by Joshua Welle
IN THE
SHADOW OF
GREATNESS
IN THE
SHADOW OF
GREATNESS
VOICES OF LEADERSHIP, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE
FROM AMERICA’S LONGEST WAR
The U.S. Naval Academy Class of
2002 Joshua Welle, John Ennis,
Katherine Kranz, and Graham Plaster
Foreword by David Gergen
NAVAL INSTITUTE PRESS
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
The statements in this book do not represent the official viewpoints or policies of the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, or the Department of Defense. The statements herein are exclusively the opinions and recollections of the individual authors.
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
© 2012 by Joshua W. Welle
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data In the shadow of greatness : voices of leadership, sacrifice, and service from America’s longest war : the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2002 / edited by Joshua Welle … [et al.].
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-61251-139-9 (e-book) 1. United States Naval Academy. Class of 2002—Biography. 2. United States. Navy—Biography. 3. United States—History, Naval—21st century—Anecdotes. I. Welle, Joshua W.
V415.K42002 I52 2012
359.0092’273—dc23
2012018295
This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992
(Permanence of Paper).
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 129 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First printing
DEDICATION
TO THOSE WHO SERVED IN UNIFORM AFTER 9/11
AND THE THOUSANDS WHO NEVER RETURNED HOME
TO OUR NAVAL ACADEMY 2002 CLASSMATES WHO
LEFT THIS EARTH MUCH TOO EARLY
AND TO OUR MOTHERS, WHO ALLOWED US TO EMBARK
ON AN ADVENTURE OF SERVICE AND NEVER LOST FAITH
CONTENTS
List of photographs
Foreword David Gergen
Introduction: Non Sibi Sed Patriae
Part I Four Years by the Bay
Inside the Gates of Annapolis
Part II The Leadership Laboratory, Fleet Tested
Honor at Sea Will Carr
Selflessness from the ICU Anita Susan Brenner and Rachel Torres
Ship, Shipmate, Self Mike Johnson
Fulfilling a Top Gun Dream Meagan Varley Flannigan
Find a Way, or Make One Meghan Elger Courtney
Part III Courage under Fire
A Lovely Afternoon over Baghdad Jay Consalvi
Bad Karma Wes Pass
We Serve Where We’re Needed Johnathan Van Meter
The Real Hurt Locker Eric Jewell
Evacuating the Injured Rocky Checca
From the Cradle to the Grave Anonymous
Dhow in Distress Patrick McConnell
From Fallujah to Now Zad Benjamin Wagner
Part IV Beyond Battlefield Bullets
Military Diplomats Graham Plaster
Shaking the Hand of Fate Courtney Senini
Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure: Unsung Heroes Jason Jackson
Lending a Hand in Tsunami Relief John Cauthen
Training with the Enemy: Iraq and U.S. Naval Partnerships Travis Bode
UN Peacekeeping in Practice Dave Augustin
Casey vs. the Volcano Casey Bruce
Inland Sailor Joshua Welle
Part V Integrity, Teamwork, and Sacrifice
Sacrifices for Country Alex Katauskas
Sometimes Dreams Do Come True Carol A. Andersen
Forward Deployed to . . . Louisiana? Kevin Stepp
Working Where the Land Meets the Sky Katherine Kranz
On Building Submarines and Building Character Lucas Adin
Lost at Sea Glyndell Houston
Dual Military Couples: Twice the Challenge Brooke Waller
When No One’s Watching Lisa Freeman
Part VI The Next Great Generation
One Wild and Precious Life Joshua Awad
Serving Beyond the Uniform Elizabeth Kreft
Rings of Courage and Love: Fighting for Gay Rights in the Military Gary Ross
Command, Citizenship, and Government Seth Lynn
Part VII Conclusion
Epilogue Adm. Mike Mullen, USN (Ret.)
