SEATTLE - Ensign Drew Schoelen serves aboard USS Barry, a U.S. Navy warship homeported at Naval Station Everett, Washington. The ship is currently in a Seattle shipyard undergoing routine maintenance.
 |
| Photo by Ensign Siennah Spriggs |
Schoelen’s parents, Larry and Kimberly Schoelen, live in Lake Anna, Virginia.
Schoelen joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Schoelen serves as a strike officer and is training to become a surface warfare officer.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps and serve in the Navy,” said Schoelen. “My grandfather served as a naval aviator for 27 years. He joined the Navy in 1945 and served as my commissioning officer. He was 96 when he passed away last year.”
A Navy destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a phalanx close-in weapons system.
More than 300 sailors serve aboard Barry. Their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission-ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Schoelen has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is commissioning as an officer and having my grandfather as my commissioning officer,” said Schoelen. “It was really special. I felt that he was proud of me. He presented me with his sword. It was everything I’ve wanted since I was four years old. I wanted him to be there for that day and he managed to carry out his end of the bargain. I knew how much it meant to me and how much more it meant to him. It felt like I was carrying on that legacy. Every day, I have a chance to lead and learn from all my sailors and everybody on the ship.”
Schoelen serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“For me, serving in the Navy is kind of protecting the opportunities and freedoms that my family has enjoyed here in the U.S. that they wouldn’t have had in their original countries and I want those opportunities and freedoms to stay that way as long as possible,” said Schoelen. “My family came to the U.S. from China and Germany. Without the Navy, I wouldn’t even be here. My grandpa met my grandma through the naval service. He was serving on a carrier in the 1950s and went to a resort in Japan on liberty. He saw a pretty girl by the pool and started talking to her.”
Schoelen is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my grandfather, Lawrence Schoelen, for being an inspiration and role model for me,” added Schoelen. “I also want to thank my parents, Larry and Kimberly, for always supporting me and pushing me to get to where I am now. I never felt unsupported in what I wanted to do. I never felt like what I wanted to do was ever frowned upon. They were always with me in my career.”