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ROTC Welcomes Commanding Officers Kirby and Fritchle

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The Georgia Tech ROTC Navy and Army units welcome two new commanding officers this month; Captain Stephen H. Kirby assumes command of the ROTC Navy unit, and Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Fritchle heads the Army unit.

The Naval ROTC at Georgia Tech welcomes Captain Stephen H. Kirby as its new Commanding Officer. Kirby, a graduate of Loyola University, was commissioned through the Aviation Officer Candidate School in 1982 and received his Naval Flight Officer Wings that same year. He has flown over 3300 hours in the EA-6B and A-6E aircraft, accumulating over 600 carrier landings. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), the Air Medal (3 Strike/Flight), the Navy Commendation Medal (5 awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal.

Captain Kirby is a graduate of the Naval War College, Newport, RI and the Canadian Forces College, Toronto, Ontario. He has deployed in many significant missions including Operations Desert Shield, Northern Watch, and Enduring Freedom. In the past decade, he has fulfilled assignments as Head of Aviation Commander Assignments at Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee, as Command Naval Aviation Schools Command, NAS Pensacola, and most recently as Chief of Staff for Commander, Carrier Strike Group Eight.

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony "Tony" Fritchle, comes to Georgia Tech from assignment in Iraq. He officially assumed command of the Georgia Tech Army ROTC Program on July 8, 2009.

Fritchle began his Army career as an enlisted soldier in the Infantry in 1985. He commissioned as an officer in 1992 and since has held numerous company/battalion officer positions both in combat and in training. He holds an MA in Military and Operational Art from the Air Force Command and Staff University, has taught at the Army's premiere leadership school, Ranger School, and instructed as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at North Georgia College and the State University's Reserve Officer Training program. His operational leadership includes one tour in Alaska, two tours with the 75th Rangers in Savannah, GA, two tours in the Republic of South Korea, and most recently he commanded a Brigade Combat Advisor Team in Baghdad, Iraq.

Lieutenant Colonel Fritchle's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (5), Army Commendation Medal (3), and Army Achievement Medal (5), Iraq Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and has earned the Expert Infantry Badge and Ranger Tab. He is also a Master Parachutist.

Former GTROTC Navy Commanding Officer, Wayne Radloff retires this month. GT Army ROTC Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Nathaniel Farmer now commands the Army's Pine Bluff Chemical Activity unit in Arkansas.

Status

  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Rebecca Keane
  • Created:08/11/2009
  • Modified By:Fletcher Moore
  • Modified:10/07/2016