Volunteer Staff
Commanding Officer: LTJG Joe Lamendola, NSCC - Joe Lamendola is a long-time Sea Cadet volunteer who assumed command of the Alamo Battalion in February 2019. He is a Marine who served active duty as a Combat Photographer and Embassy Security Guard. Joe holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management from Oklahoma State University and is a former CIA Clandestine Operations Officer. He resides in Austin with his wife and three sons and is an Elementary School Teacher for Lake Travis ISD.
Executive Officer: LT Jason Heinen, USN - Jason M. Heinen enlisted into the United States Navy in June of 2000 from San Antonio, Texas. He attended Nuclear Machinist Mate “A” School, Naval Nuclear Power School, and Naval Nuclear Prototype Unit, subsequently laterally converted to a Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) in November of 2002. Upon successful graduation of “A” school and two “C” schools, he was assigned to the USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) in 2003. There he advanced to Second Class Petty Officer, and was selected as JSOQ. This tour included a Persian Gulf Deployment and Baltic Operations. In 2006, he accepted order to the Personnel Exchange Program Canada, Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Leitrim in Ottawa, Ontario. Highlights of this tour included a three month deployment to CFS Alert, an isolated station lying within the arctic circle approximately 200 miles south of the North Pole; and promotion to First Class Petty Officer. In October of 2008, Petty Officer Heinen transferred to the USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) as the Leading Petty Officer, member of the commissioning crew, and part of the maiden deployment in 2011. In April of 2012, he was commissioned under the Limited Duty Officer Program and upon completion of two intermediate schools he transferred to Fleet Cyber Command/C10F. In October of 2015 he transferred to the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and completed one Persian Gulf deployment and supported emergency response efforts in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. In February of 2018 he transferred to San Antonio Texas.
Training Officer : INST James Benson, NSCC - James “Jim” Benson is a former Lance Corporal in the USMC and is the son of a former Marine 1st Lieutenant who served in Vietnam. Jim served with the Primary Marksmanship Instructor at the School Of Infantry as a Marksmanship Coach on Camp Pendleton (52 Area). He has been active with other youth organizations (4H and Boy Scouts) where he also serves as an adult leader. Jim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Houston and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston State University. He is a certified NRA Pistol and Rifle instructor and a 4H rifle and pistol coach. Jim has served in Federal Law Enforcement for the past 20 years and is currently assigned as the Assistant Field Office Director with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the San Antonio Field Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Administration Officer: ENS Terry Arredondo, NSCC - Currently owner and manager of "Arredondo Seafood Cafe". My husband and I have proudly served the San Antonio community and surrounding counties near and far for the past 21 years. ENS Arredondo likes to garden, thrift shop and find good bargains at yard/garage sales. Proud mother of one U.S. Navy Sailor, one U.S. Marine, one U.S. Air Force Airman and two USNSCC Alamo Battalion Sea Cadets. I am currently involved with the Parent Booster Club for the Southside High School R.O.T.C. and served as Vice President P.T.O. in 2008-2009.
Public Affairs Officer: INST Patrick Conroy, NSCC - Instructor Conroy is an attorney in San Antonio, where he has a business law practice. He is originally from Chicago, but has been in San Antonio for twenty years. He is married with three children, one of whom is a member of the Alamo Battalion. He also serves on the Church Council of St. John's Lutheran Church and is an avid but terrible skier. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.S. Comp. Eng., M.S. Comp. Sci.), Northwestern University (M.B.A.), and UT Austin (J.D.).
Additional Staff
CTN2 Grant M. Bartuska, USN - CTN2 Bartuska grew up in Wisconsin, where he ate cheese and brats, and cheered for an amazing green and yellow football team. He is good at math, but was fooled by his recruiter and found himself in the Navy, probably something to do with Karate and Sudoku puzzles. He is deciding between a life of service to the nation, or chasing the big, big money with his computer skills.
CTN2 Leah Prasinos - CTN2 Prasinos was born and raised in Quincy, Massachusetts and is a graduate North Quincy High School. She studied accounting for two years at Loyola University in New Orleans, before enlisting in the Navy as a Cryptologic Technician - Networks. She is a graduate of the Joint Cyber Analysis Course in Pensacola and is actively pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity at the University of Maryland Global Campus. CTN2 Prasinos’ personal awards include the National Defense Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal.
LTJG Leigh-Anne Benson, NSCC - is a former Correctional Officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and she has also worked as an Investigator for Child Protective Services. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Lubbock Christian University. LTJG Benson has served as an adult leader in many different youth organizations, PTA president, 4H Archery Coach, and for several years as a Girl Scout Troop Leader and Girl Scout Service Unit Director over many different troops.
