Shipmate: July/August 2023 4 June 2023
Posted by USNA Class of 1976 in Shipmate.trackback
by Mark Hubbard
There is much to report so…
Jeff Sander (9th Co.) provided a thorough after-action report on Another Link in the Chain (ALITC) Sea Trials 2023 for the Class of 2026:
I was able to join several classmates in observing several phases of Sea Trials 2023 held as the culminating event of Plebe Year for the Class of 2026. Sea Trials has been conducted for a little over 20 years and I’m sure it has evolved a bit over that time. This year for the first time, the Herndon Climb was moved out of Graduation Week to the morning following the main body of Sea Trials. Being able to observe most of the phases of Sea Trials was a real treat. Future ALITC class members should be encouraged to attend. They won’t regret it. I had a great time and learned a lot about life at the Academy today. Sea Trials consisted of several phases, starting with an In-Brief/Kick-off on Monday night in Alumni Hall at 1800 which included some table-top wargaming, a Dark Phase which consisted of a 0230 wake-up and PT/strenuous games on Farragut and Rip Miller Field from 0300 to 05/0600 time frame, what I’ll call the “main event” which consisted of six venues (with two to five events at each) of various strength, endurance, teamwork challenges run from around 0600 – 1700, and the closing phase from 1800 to 1900 or so, with Herndon kind of connected the next morning. What to me made Sea Trials such a phenomenal event is the involvement of lots of upper-class Mids – there were several hundred. Each of the phases and venues were planned, organized, and run by Midshipmen. First Class Mids held the top leadership of the entire program and each of the Phases and main venues. I think most of the individual events within the venues were run by Second Class and Youngsters. Each of the 30 companies (only 30 companies now, not 36) of Plebes was led by a Second-Class company commander and a Youngster XO and squad leaders. Every venue and event had multiple assistants called station Corporals who were mostly Youngsters. Every company had two designated safety observers and every event or station had multiple assigned safety observers depending on the risks associated with the event. Each of the six venues had from two to five events or stations, some of which were run at the squad level and others at the company level. There was also a logistics crew which set up and maintained food, snack, and water stations. All these upper class Mids were enthusiastic about what they were doing and many, if not most, were planning to participate again if they could. For the upper-class Mids involved, it was a great experiential leadership, management, and planning training opportunity – far more advanced than most of us ever experienced in our Midshipman days. I didn’t get much chance to interact with Plebes, but I spoke with many of the upper-class men and women. All seemed very appreciative of our interest and presence. Three of the main event venues were on the Academy side of the river (two at Hospital Point and one at Scott Natatorium) and three were on the Naval Station. The three battalions starting or ending the day at the NAVSTA were either bussed or transported by personnel boat to or from the Academy side at 0600 and 1700. At midday, the three battalions on each side switched by running from one side to the other. The run was planned and executed so that the two groups passed each other on the center of the “Naval Academy” (Highway 450) bridge about 1115 or so (no simple feat since: 1) the Academy side group started on Hospital Point and the NAVSTA group started over a mile and a half away from the bridge and 2) the bridge and roads between the bridge and NavSta had to closed to vehicle traffic). The events or stations varied from a few that were more problem solving and teamwork oriented to most which were more physically challenging. To some participants, many, if not most, events would have been beyond their comfort zones; those with a special ops bent would have been in their element throughout the day. But that was the idea: the purpose was to stretch each individual both physically and mentally. It was 15+ grueling hours of nearly constant physical activity after a 0230 wake-up. The opening event included remarks from the Midshipman Sea Trials CO, the Commandant, a motivational speaker who gave some tips on how to mentally bear up and conquer the desire to quit, a medical and safety brief both for the main Sea Trial events and Herndon. Once those briefs were over, an hour to hour and a half was devoted to two “tabletop” war game problems. A situation was presented, the Mids were given time to independently consider solutions, then worked together at squad and then company levels to come up with answers which were evaluated for a score. One problem was a ground based tactical situation with a lot of uncertainty, ambiguity, and lost communications in the mix. The other was a more straightforward target evaluation and prioritization for a limited number of available weapons. I’m not sure we would have been prepared to consider either problem when we graduated! Hospital Point events included squad rubber boat races in the river, squad relays with rubber boats (overhead) on land, two different log lifting and carrying events, jumping