Batten College Alum Admiral Robert Willard, USN, selected for key assignment

Admiral Robert Willard, current commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, has been recommended by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for appointment as Commander of the "Pacific Command". Headquartered in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the command encompasses about a third of the earth's surface, 28 countries, and more than half of the world's population. "PACCOM" includes 250,000 military personnel representing all services in the U.S. Armed Forces.

A naval aviator, Admiral Willard is ODU's most senior military graduate on active duty. He received his Masters in Engineering Management (MEM) Degree in 2005 by distance learning while serving as Commander of the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet in Japan. The Admiral is one of the University's "Distinguished Alumni".