NAVAL RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Marine Officer Instructor
Job Titles:
- Captain
- Commanding Officer
Captain Jean Marie Sullivan is the youngest child of U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officers and spent most of her youth overseas. She attended University of Rochester under the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program and received her commission in 2000 as a Surface Warfare Officer.
Captain Sullivan's sea tours include USS WINSTON S. CHURCHILL (DDG 81), USS FORREST SHERMAN (DDG 98), DESTROYER SQUADRON 28, and as the Executive Officer in USS GONZALEZ (DDG 66). She served as the 22nd Commanding Officer of USS WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41)from 2019 to 2021.
Captain Sullivan's shore assignments include Director of Women's Policy for the Navy, speechwriter for the Chief of Naval Personnel, Defense Legislative Fellow, Special Assistant to Chief of Naval Operations, and Commander's Action Group Director for the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Commander, NATO Joint Force Command Naples. Her last assignment prior to arriving here was as Division Chief in the Directorate for Global Operations (J-39) in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Captain Sullivan has also served as a White House Social Aide for President George W. Bush.
She has a Master's Degree in Organizational Management from The George Washington University.
Her personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (seven awards) along with other personal awards and unit citations.
Captain Sullivan assumed command of The George Washington University NROTC unit in May 2023 and serves as the University's Professor of Naval Science.
Job Titles:
- Commander
- Executive Officer
CDR Justin Cooper is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia, and received his commission from the United States Naval Academy. In June 2003, he reported to Pensacola, FL where he completed flight training earning his wings in November 2004.
CDR Cooper's operational assignments include tours with Helicopter Anti- Submarine Squadron Light FOUR FOUR (HSL-44), Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light FOUR EIGHT (HSL-48), and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron FOUR NINE (HSM-49). While at HSL-44, he deployed in USS UNDERWOOD (FFG- 36) in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He later deployed as Detachment Maintenance Officer in USS McINERNEY (FFG-8) supporting Operation MARTILLO in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
While assigned to HSL-48, he served as the Squadron Weapons and Tactics Instructor ensuring all deploying crews were fulling qualified and ready to support their assigned ship. With HSM-49, he deployed in USS VANDEGRIFT (FFG-48) again supporting Operation MARTILLO in the Eastern Pacific. Upon returning from deployment, Commander Cooper served as Squadron Maintenance Officer and was selected as the 2016 HSMWINGPAC Senior Maintenance Officer of the Year.
Ashore, CDR Cooper served at HSMWSL as a Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor in the SH-60B. In 2011 he earned a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Florida during his off time. In 2016, he reported to the Pentagon where he served on the Joint Staff, J-3 in the J35 Joint Operations Division Americas supporting U.S. Northern Command and as the Joint Staff representative to the Global Maritime Operation Threat Response (MOTR) process. Upon completion of his joint tour, he attended Joint Advanced Warfighting School in Norfolk, Virginia and earned a Master in Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy along with completing Joint Professional Military Education II. He is a Fully Joint Qualified Officer currently serving in the USAFRICOM J35 Future Operations Division.
CDR Cooper has flown over 2500 flight hours in the H-60. He has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (Five Awards) in addition to other unit and operational awards.
Job Titles:
- Advisor / Admin ( Surface Warfare )
Job Titles:
- Civilian Staff Member
- Human Resources Assistant
Job Titles:
- Civilian Staff Member
- Human Resources Assistant ( MIL / OA )
Contact information for each instructor can be obtained by calling 202-994-5880 or emailing gwnrotc@gwu.edu.