USNA News Article

New Brigade Commander Steps Up

Jan 12, 2012

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alexia Riveracorrea, U.S. Naval Academy Public Affairs

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- A U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen assumed duties as brigade commander Jan. 10.

Midshipman 1st Class Jordan Foley now takes on the role as most senior at the academy, leading more than 4,500 midshipmen as brigade commander.

“This opportunity doesn't come very often to a 23-year-old,” he said. “This is a very rewarding position.”

Foley said his four key principles are respect, self-worth, sustained effort and a positive outlook.

“Those are the things that I always live by and am now passing on to the brigade to help inspire their leadership style and help them reach their potential,” said Foley.

Foley said he saw for himself the reward that comes from sustained effort during his application process to the Naval Academy. Since a field trip to Annapolis during his 8th-grade year, he wanted to attend the academy. He spent most of his high school career focused on getting good grades and playing sports.

His first application to the academy was rejected.

“I was very disappointed, because I put a lot of effort to get accepted, and it just didn't happen,” he said. “That made me realize how hard things were. It was the first time I was denied anything I thought I had a really good shot at.”

He was accepted instead to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he continued his studies and played football.

“Although things were really looking up for me at that time, I still wanted to go to the academy,” said Foley.

With a 4.0 grade point average and the experience gained in his first year of college, he submitted his application a second time and received his letter of acceptance.

He said his two major supporters and influences have been his family and his girlfriend.

“My brother is trying to apply to Navy as well,” said Foley. “Hopefully we can see him here, too.”

Foley continued playing on the Sprint football team at the academy, earning three school records on punt and kick return yards.

“Being a returner really taught me a lot,” he said. “It's like being an island, singled out and everyone can see it. It's definitely a lot of pressure, but I've learned to deal with that ever since I was a plebe.”

Foley also tutors plebes in chemistry and serves as the leader of the Midshipmen Study Group Program.

“It is really rewarding to hear plebes say they are getting better grades.”

Foley will be commissioned into the submarine community in May and hopes to go to graduate school before attending nuclear power school in Charleston, S.C. He has applied to several graduate programs, but his first choice is MIT, where he plans to study technology policy if accepted.