I just returned from the 60th reunion of our U.S. Naval Academy class of 1965. Aside from the harsh reminder that we are now a bunch of elderly men — octogenarians all — and that we can’t quite figure out how we got to this point so quickly, our reunion was a terrific event that served up a blitz of reflections well worth sharing. In the mix:
Blessings to be counted: Being back in “The Yard” (the USNA campus) always awakens a flood of memories. To a 17-year-old plebe in 1961, the intensity of the place had been overwhelming. Now, of course, I know that my four years in that life-changing crucible, and active-duty U.S. Navy service thereafter, were priceless gifts. I can’t imagine a better way for any young American to jump-start his or her life as an American citizen.
Memory of classmates who sacrificed all: On Friday morning, our class gathered for a solemn memorial service to honor classmates who had given their lives in service to the nation. Of the 801 who graduated 60 years ago, 23 perished in the line of duty, including seven killed in combat. Losing a loved one is always difficult, and these were very close to home. They were our brothers, and we will never forget them.
Appreciation for one another: While we once might have seemed like a homogeneous group, wearing identical uniforms and marching in step, members of our great class of ‘65 come from all corners of the USA. Surely we share common convictions and a love of country, but, just as in the rest of America, we have different political views, often strongly held. Yet somehow we manage not to hate one another, to disagree respectfully, to look for the common ground — and occasionally we even find it. It’s possible — give it a shot!
Confidence in the next generation: Old men tend to sit around extolling the good old days (aided by cloudy memories glossing the picture) and grousing about how everything has now gone to pot. This past week gave us a chance to recalibrate. Yes, our male-only, head-knocking Neanderthal USNA days are long gone. But it is clear that our alma mater’s time-honored traditions are alive and well. And over the past few days, we watched the brigade of midshipmen going through their daily routines — high-spirited, enthusiastic, energetic, on-purpose young men and women in uniform hustling between classes and formations, meeting demand after demand. I suspect that’s an entirely different picture than we would see at any civilian university — just as it was in 1965.
Respect for today’s leaders: On Friday, the USNA Superintendent, Lieutenant General Borgschulte (USMC), briefed members of the USNA classes of 1965, 1975, and 2005 at Alumni Hall. He bantered a bit with us old grads, but most of his remarks were about the institution and the young men and women under his command. He emphasized standards, accountability, and excellence in all respects. He committed to keeping politics out of the U.S. Naval Academy — a tall order given today’s acute attention (and criticism) on military matters by media and politicians on both sides. In his address, he mentioned several times the importance of preparedness for “war-fighting.” Some might interpret that as parroting administration rhetoric — but the context was clear. That’s why USNA exists.
Lt. Gen. Borgschulte’s address was very well received by alumni in attendance, and it prompts an obvious thought: Is that not the kind of leadership American universities need? I’ve no doubt that left-leaning academics everywhere would break into a cold sweat at the idea of working for a U.S. Marine Corps General, but think about the demonstrable failure of college presidents and chancellors coast to coast to quash anti-Semitic behavior and disruptive protests on their own campuses in recent years. (And it’s not a totally foreign concept — the former USNA Superintendent, retired Vice Admiral Ted Carter, is now president of the Ohio State University!)
Real-life patriotism: Most importantly, our few days back at USNA gave my fellow alumni and me a commercial-grade jolt of authentic patriotism, the kind so often missing these days. At every turn, we saw full and proper respect paid to our American flag and our national anthem. Both at Friday’s full dress parade (one of those “militaristic’ events liberal media find so offensive) and Saturday’s football game, academy visitors and alumni all joined in full-throated singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” On every occasion when the colors — our American flag — were raised, USNA midshipmen and uniformed officers saluted smartly, and civilians snapped to attention.
The contrast between the reverence shown at USNA and the now-pervasive video images of ICE protesters gleefully exercising their constitutional privilege of burning that flag could not be more stark.
Which brings us to one more thing. God Bless America!
