1. Summary of Action:
Major Joseph T. Bertagna's meritorious service while serving as Officer Selection Officer (OSO), Officer Selection
Station (OSS) Pittsburgh, Recruiting Station (RS) Pittsburgh, 1st Marine Corps District, from 2 March 2004 through 2
June 2006 merits recognition by awarding of the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. His
accomplishments and contributions include the following:
From March 2004 through June 2006, Major Bertagna persevered to find qualified men and women to serve in our
Country's Corps. During this period, he gained a thorough knowledge of the tenets of systematic recruiting and
consistently displayed meticulous attention to detail, enthusiastic leadership, and unparalleled proficiency in the
execution of his duties. As a result of his tireless efforts, he achieved a net new contract average of 3.15. During this
period he continued steadfastly on a course of success to make mission disregarding the challenges of recruiting in
the unique urban and rural mix that defines Pittsburgh. He overcame many additional challenges while
recruiting when our Nation was at war and access to students on college and university campuses was becoming
more restrictive. He contracted 85 officer applicants during his tour, a tribute to his willingness to continue to support
the team effort. From March 2004 to June 2006, he served as the OIC for OSS Pittsburgh. His Station oversaw the
accession of 12 second lieutenants to The Basic School during his 27-month tenure. His Station shipped a total of 63
of these applicants to Officer Candidate School (OCS), losing only 14 to attrition and achieved an overall 87 percent
shipping percentage.
A summary of Major Bertagna's recruiting stats:
Months on production: 27
Contracted 85
Selected 74 (87%)
Shipped 63 (85%)
OCS Completion 49 (78%)
OCS Attrition 14 (22%)
Commissioned 12 (14%)
In addition to the recruiting challenges he overcame, he was also faced with several personnel shortages increasing
the scope of duties he had to perform himself. During his tour, OSS Pittsburgh experienced a high turnover of Officer
Selection Assistant's. He had to work with three different Marines serving in the officer selection assistant billet and at
times the billet itself was gapped. In addition, his Human Resource Assistant was on medical leave for several
months. All this combined created additional administrative and logistical functions that he himself had to do while still
prospecting for applicants. Through his own dedication and hard work, he overcame every challenge to ensure his
candidates were professionally represented at each selection board and were mentally and physically prepared for
OCS. He maintained a friendly and motivated attitude at all times during his tour on OSO duty. Regardless of the
challenge, he rose to the occasion and performed above and beyond what was expected. He displayed remarkable
flexibility in adjusting his daily schedule to best attack his objectives while continuously guiding his station in
systematic recruiting. A supremely talented and dedicated officer, his actions throughout a demanding recruiting tour
have been nothing less than exemplary. His professionalism, superior performance of duty, dedication and tenacity
warrants recognition in the form of a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Citation:
MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN THE SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF HIS DUTIES WHILE SERVING AS OFFICER
SELECTION OFFICER, RECRUITING STATION PITTSBURGH, 1ST MARINE CORPS DISTRICT, MARINE
CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT/EASTERN RECRUITING REGION, PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA FROM 2
MARCH 2004 TO 2 JUNE 2006. DURING THIS PERIOD, MAJOR BERTAGNA PERFORMED HIS DUTIES IN AN
EXEMPLARY MANNER. DISPLAYING EXCEPTIONAL DEVOTION TO DUTY, HE STEADFASTLY STRIVED TO
ACCOMPLISH EVERY RECRUITING MISSION ASSIGNED TO HIM WHILE RECRUITING IN A WARTIME
ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH HIS UNYIELDING FOCUS, HE CONTRACTED 85 APPLICANTS, COMMISSIONED
12 SECOND LIEUTENANTS AND TRAINED 27 OFFICER CANDIDATES. HIS EFFORTS RESULTED IN AN 87
PERCENT SELECTION RATE AND AN 85 PERCENT SHIPPING RATE WITH ONLY 22 PERCENT OFFICER
CANDIDATE SCHOOL ATTRITION. HIS CONTRACTING AND SHIPPING PROWESS CONTRIBUTED
SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE 1ST MARINE CORPS DISTRICT'S ABILITY TO ACHIEVE ITS ASSIGNED MISSIONS.
MAJOR BERTAGNA'S INITIATIVE AND TOTAL DEDICATION TO DUTY REFLECTED GREAT CREDIT UPON
HIMSELF AND WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE MARINE CORPS AND THE
UNITED STATES NAVAL SERVICE.