Frogman stories, p.14
Frogman Stories, page 14
My last thought on this story comes from another of my board of directors. He said, and many have said before him, that the museum should be apolitical or have no stance. For the most part I agree, but when cancel culture comes calling to tear down our statues representing the Vietnam and Korean wars, where will we stand then? It is easy to see a time in the future when these two wars are erased from our memories the way it is happening to the Civil War today.
CHAPTER 30
Never Be Afraid to Try Something New
Never quit. As former executive director and now chief executive officer of the Navy SEAL Museum, I was thrust from a military world into a business one very quickly. The military, and rightfully so, is not so worried about making money but prefers to spend it. New equipment and training are what keeps us alive and one step ahead of our enemies. The saying in the office when things go bad is “Is anyone dying?” which happens to be a legitimate question in the Special Operations world. The point is, slow down, talk the problem through, and move forward. No one’s life is depending on the speed of every decision. Of course, there are always exceptions. I have done a fairly good job controlling my time online. I follow a strict schedule and try to stick to it: typical wake up between 0530 and 0600; make coffee and check email for anything of consequence that happened overnight; pay some bills as needed and then walk the dog.
There is nothing better than going for a walk first thing in the morning to clear your head. After the dog walk, it is workout time. One thing I have learned throughout my time in the Teams is that working out and staying in shape is critical to your overall mental and physical health. Besides, no one wants to listen to a fat SEAL. It is easy to stay on the workout schedule since I have been working out my entire life. Most of the time it was mandatory to stay alive. Now it is for fun on my terms and my schedule. Typical workouts revolve around swimming, running, or lifting weights. I have never been a team-sports person or had the need to work out with others. My timeline has always been tight, so I don’t have time to wait for others. Additionally, are you really working out if you have the breath to talk?
On my short drive to the office, I try to listen to the news to find out what is going on in the world, which is getting harder and harder to do each day. I’m hoping for an actual news outlet that reports the news rather than focusing on the talking head that happens to be reading it. So far, no luck from either side. I don’t “do” social media and never will but, believe it or not, I started a podcast. Never too old to try new things. It is called the “Friendly Fire Podcast” which covers everyday issues across the country from both a left and right point of view. With the help of a good friend and retired Marine, we spar about different subjects but remain friends, something this country should be able to do but currently does not. I am truly bewildered at times with the logic of the left, but my co-podcaster does a very good job explaining his point of view. We typically agree 50 percent of the time but totally disagree the other 50 percent. The podcast is a lot of fun to create each week and it forces me to stay up to date with the news and what is happening in the world. Never be afraid to try something new.
CHAPTER 31
Doing the Right Thing Regardless of How It Looks
The Navy SEAL Museum has a scholarship program run through the Trident House Charities Program. It is a great way for future college kids of Special Operations warriors to get a leg up on tuition costs, which seem to be astronomical. The scholarships also cover younger children attending private school since many of the places SEALs are assigned around the world may not have the best education system. One such scholarship is sponsored by a major applicant to the museum who I know very well. I would have to say a majority of the people I deal with on a day-to-day basis would call themselves “conservative,” which is a dirty word in some parts of the country. This applicant is a self-made success and has donated over five hundred thousand dollars to the scholarship fund to help the children of both Army and Naval Special Forces. It came as a surprise to me recently to receive an email from one of the museum’s advisory board of directors stating the applicant was not happy with some of the questions being asked as part of the scholarship application. To tell you the truth, I had not read the application, or the questions, which was a mistake. Not that I would have changed anything, but I wouldn’t have been caught off guard when the email came in.
The complaint was that the questions were biased and should be removed from the application or that the museum should separate any relationship with the applicant if the questions did not change. Classic cancel culture. First thing I did was write back that I would look into it. Second thing I did was bring up the application online to read the questions. Here is one:
Currently “Big Tech” is censoring free speech in our country. Given that these are unelected organizations, individuals and their influencers, it is completely inconsistent with our First Amendment and is potentially very dangerous. What, in your opinion, needs to be done to correct this violation of our rights?
Is it a bit leading? Yes, but any high school graduate should be able to answer this question no matter their political leanings. The cancel culture was coming after us once again and we had to figure out the best way to handle the situation without backing down. The solution ended up being quite simple. There was no pulling back the questions even if we wanted to. The application had been posted for a few weeks and there was no way to track how many kids had downloaded the paperwork and had begun to fill it out. We decided to pull the application offline and provide it to anyone that called and asked for it. Win-win. The application was no longer online, but still available to the kid who needs a scholarship and recognizes the questions for what they are: a means to an end to help pay for college.
