OCR Text |
Show T he Forum Page6 November 19, 2002 Brashear Warns, Dont Let Anyone Steal Your Dreams to build upon his So, after spending the seventh-grad- e education, and enrolled in the U.S. Armed Forces Institute to work toward his high school GED Steve Peterson Staff Writer The ASWC welcomed retired next three years studying extensively in his y hours. during his naval diver Carl Brashear, After this, Brashear was claswhose life was featured in sified as a seaman and the fall 2000 major motion worked aboard a ship where to of Men Honor, picture, he was inspired to become a the Gore Auditorium on diver. Navy deep-se- a celein 13 Wednesday, Nov; The journey to diving week of of the bration school was a difficult one for Veterans Day. Brashear, as there had never Brashear served in the U. before been a black person S. Navy for 31 years, and allowed into the program. during that time he achieved Most of the senior military much success, such as members in Brashears first black the becoming opposed his the diver and becoming Navy requests to attend the school. first amputee Navy master But his persistence paid off, diver. Along the way to his and he was finally allowed to successes, he faced many enroll into the Deep-Se- a and as racism obstacles such Diving Program. the loss of the lower half of Diving school was his left leg. meant to test people, but I This evening, I want to was tested more because of and set to goals inspire you the color of my skin, said to not let anyone steal your Brashear. Once again, he Brashear said dreams," and off-dut- chain-of-comma- before recounting the story of his life. He grew up on a small farm in Kentucky, where he was educated in a one-roosegregated school-housIn 1948, at the age of 17, Brashear enlisted into the , nd graduated persevered, from the school. He then set his next goal, to become a master diver. In I960, Brashear enrolled in First Class Diving School in preparation to become a master diver. He U.S. Navy. failed the course due to the like other Brashear, many tough curriculum but was not black sailors, initially worked deterred; Instead of letting as a steward, preparing and the setback get him down, Naval and food to serving Brashear instead embraced a Marine Corps Officers.' quote by General Douglas wanted this he time, During MacArthur: I shall return. e. m ihatTHIN I 100 OF pATF-tARX.HA- t' ' , ' i, off-dut-y hours, Brashear returned to the First Class Diving School in 1963 with a class of 30 students. Only 17 graduated, and Brashear was ranked number three in his class. Then, in 1966, Brashear was supervising the recovery of a nuclear weapon off of the coast of Spain, when he was badly injured in an accident after saving two of his junior sailors. As a result, surgeons amputated his left leg below the knee. It was at this point in his life that he developed a view that he wouldnt be disabled, though doctors told him that this was the end of his career. Brashear said he didnt accept this because he was driven to achieve his goals. After being fit with a prosthesis. he would sneak out of the hospital at night to engage in physical fitness because the physical therapy was not enough for him. When it was all said and done, I was restored to full active duty as an amputee and this was the first time in U.S. Naval history that this occurred. Brashear then served for 13 more years in the U.S. Navy as a master diver. Brashears incredible accomplishments landed him in the U.S. Navy Archives as ' - 1 ' ' ' : s ,, t ' ' v, . ' q f ; Vis & : ' - ' . o ' ;t.cto - . jc : : 2 : () j. C'A v , , ! 4 ' Wi ' 4 r.b-'b- b b As ? ZJ ' b ' ,i ' '' ; ' , ; I'ti 4 MV ry Sb - bb ! 'xr'Vb , ) '1 ' f ; . 60 foT tow ; , .I . ' V-' '' Vbb;".' j' . , V Retired naval diver Cart Brashear shares his experiences in overcoming adversity with students in the Gore Auditorium. joked Brashear. I dont feel that I am a hero. I just had a goal to achieve. Teachers and police officers are the real heroes. sion. His accomplishments also led to the development Still, Brashears life story -the story of a young man of the film, Men of Honor, with little education from a by Twentieth Century Fox. ' small Kentucky farm who Since the films release, becomes the first black Navy Brashear has been awarded diver and the first amputee the Secretary of Defense Public Service Award, and he master diver makes one believe that he or she too was invited to the screening can achieve personal goals. of the film at the White House. As a result of the Just dont let anyone steal movie, I made it from an out- your dreams. house to the White House, Out of the seven people in the Archives, he is the only person that was alive to see their admis- a lAoTcePH - tradition-make- r. - ewofH5 T He. mb eNUfet4T M&isiTT 15 or t 1 ) |