In Memory of the Fallen Naval Academy Graduates since September 11
Acknowledgments
Read More Online
PHOTOGRAPHS
Midshipman 4/C Richard Ferrari learns how to render a salute
The Class of 2002 climbed the Herndon monument in two hours and twenty-six minutes
The Blue Angels fly over the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2002
Andrew Torres, whose courage and smile will remain with us forever
Mike Johnson with his “shipmates” at the Military Sealift Command in Kuwait
Meagan Varley Flannigan flies her last flight to the “boneyard”
Jay Consalvi and his wingman, “Spaz”
Wes Pass and his team of Marines after a failed IED attack in Fallujah, Iraq
Johnathan Van Meter deployed to Iraq with his Marine ANGLICO unit
Eric Jewell and his EOD team in Baghdad
The Purple Foxes, saving passengers and transporting angels
Shea’s gravestone
Former Naval Academy Brigade commander Ben Wagner with his junior officers
Courtney Senini interacting with Afghan children during a routine patrol in 2007
Jason Jackson preparing to debark a rhib from the USS Germantown
Days after the 2004 tsunami, a squadron of rotary-wing aircraft brought supplies to Indonesia
Travis Bode at sea in the Persian Gulf mentoring an Iraqi naval officer
Dave Augustin with Liberian partners
Joshua Welle conducts engagements with Afghan leaders
Richard Andersen walks the streets of New Orleans
Katherine Kranz stands in front of her E-2C Hawkeye on USS Ronald Reagan
The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Virginia under construction at Groton Shipyard
John Joseph Houston, beloved classmate, son, father, and friend
The Marine Corps Mameluke sword inscribed and presented to Matt Freeman
Matt Freeman, brave Marine, loving husband, brother, and son
Elizabeth Kreft speaking with Buzz Aldrin
Gary and Dan Ross wed at the stroke of midnight on September 20, 2011
Seth Lynn standing in front of Camp Gannon in Iraq
Seth Lynn on stage as the founder of the Veterans Campaign
FOREWORD
David Gergen
In the spring of 1994, preparing for the fiftieth anniversary of D-day, President Bill Clinton invited a group of veterans and scholars to the White House for a private session so that he might better understand that special moment from the past. Each visitor was stirring, but none more so than Steven Ambrose, a marvelous historian and storyteller.
As U.S. troops began to storm the beaches, German machine guns up on bluffs cut them to pieces. A senior officer would fall, and a junior officer would quickly fill in; he, too, would go down, and a noncommissioned officer would take command, pushing men forward. Had positions been reversed, so that Germans were pouring out of the landing craft, argued Ambrose, they would have stopped in the water and called Berlin for instructions—and t
hey would have lost the most crucial battle of the war. But the men hitting those beaches, he said, were “sons of democracy”—young warriors who had learned to think and act for themselves, who had grown up in freedom and would instinctively step up in a time of crisis.
As Ambrose finished, all of us in the room wondered whether our young men and women of today could match the “greatest generation,” whether they had the right stuff. Ambrose insisted that if another moment came, despite the apparent softness of so many, the new generation would rise to the occasion because they, too, were “sons and daughters of democracy” They, too, knew the blessings of liberty and would volunteer their lives.
Anyone who has the pleasure of reading the essays in this book would surely agree: Ambrose was right. The young men and women here were members of the first class to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy after al-Qaeda struck the United States. They rose to the challenge and soon became known as the “9/11 generation.” One day they could be called the “next greatest generation”
Among the silver linings to be found in these past ten years of continuous war, there is one that shines brightest: the courage, character, and leadership of the young men and women who have answered the country’s call to duty. I see some of them every day passing through the hallways of Harvard and on other campuses. They are part warrior, part scholar, all leader.
The Naval Academy, for more than a century and a half, has produced some of America’s finest warriors, scholars, and leaders, from Alfred Thayer Mahan and Albert Michelson to President Jimmy Carter and Senator John McCain. Years ago, I had the privilege of working with some of them during a stint as a naval line officer, a chapter distinctly unheroic but full of lessons about leadership. (Serving as a damage control officer was also great preparation for working in Washington.)
Speaking at the Naval Academy’s commencement in 1916, ten months away from America’s entry into World War I, President Woodrow Wilson told the graduates, “You do not improve your muscle by doing the easy thing; you improve it by doing the hard thing, and you get your zest by doing a thing that is difficult, not a thing that is easy.” The young men and women who have written this book have voluntarily chosen the hard thing, and they richly deserve our honor and our appreciation. Just as much, they deserve our attention, because they have provided in this volume first-person accounts of courage and integrity under the most trying of circumstances. They tell us of crucible moments—coming to the aid of soldiers pinned down in Iraq, landing a Tomcat on a carrier in pitching seas, rescuing men from drowning, watching a buddy die. Women are right there on the front lines, again proving their worth. These stories are gripping; some are heart wrenching. All of them show what their generation has accomplished, can accomplish, and God willing, will yet accomplish.
Let’s be clear: This book is military in subject matter, but national in scope and relevance. It is penned by those in uniform but is written for citizens and others of all stripes. These accounts will inspire, they will impress, but most important, they will fill you with hope that this rising generation, forged in tragedy and war and called to difficult, often thankless duty, will help all Americans, both in and out of uniform, unite to rise to the occasion once more.
INTRODUCTION
NON SIBI SED PATRIAE
The current generation of young Americans has its share of stereotypes. Many assume this group lacks vision and ambition or the ability to lead in a time of great peril. At Annapolis, we knew differently. We were the midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 2002. We longed to be tested, to prove others wrong about their impressions. We wanted a destiny of purpose, a higher calling.
The Naval Academy, with its glossy catalog depicting college seniors saluting crisply and brandishing swords, promised to make us heroes. Perhaps only the enlisted service members of our class truly knew what uniformed service entailed, but for those fresh out of high school, the ideal of the Naval Academy was like an invitation to join King Arthur’s Round Table. A magnificent chapel stands on the campus grounds. At the entrance, a magnificent door, twenty feet high, is inscribed Non sibi sed patriae—“Not for self, but for country.”