A past leader of the Navy SEALs was recently interviewed and asked what was the greatest asset of Naval Special Warfare today? His reply? Diversity and inclusivity. Yes, that is what he said. Sure, he said more after that, but I do not have the stomach to repeat it. And here all these years I thought our ability to complete our mission no matter the circumstance was our greatest asset. I thought having men and women ready, willing, and able to fight to defend our country was our greatest asset. The U.S. Navy has spent a lot of time and energy trying to figure out how to recruit minorities for SEAL training but also how to recruit the non-minority applicant. There is no black, white, or brown in the SEAL Teams. You either do your job or you don’t. Reputation is everything.
Epilogue
I recently had one of the greatest honors I have ever had along with one of the saddest times of my life. All in one day. I planned and led the Swim Out for my first mentor Rudy Boesch.
Each set of ashes is carried to sea by two SEALs, active or retired, from the beaches directly behind the museum. Friends and family gather along with regular people who have no tie to the heroes we are swimming out other than wanting to pay their respects.
The same beaches Rudy had trained on in World War II were now going to be his final resting ground. Our chaplain, my friend, took care of each of the 15 families on the beach that day like they were his own. Each received a folded flag on bent knee, a blessing, and a military salute.
I gave the order for the SEALs to march to the sea and off the 30 Frogmen swam with their precious cargo. Once at a safe distance at sea, they released their brothers and returned to the beach to greet and console the families. Rudy had made it full circle.
As everyone departed, I brought up the rear. We walked by the Navy SEAL Memorial with the current 309 names of the Frogmen who have died in combat or in training since World War II.
With approximately 17,000 Frogmen produced in eighty years, your odds of knowing a SEAL, let alone meeting one, are fairly slim. Eight thousand were produced in World War II, with only 100–150 graduating BUD/S training each year since. With our numbers so small, at only 2,500 active-duty SEALs at any given time, the loss of only one SEAL is devastating to the force. Now imagine a helicopter full.
If you are lucky enough to visit the Museum, take a minute and walk out on the beach, bow your head, and thank God for creating men like Rudy Boesch who were willing to give everything for us.
Rudolph Ernst Boesch
1928–2019
Master Chief Rudy Boesch on fast rope acquired
from British Special Forces, circa 1976.
Future Navy SEAL? Author aged two and on the right path. Thanks Mom.
The first Joint Warrior. Author aged six. Someone tried to influence my decisionmaking with a U.S. Army uniform. I saw the light.
Sniper and Breacher training. Salton Sea, California, circa 1988. Notice the old school M14.
Winter Warfare SEAL Team TWO. Narvik, Norway, circa 1983.
Greenland icecap, circa 1984. Long-range navigation from Defense Early Warning Site to coast.
On patrol. Winter-warfare training at Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, circa 1984.
Winter-warfare training with Norwegian Jaegers at Tromso, Norway, circa 1984. Notice the broken ski pole taped with two sticks.
Sniper training, Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, circa 1983. Homemade ghillie suit to blend into foliage.
September 1993. Standing watch downtown, Mogadishu, CIA safe house. Again with the M14.
October 1993. After the battle of Mogadishu, getting ready to go back out. Changed over to an M4 to fit in the HMMWV better.
SEALs on the water, circa 2023, for a Navy SEAL Museum action video.
SEAL swim pair on rebreathers. The lead diver is using an attack board for navigation.
BUD/S trainees getting crushed by a wave in an IBS (Inflatable Boat Small). Who would have known these are the same boats that were used by the original Frogmen of WWII Naval Combat Demolition Units.
Author getting ready to lead a Swim Out ceremony.
Memorial Day 2023, Navy SEAL Memorial. No kneeling here.
Navy SEAL Museum Muster. Swimming out our Fallen.
Frogmen getting ready to swim out the ashes of our fallen brothers. This picture was taken in front of the Navy SEAL Memorial located on the grounds of the National Navy SEAL Museum.
Navy SEALs swimming out the ashes of our brothers on Veterans Day.
The author and the chaplain during the ceremony. The author is in the tiger stripe camouflage uniform in honor of our Vietnam veterans.
The author leading the team back to the families after the release of the ashes.
Barbara and Rick Kaiser at Palm Beach Navy SEAL Evening of Tribute in support of both the Navy SEAL Museum and Navy SEAL Foundation. April 2022.
Rick Kaiser, Frogman Stories
