Cord-John Roehrbein, Class of 2018
Lieutenant, USN (Active)
2018-present
2018-present
Midshipman Experience
Hailing from Puerto Rico, LT Cord-John Roehrbein was part of 11th Company and performed with the Academy’s own Pipes and Drums prior to commissioning in 2018.
Career Background
Roehrbein’s considerable exposure to Japanese language and history served him well during his tours in Yokosuka and Hawaii. He successfully leveraged his keen cultural awareness to forge strong relationships with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) counterparts during search-and-rescue operations and public relations events like the 2019 Black Ship Festival, which commemorated Commodore Perry’s visit to Japan in the 1850s. Further, he feels studying history prepared him well for distilling dense military instructions down to their most actionable elements.
Roehrbein currently leads watch teams at the Joint Fleet Telecommunications Operations Center (JFTOC) for the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Pacific (NCTAMS PAC) in Hawaii. Prior to this assignment, he served as Gunnery Officer and Main Propulsion Officer onboard USS STETHEM (DDG 63).
Roehrbein currently leads watch teams at the Joint Fleet Telecommunications Operations Center (JFTOC) for the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Pacific (NCTAMS PAC) in Hawaii. Prior to this assignment, he served as Gunnery Officer and Main Propulsion Officer onboard USS STETHEM (DDG 63).
The History Major
As a History major, Roehrbein concentrated on Medieval Europe and Japan, yet his capstone project centered around the history of sex. Other projects he found especially rewarding were his counterfactual examination of the Third Crusade, and researching British archival records pertaining to the Persian Gulf in the 1930s and 1940s.
Sage Advice
“Study what interests you and pursue further learning within the [History] Department ... midshipmen have a lot of control in shaping what classes are taught and offered. The professors are the best in the business, and often working with them directly will produce results that benefit more than just yourself."
