Battalion Commander Profiles
Fall Semester 2025
MIDN 1/C Gretchen Hof
MIDN 1/C Gretchen Hof ’26 is from St. Louis, MO and is majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering at USC. She is also a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority, balancing academics with campus involvement.
Her connection to the Navy began through her brother, who attended the University of Illinois, participated in NROTC, and commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in 2019. Gretchen chose USC for its Southern California weather, strong work-life balance, and what she considers the premier Trojan Alumni League.
During her time in the Trojan Battalion, Gretchen served as a Squad Leader, worked on the newsletter staff, served as Spring 2025 Communications Platoon Commanding Officer, and concluded her Battalion career as Battalion Commander (BNCO) during the Fall 2025 semester. Following commissioning in May 2026, Gretchen will report to Nuclear Power School in Charleston, South Carolina, where she will begin training for a career as a Submarine Warfare Officer.
Spring Semester 2026
GySgt Antonio Letizia USMC
GySgt Antonio Letizia ’27 is originally from Oak Ridge, NJ, and grew up in an environment that taught him the importance of family, discipline, and service. Those values eventually led him to the United States Marine Corps, where he has had the privilege of serving on active duty for over eleven years. Before arriving at USC, he served in a variety of enlisted billets in the Infantry community, deployed several times worldwide, and served as a Combat Instructor at the School of Infantry aboard Camp Pendleton, California. These experiences have shaped Antonio’s leader-ship style and given him a deeper appreciation for the responsibility that comes with leading Marines and Sailors.
He is currently enrolled in the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program, which has allowed him to pursue his degree while preparing to commission as a Marine Corps Officer. Antonio chose USC because of its strong academic reputation, its connection to the military community, and the opportunity to join a challenging NROTC program while earning both a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Global Security Studies. USC has pushed him academically and professionally, and the Trojan community has given him a place to grow as both a student and a future officer.
During his time in the NROTC unit, Antonio served in several billets, including Athletic Officer, Marine Platoon Academic Officer, and, most recently, Battalion Commander (BNCO). In that role, he was responsible for helping lead the battalion, developing midshipmen, supporting unit training events, and ensuring that our standards remained high. One of his main priorities was to create a command climate built on accountability, professionalism, physical fitness, critical thinking, and genuine care for the people within the unit.
After commissioning, his plan is to continue serving as a Marine Corps Officer and lead Marines to the best of his ability. His goal is to take the lessons he has learned from his enlisted service, USC, and the NROTC program and apply them wherever the Marine Corps needs him. Long term, he hopes to continue serving others, both in and out of uniform.
He is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of USC NROTC and the Trojan family. The program has challenged him, humbled him, and helped prepare him for the next chapter of service.