USNA News Article

Midshipmen Help Wounded Warriors Sail the Severn

September 6, 2012

By Jessica Clark

The Naval Academy Sailing Team will help wounded veterans from Walter Reed National Medical Center set sail on the Severn River this weekend.

Eight midshipmen from the team have volunteered to help out at the Wounded Warrior Regatta Sept. 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Annapolis City Dock in Annapolis, Md.

As part of the festivities, families can take a tour of the Naval Academy and will receive free passes to the “Pirate Adventures” in Eastport. The Naval Academy Ceremonial Band will perform from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m.

The midshipmen will act as skippers for the sailing boats, but their goal is to be as hands off as possible.

“The day is all about the Wounded Warriors, and we want them to get the full sailboat racing experience, whether that be calling the shots as tactician, driving the boat, or trimming the sails,” said Midshipman 1st Class Andrew Shea, team captain. “We’ll be there to simply show them the way, set them up for success and point them in the right direction.”

Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB), a non-profit organization in Annapolis that offers opportunities for people with physical and developmental disabilities to sail on the Chesapeake Bay, will host the event. The organization’s boats are specially equipped to enable people who use wheelchairs to crew them.

This won’t be the first time the academy’s sailing team has worked side-by-side with wounded warriors. Shea and Midshipman 1st Class Mary Cox tell the story of how, during their sophomore year at the academy, the sailing team played a game of softball against a group of wounded warriors … and lost.

“We got absolutely crushed, but the event was extremely eye-opening for all the members of our team,” said Cox. “It was incredible to see the adversity that these men and women have been able to overcome to be able to move forward in their lives.”

After the game, the team took several members of the opposing team sailing, and everyone enjoyed the experience.

“This time around, we hope to share our passion of sailing with another group of wounded warriors and introduce them to the joys of sailing and being out on the water,” said Cox.

For the midshipmen, working with wounded veterans is a rewarding experience that helps them gain a new perspective on their future careers and a better understanding of what it means to sacrifice for your country.

“Interacting with these guys and girls shows us the resilience of the human spirit and the ability to adapt and overcome in the high quality of people we will one day be working with,” said Shea.