New Middletown Navy reservist attends pentagon event

NEW MIDDLETOWN

Dr. Joseph A. Ortenzio Jr., a retired chiropractor and Navy Reserve senior chief petty officer, and his wife, Nancy, were among some 100 people from around the country invited to attend the kick-off of the Navy Reserve Centennial celebration at the Pentagon on March 2.

“There were primarily admirals and captains in the room. I never saw so many stars and gold braids in my life,” said Dr. Ortenzio, who retired from the Navy Reserve in 1985 as a senior chief petty officer, the Navy’s second-highest enlisted rank.

Despite all the rank in attendance, the main speaker at the event, Navy Admiral Johnathon W. Greenert, chief of operations, said chief petty officers are the backbone of the Navy, Dr. Ortenzio noted with a smile.

The Ortenzios ended up at the Navy Reserve event when his dentist, Dr. Thomas Patton, alerted him the centennial planning staff was looking for a reservist to attend the ceremony. Dr. Ortenzio applied and was accepted.

A 1961 graduate of Campbell Memorial High School, Dr. Ortenzio joined the Navy in 1963 “for the benefits” and was stationed in Naples, Italy, for nearly three years.

Trained as a corpsman specializing as an X-ray technologist, Dr. Ortenzio, when his active-duty tour was over in 1966, joined the Navy Reserve after 22 years active and reserve service.

And, the hoped-for benefits came his way.

Read more about him and the event in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.