June 2001 President's Corner

Bob Bush '65, USNAAA Atlanta Chapter President

This will be the last time I author this portion of your newsletter as my term as President expires at the end of this month. It has been a wonderful experience for me and I am most grateful to have had this opportunity. If the truth be known, my Navy career was undistinguished. It had its high points and I did realize my childhood ambition to become a Naval Aviator, but I never approached my full potential. Serving as your President has been my substitute for my Naval command. That may be a silly analogy, but it has been a rare privilege for me and I have been most honored to preside over a “ship” crewed by so many true Naval leaders and real heroes.

As I look back over my term there have been many events and Chapter accomplishments that have made me proud, but two stand out. The first was an event that was sandwiched into the middle of the NAVY – GA Tech weekend. The morning of the game the admissions department from the Academy held an information session for local youngsters, their parents and school officials who wanted to learn more about the opportunities at the Naval Academy.

Paul Hurst ’62 was instrumental in organizing that outing but several Chapter members helped promote it. The result was that the turnout far exceeded the expectations of the Academy representatives as well the fire marshal’s building capacity.

The second event was a BBQ lunch the Chapter sponsored for the Academy’s Gospel Choir when they visited Atlanta for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend. The event was a great success and a joint effort between the Chapter and the Georgia Parent’s Club.

Two stories came out of those two events I would like to share with you because I think they illustrate what the Academy is about. On the GA Tech weekend Navy also played in a soccer tournament at Georgia State. At the Saturday Tailgate Party I met Midn 1^st Class Michael Paisant who is from the Atlanta area, was captain of the soccer team and the team’s leading scorer.

On Sunday I went out to see the match and was surprised to see Michael sitting on the bench. One of the parents on the sidelines explained why. Michael had busted curfew the night before. There was no scandal involved, he had been out to dinner with his parents, but the coach benched him for the first period nevertheless. I wonder how many other college coaches (or high school coaches for that matter) would bench their leading scorer for getting in late from dinner with his parents!

At the Gospel Choir lunch I set out with Midn 1^st Class Leron Culbreath in search of special batteries for the Choir’s camera and I got to know a little bit about him. He is the son of a Marine sergeant and he enlisted in the Navy right out of high school. Although his high school grades were not spectacular, he did qualify for nuclear sub training. Before he graduated from sub school he was offered the opportunity to go to NAPS. That opportunity led to an appointment to the Academy. Leron just graduated with a degree in engineering and an assignment to Nuclear Power School.

I asked him if his dad was proud of his accomplishments. He said that when he phoned his dad to tell him he’d gotten his appointment to the Academy, his father “made a WHOOOP!!! sound” like he’d never heard before.

Michael Paisant could have played soccer at any one of a number of colleges but he chose to accept the discipline that comes from being a NAVY athlete and despite the rigors of Academy life was able to achieve the status of Offensive Player of the Year in the Liberty Conference. Leron Culbreath came to the Academy and had his expectations elevated beyond his dreams. These young men have now joined the Fleet. I anticipate that they’ll both enjoy rewarding and successful careers.

We can be proud of our Academy and the young leaders it produces. Let’s make a loud WHOOOP!!! Sound. And BEAT ARMY!