SAN DIEGO - Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) hosted the 2024 Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Tri-Service Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) conference in San Diego, March 5-7. The event included senior leaders of Navy and Marine Corps Army, and Air Force ROTC leadership, providing a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strengthening bonds between leaders of our future military officers.

While officially hosted by OSD Personnel and Readiness, Military Accession Policy Directorate, the conference is supported on a rotational basis by a different service every year, with this year being the Navy’s turn. Throughout the conference, attendees engaged in discussions encompassing statistical updates, priorities, and initiatives crucial to the growth and effectiveness of ROTC programs. Each service presented briefs, highlighting unique strengths and challenges, fostering a deeper understanding among branches.

During the week, attendees participated in team building exercises, including a daily 5k run, social engagements at historic Naval landmarks around San Diego and Coronado. The conference concluded with a tour of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), a Nimitz-Class aircraft carrier homeported at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego. For many, this was their first opportunity to step onboard a naval vessel and witness firsthand the naval strength the naval service possesses.

Vice Adm. Michael Boyle, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, delivered a flag address to ROTC leadership providing insight into the intricacies of joint warfighting. His address provided an understanding of naval operations and underscored the criticality of interoperability of the Joint Force.

As the conference concluded, Tri-Service and OSD leadership departed with shared objectives and reinforced their collective commitment to producing resilient, adaptable, and ethical leaders.

NSTC supports 98 percent of officer and enlisted initial accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy’s Citizenship Development program. NSTC oversees Recruit Training Command at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, all NROTC programs at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command at Newport, Rhode Island, and the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.

For more information on NROTC visit: www.nrotc.navy.mil/.