Staff

Captain Patrick O’Reilly

Commanding Officer, Iowa State University NROTC

Captain Patrick O’Reilly is a native of Smithtown, New York. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2001 with a degree in Political Science and earned his Wings of Gold in 2003.

Over a 24-year career, Captain O’Reilly flew the P-3C Orion accumulating more than 3,500 flight hours, including over 1,200 hours in direct support of combat operations across CENTCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM, and INDOPACOM. He commanded Patrol Squadron FORTY as the Navy’s final P-3C Commanding Officer, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy.

Captain O’Reilly then completed more than five years of consecutive overseas diplomatic and joint assignments. He served as Director of Foreign Military Sales and Senior Naval Aviation Advisor to U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, advancing Indo-Pacific maritime cooperation with Japan. He subsequently represented U.S. Northern Command at Canadian Joint Operations Command headquarters in Ottawa, working directly for U.S. Ambassador David Cohen to strengthen Arctic security and U.S.-Canada defense integration.

His education includes a Master of Science in National Strategy from the National War College and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.

Captain O’Reilly assumed command of the Naval ROTC Unit at Iowa State University on August 11, 2025. He and his wife Aubri, an Iowa State graduate, are happy to call Iowa home while raising their four children Aiden, Kaven, Brenden, and Finley.

Lieutenant Commander Tammi L. Lawler

Executive Officer, Iowa State University NROTC

A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Lieutenant Commander Lawler received her Associate of Applied Science as a Physical Therapy Assistant in 1998. She graduated magna cum laude from Minnesota State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and Construction Management and holds a Master of Healthcare Management from Marymount University. In 2011, she was commissioned as a Lieutenant Junior Grade through the In-Service Procurement Program as a Healthcare Administrator in the Medical Service Corps.

Lieutenant Commander Lawler enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1992. After completing Basic Training in Orlando, Florida, she graduated from Hospital Corpsman School in Great Lakes, Illinois. Her duty stations include Naval Hospital Cherry Point, North Carolina; Medical Education and Training Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Naval Hospital Charleston, South Carolina; Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Navy Reserve Personnel Command, New Orleans, Louisiana; I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), Camp Pendleton, CA, Navy Operational Support Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in Washington, D.C.

Her service schools include the Physical Therapy Technician School, Field Medical Service School, and the Navy Instructor Training Course. Lieutenant Commander Lawler deployed in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM from March – December 2003 with I MEF at Camp Coyote, Kuwait. She was selected and initiated as a Chief Petty Officer in 2007.

Once commissioned, she was assigned to Naval Health Clinic Quantico, Virginia, as the Human Resources and Administration Department Head and the Plans, Operations, and Medical Intelligence (POMI) Officer.

In July 2013, she reported on board the USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH serving as Division Officer and Medical Administrative Officer forward deployed in support of operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and ACTIVE ENDEAVOR.

In July 2015, Lieutenant Commander Lawler was selected as a Joint Staff POMI fellow and transferred to the Joint Staff Surgeon’s office. In September 2016, her follow-on tour was in Naples, Italy, as a medical planner for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa / U.S. 6th Fleet.

In January 2019, she reported as a Healthcare Administrator at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Virginia, serving as Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Interim Executive Officer, and the Navy Medical Readiness and Training Unit Deputy Director for Administration / POMI.

In December 2020, Lieutenant Commander Lawler was by-name-requested to support the Chief of Naval Operations Staff as Deputy Branch Head for Medical Plans and Policy (N0931D), Pentagon, DC. During this tour, her team ensured continuity of medical operations worldwide for the Coronavirus Pandemic response, the departure of U.S. Forces from Afghanistan, the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, and many other missions.

POMI Specialty Leader nominated in August 2023, Lieutenant Commander Lawler led her community as the POMI Course Director, Navy Medical Professional Leadership Development Command, Bethesda, Maryland, prior to assignment to Iowa State University NROTC.

Lieutenant Commander Lawler is qualified as a Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer. Her awards include the Joint Meritorious Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (six awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (five awards), Good Conduct (five awards), a Navy Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, and various other personal, service, unit, and campaign decorations.