An Iowa State graduate was recently promoted to one of the highest ranks of the U.S. Navy.

Rear Admiral Gerald Hoewing, 49, assumed his position as assistant chief of naval personnel for distribution in a ceremony at the Pentagon yesterday. There are two ranks higher than rear admiral in the Navy — vice admiral and admiral.

Hoewing said he would be responsible for ensuring that all navy officers and enlisted members get orders for new assignments.

Currently a resident of Clifton, Va., Hoewing said his time at ISU was a great help to him in his navy career. The Argyle native graduated from ISU with a degree in zoology in 1971.

“I’m from a fairly rural area there in Iowa, and the Navy provided a scholarship opportunity for me to get into Iowa State,” Hoewing said.

Although he said he was not sure if he would enter into a military career upon his entrance to ISU, Hoewing said the ROTC program helped him make his decision to pursue a career with the Navy.

“Once I got [to ISU], I found that the Navy ROTC unit and the camaraderie there indicated to me that the Navy was going to be a pretty good lifestyle and a potential career,” he said.

Hoewing said the ISU campus and environment were good preparations for a successful career in the Navy.

“ISU sort of fit the values that I learned as a young person at home and was able to expand upon those things and built a wonderful foundation for my career in the military,” he said. “The academics were solid, the social life was certainly fun, and I think it was an absolute key to getting me off on a good start.”

Hoewing and his wife Charlie have two children; Sean, a Marine Corps officer, and Sara, a freshman at Auburn University.