Carlos Rosende, Class of 2012

 

Midshipman Experience

Originally from San Antonio, TX, Mr. Carlos Rosende was a proud member of the 30th company, an intramural warrior, and an active participant of the YP Squadron. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 2012 and commissioned as a Surface Warfare officer.
 

Career Background

After graduating from USNA, Mr. Rosende served aboard the USS Stethem (DDG-63) in Yokosuka, Japan from 2013 to 2017. After leaving the Stethem, Mr. Rosende worked as an all-source intelligence officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington D.C. After completing this tour, he joined the reserves and worked as part of the U.S. Forces Korea Detachment Newport. In January 2022, Mr. Rosende left the reserves to pursue a law degree. He is currently in his third year at Harvard Law School as part of the class of 2023.

 

The History Major

As a History Major, Mr. Rosende emphasized courses in Latin American political and military history. His senior thesis was entitled “Capitalism and Its Critics,” and consisted of a series of papers that analyzed historically conflicting viewpoints of capitalism. Mr. Rosende credits being a History Major with developing his ability to research thoroughly, write analytically, and think critically–skills that he believes are vital and which served him well in his career as a Naval Officer, and which will serve him well in his chosen legal profession. Reflecting on his experience in Seventh Fleet and as a History Major, Mr. Rosende asserts that a good officer should know the ‘why’  behind their work, which requires historical knowledge and understanding, as well as the capacity to assess and analyze the past and apply its important lessons to the present.  

According to Mr. Rosende, “The military is ultimately one of many tools of American foreign policy.  To be effective leaders, its officers--even at the junior-most level--must understand American foreign policy; they must know why they do what they do. They must develop an understanding of foreign policy, and foreign policy cannot be understood absent its historical context. Such knowledge will allow midshipmen, as future officers, to exercise better judgment, to intelligently take the initiative, to innovate, to recommend, to be culturally sensitive, and to critically evaluate policy to further the interests of the American people in pursuit of a stable, peaceful, prosperous world.  One day, some of these midshipmen will be generals and admirals; they will need these skills at that point, and waiting to develop them until they are senior officers is simply too little, too late.”

 

Sage Advice

“As with most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it.  Seize this opportunity to learn as much as you can so that you are fully armed with potent knowledge when you begin your service in the fleet.”