Naval ROTC holds change of command ceremony and reception

Capt. Gerard W. Hall (right) relieved Capt. Kent V. Flowers as commanding officer and professor of Naval Science for Southern University’s NROTC Unit.

Southern University’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) Unit held a change of command ceremony recently in the Cyprus Room of the Mayberry Dining Hall on the university’s campus.

During the July 17 ceremony, Capt. Gerard W. Hall relieved Capt. Kent V. Flowers as commanding officer and professor of Naval Science for Southern University’s NROTC Unit.

The ceremony marked the 13th Change of Command since the unit was established in August of 1971.

Hall is a native of Reserve and a 1986 graduate of Southern. He was previously assigned to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Supreme Allied Command, Transformation in Mons, Belgium where he served as Forward Branch Chief for the Cooperation, Dialogue, and Partner Training Branch.

Flowers became Commander of Southern’s NROTC Unit in November of 2005. His next assignment will be to serve as commanding officer and professor of Naval Science for the Savannah State University NROTC Unit, in Savannah, Georgia.

Emma Bradford Perry, dean of libraries and academic adviser for the NROTC expressed words of encouragement to Flowers and said that she looks forwards to working with Hall.

The presentation of awards and the reading of orders were carried out by Cmdr. Eugene Martin, executive officer of SU’s NROTC Unit.

Bishop Johnny Young, of Heavenly Hope Ministries, gave the invocation and benediction for the ceremony. A reception followed the ceremony in the Magnolia Room of Mayberry Dining Hall.