Nailed it! Young PH Navy officer tops US naval combat course


A young Philippine Navy (PN) officer is making a name for himself in the United States after emerging on top of his naval combat officer course recently.

Lt. Junior Grade Roilan Seño (right) receives a Plaque of Recognition from Capt. Alexis Walker, commanding officer of Surface Warfare Schools Command in Rhode Island, United States on Aug. 6, 2021. (Photo from Philippine Navy Offshore Combat Force)

Lt. Junior Grade (LTJG) Roilan Seño, of the Philippine Navy's Offshore Combat Force (OCF), garnered a cumulative grade of 96.3 percent and received a Plaque of Recognition as he graduated Top 1 from the International Combat Information Center Watch Officer Course at the International Surface Warfare Officers School in Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island.

Aside from Seño, three other young PN officers also finished the course with flying colors: LTJG Lloyd Rosete and LTJG Johnny Marohombsar III, of the PN-OCF; and LTJG Markevin Adan, of the PN-Littoral Combat Force (LCF).l

All four Philippine student officers topped the course and ranked one to four of the graduating class, the PN-OCF said.

(L-R) LTJG Johnny Marohombsar, LTJG Lloyd Rosete, LTJG Roilan Seño, and LTJG Markevin Adan present a memento to Capt. Alexis Walker, commanding officer of Surface Warfare Schools Command, after they graduated from the International Combat Information Center Watch Officer Course at the International Surface Warfare Officers School in Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island on Aug. 6, 2021.

"The Force extends its genuine congratulations to the students for exemplifying excellence and representing the country in the International Combat Information Watch Officer Course!" said the PN-OCF last Tuesday, Aug. 24.

The four Navy officers completed their naval course last Aug. 6 along with six other international students: three were from Saudi Arabia, and one each from Romania, Mexico, and Turkey.

International Combat Information Center Watch Officer Course 21020 students pose a photo with the Surface Warfare Schools Command (SWSC) staff. (Photo from Philippine Navy Offshore Combat Force)

The PN-OCF said the objective of the course was to provide international officers with training in basic Combat Information Center (CIC) operations during routine peacetime steaming.

"The course put emphasis on multi-threat warfare areas, CIC equipment, special maneuvering, and CIC navigation," it said.

"Upon completion, it is expected that the student is prepared to plan, coordinate, and manage the supervision of all CIC operations and training during routine peacetime steaming," it added.