As the daughter, sister, mother, wife, and grandmother of many men and women who have served in the military, I was concerned about the attacks being made on Mickie Sherrill, a graduate of the US Naval Academy, a trained helicopter pilot for the Navy, a Congresswoman and a mother herself.
But the more I learned about her, the more distressed I became. And as the mother of two Marines and one Naval officer, now a retired Commander who was a diver in the Navy, and grandmother of another Naval officer, a lieutenant who is now a Naval helicopter pilot, I became more distressed that Rebecca Michelle Jason Hedberg, a 1994 graduate of the US Naval Academy, was now bringing shame and dishonor on herself and the Naval Academy.
Admittedly, I should have realized the Congresswoman can’t stand up to tough situations. She left the US Navy in 2003… she, a helicopter pilot in the Navy, leaving the military less than two years after the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, a time we were at war with Afghanistan.
In view of the most recent news, I find it ironic that Sherrill was not allowed to walk with her class to receive her diploma because she had failed to report when she knew classmates were involved in, what turned out to be the biggest scandal ever to hit the Academy. Her complaints today focus on the fact opponents used whatever means to get information on her Academy chastisement and reported it!!!! In short, an opponent found someone who was found guilty of doing something wrong and reported it.
So I reached out to a Naval Academy graduate to get a fresh perspective on why exactly should one classmate squeal on another? Or why some classmates were allowed to attend the ceremony yet she was not? Might the Navy have two standards,, I asked.
Steve Boracchia of Atlantic Highlands is also a US Naval Academy graduate, class of 1983. He was commissioned a a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps where he flew CH-53 Sea Stallions , a heavy-life transport helicopter for the Marine Corps. He served from 1983 until 1990 and left with the rank of Captain. He also was involved in politics; though not at Sherill’s level, he was an elected councilmen in Atlantic Highlands.
Boracchia was not eager to berate or condemn a fallow Naval Academy grad.
“If she chose to counsel those who she knew that were cheating, she would have been OK,” the former Marine Corps officer said. “But she didn’t.” Still, he said, “I noticed that some grads are coming to her defense.”
Boracchia explained the well known and highly respected honor code of all the military academies, and specifically at the Naval Academy. “The honor code required you to not lie, cheat or steal and if you had a classmate lying, there was an opportunity to counsel the person. If you thought they were sincere after counseling, you could let it go. “
“I am wondering where all the Naval Academy graduates are coming to her defense,” he asked? “They may be there, but not as yet. It’s hard to defend her in this situation,” he continued, adding, “I do believe her service in the Navy after graduation is honorable and a separate issue.”
But when questioned further, Boracchia conceded, “Her history seems to show more lapses in leadership and self-promotion. She was clearly moved along for a reason, openly accepting all the policies of the left and she appears to be a big progressive while at the same time promoting herself as a moderate. She is a loyal party member in that regard.”
From what he has read about Sherrill’s recent news, “there’s no mention that she counseled anyone just that she looked the other way … that is a violation,” the former Marine officer said. ” What’s more concerning to me is that she has a history of doing what’s right for herself and not necessarily for the public. That is, she used her office when she got to Congress for insider trading while sitting on a committee that gave her insightful information while trading defense stocks.”
“The fact that it’s legal for Congress to do that ( and that needs to change), and she was so egregious in her conduct that she still got fined and called out for it tells me there’s a serious character problem,” the former councilman/Marine said.
Using the opportunity to ensure I understand the military Academy standards, Boracchia said “The Academy, Navy and the Marine Corps as you know, emphasize leadership. Leadership is doing what’s right regardless of the consequences to yourself. Granted we’re not all perfect in that, but that’s what we aspire to. In her case, she took the phrase “public service” and turned it into “the public serves us” when she used her congressional position to enrich herself while none of her constituents had that same ability. She could have set the example and promoted the end of insider trading among Congressional members, but instead she relished it and made herself rich,” he conclude.
Continuing to point on the gubernatorial candidate’s more recent actions rather than her disappointments at the Academy, Boracchia said “ Her history would probably show more lapses in leadership and self promotion. She was clearly moved along for a reason, openly accepting all the policies of the left . She appears to be a big progressive while at the same time promoting herself as a moderate. Kind of others we know!,” he concluded, not alluding to any specific persons.
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