in the river, rolling in the sand, and crawling with helmet and rifle though a muddy trench under barbed wire, to more basic running, wrestling/self-defense, and other relay races. NavSta events included the O-course (the O-course is no longer on Hospital Point), Pugil Stick fighting matches, various problem solving and teamwork events, tactical battle problem analysis, brief preparation and presentation, a modified Capture the Flag game, more relays involving buddy carries, stretcher carries, etc., and the E (for Endurance) course. The E course is a roughly 2-mile extreme cross-country course that goes up and down at least a dozen deep ravines, steep enough such that many had ropes draped down the trail to assist in pulling up or letting down, and many other O-course type of elements like 4 ft high walls, a 10- or 12-foot-high cargo net obstacle, a monkey bridge, log bridges, etc. The closing phase consisted of all the companies assembling on Rip Miller Field (the astroturf football practice field) and doing a reprise of PEP, then a run around Farragut Field before reassembling for the presentation of the Iron Company award, won this year by 17th company. The Commandant asked one of us ALITC observers to help him make the presentation. You can view photos from the day on the Alumni Association website if you log in, click on “parents” in upper right corner menu, then click on Photo Program and Videos. In the next page click on “Click Here” in the first paragraph on the page that opens, then click on class of 2026 Sea Trials. The plebes are in blue ring neck t-shirts or cammo blouses. Black, Gray, Green, Blue, and Red t-shirts are upper-class Mids and Gold is for officers, senior enlisted, and ALITC. Bob Dixon (25th Co.), Jeff Neufeld (2nd Co.), Gary Stark (34th Co.), Kevin Stone (34th Co.) and I were present for the Herndon Monument Climb. Class of ’26 didn’t come close to beating us with their 2 hours, 32 minutes time!
Bruce “Stuts” Stutsman (1st Co.) crossed off another item on his “Bucket List”:
After several years of travel prohibitions etc., several of my friends and I were able to complete one of our goals. We summited Mount Kilimanjaro at sunrise on February 21st. We could not have done it without local support. The people of Tanzania are the sweetest people, and we were blessed with a great crew. After the climb, we did a 5-day safari. The vastness and beauty of the Serengeti was breathtaking.
Congratulations to Jordan Smith (17th Co.) who has recently received an award. As posted on Twitter by the San Jacinto Unified School District on May 11th: “We are pleased to announce that Mountain View HS Teacher Dr. Jordan B. Smith, Jr. was selected as an Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award recipient! He is 1 of 10 winners and received a $5,000 cash award and $25,000 to support the computer science program at MVHS.” Jordan also reports that he has two books that were recently released about teaching: 11 Effective Strategies for Teaching Math to Students Who Have Given Up on Learning, and Annapolis Creed: Why Teacher Leaders Like Me Matter (both available on Amazon). Bravo Zulu, Jordan – well done, Classmate!
Classmates were present at the memorial service for Francis Devereux (26th Co.)at Arlington National Cemetery on May 15th. It was a beautiful day in which to join his widow, Colleen, to lay the remains of Francis in his final resting place. [A video of the ceremony can be found at the following link: https://youtu.be/c2QP72Aey_M] Rest in Peace, Francis.
John Rowland (17th Co.) has a son in show business. Michael Rowland is costarring with Joel McHale in the TV series, Animal Control. He is a well-known comedian. Check out his website at https://www.michaelrowlandcomedy.com/.
Luke Memminger (10th Co.) writes about his Medical Mission Trip to India:
My wife, Ann, and I and 4 others from our church, Grace Anglican Church of Fleming Island, FL, traveled to Hyderabad, India, for a Medical Mission from March 10th – 17th. Our mission was to provide eye testing and eyeglasses for the Dalit (untouchables) people of Hyderabad. We tested about 400 people and provided eyeglasses for 150 people. It was an incredible blessing to these folks and to us.
As an update for my classmates whom I have not been in contact with; I retired with 22 years flying the A-7 and F/A-18, as O-5, and retired from American Airlines with 27 years. I was called to ministry in my last years with American. I completed Seminary and was ordained as an Anglican Deacon 7 years ago. I serve as the Pastoral Care Minister and help lead our Healing Prayer Ministry at our Anglican Church in Fleming Island, FL, where Ann and I retired. My son was class of 2011 and flew MH-60R’s and is now flying for Skywest Airlines.
Tim Farrell (27th Co.) had lunch with Jen and Mark McKinley (27th Co.) while in San Diego for Tim’s nephew’s wedding.
I regret to inform you that our Classmate John A. Schumacher (4th Co.) passed away May 1st in Edison, NJ. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
It is also with regret that I report the passing of Patricia “Patty” Brandmaier, wife of Mike LeFever (20th Co.). She succumbed to pancreatic cancer on March 24th. Our deepest sympathies go out to Mike, his children, and the extended family.
United States Naval Academy Class of 1976 
Comments»
No comments yet — be the first.