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the purpose and test of seniors at the academy became clear. Al-Qaeda attacked the United States, and our commander-in-chief assumed the lead in protecting our allies and our coasts from threats to American interests. Our abilities as tacticians and deckplate leaders would be tested. Our moral compasses would be rattled and recalibrated amid the realities of war. We would suffer losses—of blood, friends, family, and innocence.
These times are of almost limitless access to free media, overwhelming consumption, and layers of instant gratification. We seek greater connectedness online, yet we must also acknowledge that the virtual public sphere fosters an unhealthy state of individualism. We have seen a growing cultural gap between the military and civilian sectors of American society that must be bridged. Integrity, the bedrock of leadership, is today a rare virtue, not a common character trait.
In the Shadow of Greatness presents first-person accounts of junior officers during two wars, on the front lines and at home, in times of valor, humor, and tragedy. It explains how their experiences at Annapolis prepared them for what would be a decade at war. It also explores the nuances of a generation struggling to achieve something big—to earn the distinction of the next greatest generation.
This literary endeavor began in late 2009 after reflection on countless deployments, great victories, and much sorrow among various members of the Class of 2002. Their stories of bravery and service needed to be told. This book provides a podium for voices normally hesitant to write publicly about their experiences. The stories allow readers to meet an array of personalities; each writes in a way that every parent can enjoy and most people could be inspired. The body of work represents the effort of hundreds of people, among them advisers, classmates, friends, and professional writers; they all helped make this book a reality. The stories were selected from a pool of submissions to highlight the most important themes from this age of conflict.
The “war on terror” remains an ambiguous concept. We ask ourselves, time and again, Was it worth it? More than 6,000 American servicemen were killed and more than 46,000 wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Thousands of Iraqi civilians were displaced, or worse, died from the armed conflict in their homeland. Now, with the United States suffering under the weight of crushing financial debt and a wide array of other domestic problems, the sacrifices of those who served run the risk of being eclipsed by the crises of the moment.
The writers in this volume are true believers. They have done a great deal of soul searching and invite you to join them on a journey of remembrance of their generation’s Long War. We all believe that the futures of Iraq and Afghanistan look promising, if not assured. We are bearing witness to a global community that has renewed its commitments to combating diffuse extremist groups.
More to the point, those who have served in a decade of conflict and are now returning from war are prepared and ready to lead our country through tumultuous times at home. More than a million men and women served in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 through 2011. This great reservoir of leadership is being tapped and called to duty at home, making America great again.
We, the members of USNA 2002, are humbled and proud to be among the many who have served, and we will continue to answer the call. We believe the nation is ready for a new generation of leaders, made up of men and women who have served after 9/11. These are our stories.
PART I
FOUR YEARS BY THE BAY
Inside the Gates of Annapolis
During my time as commandant, a question often posed to me was, Why should our nation invest so much in service academies and the young men and women who are chosen to attend them? My reply was simple: The support and defense of the Constitution of the greatest nation in the world demands a cadre of handpicked men and women who, w
ithout distraction, are rigorously prepared morally, mentally, and physically for this challenging but sacred duty. Our country deserves nothing less.
There are always those who doubt. They opine that America’s youths are increasingly incapable of shouldering the challenges we face as a nation. They believe that the next class will somehow be less capable, less honorable, and less willing to make the sacrifices necessary to defend the nation and fulfill the call to duty. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the history of the United States, our Navy and our Naval Academy have always, without hesitation, answered the call of duty. No graduating class has failed to inspire us with its honor, courage, commitment, and sacrifice. Graduates willingly leave the comforts of home to patrol the world’s oceans and defend our nation and our way of life. It is a dangerous undertaking. Many give their last full measure.
On September 11,2001, as I sat at my desk in the “Dant’s” office, I recall vividly watching the al-Qaeda attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the plane crash in Pennsylvania. When the images reached the Brigade, and the uncertainty of the events rapidly became reality, I asked myself, Are these men and women, these young patriots, ready for the challenges that most certainly lay ahead? A decade of war has proven that they were more than ready. Fortunately for us all, they remain ready today. We are extremely proud of all they have accomplished and thankful that we chose the right men and women to lead the next great generation.
ADM. SAMUEL J. LOCKLEAR
Commandant of Midshipmen, 2000–2002
There are many reasons to seek an Annapolis diploma. Some dream of glory, to be the next astronaut to explore the final frontier, or perhaps to be a senator, representative, or even president of the United States. Others want to further a legacy because their fathers or mothers served with distinction. As the price of a college education continues to skyrocket, many are driven by a desire for a free education. Though all are conscious of the fact that the Annapolis experience imbues characteristics that support success, each midshipman’s intent is unique.
