Rear Adm. Couture is a native of Vineland, New Jersey. She commissioned through the NROTC program at the George Washington University in 1995 and she received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. She holds a master’s degree in International Studies from Old Dominion University, and she completed her Joint Professional Military Education as a student of the U.S. Naval War College and the Joint Forces Staff College.
At sea, Couture served onboard USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS Saipan (LHA 2) USS Elrod (FFG 55), USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), and USS Porter (DDG 78). She commanded USS Kauffman (FFG 59) and Destroyer Squadron 28 where she deployed twice as the Sea Combat commander with Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. She has deployed in support of Operations Joint Endeavor, Active Endeavor, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve.
78 GREAT LAKES, Ill. (May 27, 2021) – Rear Adm. Jennifer S. Couture relieved Rear Adm. Milton J. Sands III as commander of Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), Thursday, May 27, in a change of command ceremony held at the Navy’s only boot camp, Recruit Training Command (RTC) on Naval Station Great Lakes.
Vice Adm. John B. Nowell Jr., Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP), served as the guest speaker at the ceremony and Rear Adm. Pete A. Garvin, commander of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), officiated the event.
CNP addressed participants, guests and many of whom were watching virtually at the change of command ceremony and showed his great appreciation for Sands’ accomplishments.
Seaman to Admiral-21 applications open 1 hour ago Naval Science Institute Seaman to Admiral-21 students at Officer Training Command Newport, R.I., listen during a class on compasses and navigational equipment. (MC2 Derien Luce/Navy) Sailors can now apply for the Seaman to Admiral–21 undergraduate and commissioning program. Sailors selected for the program will keep their current paygrade while collecting a paycheck and attending undergraduate courses full time, along with a $10,000 annual tuition stipend. Sailors may also utilize their GI Bill for additional expenses. Applications require a personal statement, which is where the Navy advises sailors to detail their experience with high school activities, including sports, and delineate why thay aare interested in becoming an officer.
By THE DAILY STAR Published: May 12, 2021 (Tribune News Service) U.S. Navy officials said a Delaware County, N.Y., native took charge of the Recruit Training Command at a change-of-command ceremony at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois on May 5. Capt. Jeffry A. Sandin relieved Capt. Erik M. Thors as commanding officer during a virtual ceremony held on the USS Trayer, according to a media release. Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, commander of the Naval Service Training Command, was the guest speaker and presiding officer for the ceremony. He welcomed Sandin to the NSTC and to RTC and spoke about his preparations to take command and the opportunities at RTC.
The U.S. military is first and foremost a warfighting organization, but there is another area where the military in general and the Sea Services in particular can and do play an important role: humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR). The logistical capabilities, transportation assets, capital, and durability of the military have made it a go-to for delivering and distributing aid to those in need, especially when the austerity of a post-disaster environment proves too insurmountable a hurdle for civilian aid groups.
Despite this, there are a number of issues with the military’s involvement in HA/DR operations. The military’s acquisition process is an enormous financial drain, which can deflate U.S. aid provisions when funds are directed to the Department of Defense (DoD) itself, as was the case with the nearly $700 million for post-earthquake relief in Haiti.