Naval War College Monterey honors 'top' JPME graduates

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Naval War College (NWC) Monterey students earning academic honors during the first quarter of Academic Year 2018 were recognized during a brief ceremony in their honor near the NWC Program offices in Halligan Hall at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), April 24.

Professor Fred Drake, chairman of the NWC Monterey program, presided over the ceremony for those in attendance.

“I would like to thank and recognize the outstanding achievements of today’s honor graduates,” said Drake. “It is your contributions, class and experience out in the fleet and field that helps keep what we teach here so relevant to those that will come after you. Your presence and individual expertise really helps break down internal Department of Defense cultural barriers that helps get people working together.”

Graduates earning “with Highest Distinction” honors by completing the Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) program in the top five percent of their class are Army Capt. Anthony Akrami, Army Majors Benjamin Bringhurst and Michael Oliveira; and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Schoultz.

Graduates earning “with Distinction” honors by completing the JPME program in the top 15 percent of their class are Navy Lieutenants Robert Birch, Daniel Blue, David Rose and John Tanalega; Navy Cmdr. Ryan Carmichael; Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sean Teter; Army Majors Stephen Deterding, Robby Otwell and Thang Tran; Army Capt. Erik Kiser; and Marine Corps Maj. Aaron Glover.

Through the NPS-NWC partnership, a total of 4,847 officers have earned their JPME Phase I certification since the program’s inception in September 1999.