University of Minnesota NROTC

On 9 DEC 25 the Gopher Battalion conducted the change of command ceremony. MIDN 1/C Merrick-Melberg was properly relieved by MIDN 1/C Renning as Battalion Commanding Officer.

Congratulations to MIDN Merrick-Melberg and her staff for a great semester! Excited to see what MIDN Renning has planned for the spring semester.

Today, Midshipmen, Staff, Family, and Friends gathered to celebrate ENS Templin’s commissioning as an Officer in the United States Navy. ENS Templin has been with the Golden Gopher Battalion for the last four and a half years. Through her hard work and dedication, she has achieved her goal of earning a commission into the Nuclear Submarine Community. We wish her the best of luck as she looks ahead to Nuclear Power School and the opportunities ahead in the fleet. Semper Fortis!

Earlier this semester, University of Minnesota NROTC visited Camp Ripley to complete the annual Battalion Field Training Exercise. Navy and Marine Option Midshipmen practiced land navigation, completed Leadership Reaction Courses, hiked over 10 miles, practiced Marine Corps Martial Arts, learned patrolling tactics and completed multiple Small Unit Leadership Evaluations (SULEs). A special thank you to the Corpsman, HM1 Holcomb, who not only helped make the training successful but also taught the midshipman about tactical combat casualty care!

Happy belated Halloween from the Golden Gopher Battalion. This past week we celebrated with a costumed soccer match among the different Midshipman classes. In the end, the 1/C’s and 3/C’s assisted by the MECEPS and OC stole the gold over the 2/C’s and 4/C’s. Stay tuned in the coming days for some other events the University of Minnesota NROTC Battalion has been up to.

The Golden Gopher Battalion would like to welcome their newest naval staff member. Lieutenant Naumann is a Submarine Warfare/Nuclear propulsion Officer.
LT Naumann grew up in Lakeville, MN. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York where he received a BS in Nuclear Engineering and was commissioned through the NROTC program. He attended the Navy’s Nuclear Power School and Submarine Officer Basic School. Following graduation, he was assigned to the USS GREENEVILLE at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. He assisted the USS MONTPELIER for qualifications on her 2021 European Theater deployment. Returning to the USS GREENEVILLE, he served as the Damage Control Assistant, Undocking Officer, and Communications Officer for the remainder of the shipyard period. When the USS GREENEVILLE shifted her homeport to San Diego, California, he took on the additional duty as Assistant Operations Officer while underway.
LT Naumann now serves as an Assistant Professor of Naval Science for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Although he misses his time “sailing nuclear war machines” he is very excited for this new adventure of passing on his wisdom as a naval officer to the next generation.