, had the rare honor and privilege to serve as a Reviewing Officer for over 850 Sailors graduating Boot Camp at Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois, on April 24, 2025.
The graduation ceremony represented the culmination of nine weeks of rigorous training that transforms civilians into U.S. Navy Sailors. Reviewing Officers are typically high-ranking military officials whose purpose is to assess the readiness of the Sailors to proceed on to further training and, ultimately, to the ships in the Fleet. As a Navy Retiree with over 20 years of Active Duty, Mr. Currier had a unique qualification to be a Reviewing Officer in that over 50 years ago he stood in their place as a boot camp Sailor at RTC Great Lakes.
Mr. Currier and his wife, Sue, were hosted by the Commanding Officer of RTC Great Lakes, Captain Kenneth Froberg, USN. Captain Froberg, a Navy Pilot, escorted the Curriers throughout the base, presenting different aspects of training that boot camp Sailors undertake. Perhaps the most impressive demonstration was Battle Stations 21, an $80 million life-like Navy Destroyer. Boarding the ship at 8 p.m., the Sailors spend the next 12 hours demonstrating their skill in executing at-sea evolutions and “fighting the ship” in battle scenarios. The next morning, exhausted, wet, and grimy from fighting fires and floodings all night, the Sailors trade in their “RECRUIT” ball cap for the coveted “NAVY” ball cap which designates them as ready for the Fleet.
During the Graduation Ceremony, in front of hundreds of families who traveled to see their Sailor graduate, Mr. Currier and Captain Froberg inspected the troops and gave out awards to the top performers, including the Navy Club Military Excellence Award, which honors the recruit who best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military appearance and behavior, self-discipline, and teamwork.
In his speech to the graduating Sailors, Mr. Currier relayed the little-known fact that in 1955, the Navy Club erected the very first memorial to the USS Arizona (BB 39) on Ford Island at the mooring point of the ship. This memorial was established seven years ahead of the familiar “fallen arch” memorial atop the ship and can still be visited today. Mr. Currier noted this was a shining example of the Navy Club’s “Advocacy & Action” approach to honoring and caring for Sailors and their families.
In addition to Mr. Currier, Navy Club Representatives from several states were also on the dais and were humbled not only by the transformation of civilians into Sailors, but also by the incredible transformation of the Navy itself. Gene Koelker, past Navy Club USA Commandant and retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, noted that when he entered in the mid-1960s, his pay was about $30 a week. Contrast that with today’s STEM Navy where a Sailor entering the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program to support Carriers and Submarines will be offered enlistment bonuses up to $140,000 (up to $50,000 cash plus up to $90,000 student loan payoff). These Sailors will be making $30,000 by the end of their first year on top of medical and dental benefits. Additionally, they could earn an additional $360,000 in bonuses over a 20-year career. All active-duty Sailors serving one tour or an entire career are entitled to receive GI Bill education benefits which can cover the costs of attending a state school or completing a vocational program.
When all was said and done, the day belonged to the graduating Sailors and their families. The sense of joy and accomplishment as the Sailors were reunited with their families foreshadowed the upcoming deployments and homecoming celebrations that will be part of their sea-going careers. They have earned the singular right to stand among the Nation’s finest volunteers who serve the greatest Navy in the world.
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