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McCarthy: future of U.S. military looking good. Several local students up for appointments.
Written by: Mike Sharkey | Publication: Jacksonville Financial and Daily Record
November 7, 2006 -
Dan McCarthy spent four years at Annapolis in the U.S. Naval Academy and another 30 serving his country. Last week, he spent an entire day in Tallahassee interviewing high school students who are looking to follow in his footsteps.McCarthy is the Director of Military Affairs for the City. As such, he was asked by U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez to participate in the selection process for what will become Martinez’s class of 2007 for the United States Navy, Army and Air Force. Based on what McCarthy saw and heard from local high school students, the future of the United States military is in good hands.
“These were fantastic kids,” he said.
According to McCarthy, the 30 applicants had an average SAT score of over 1,400 and they are at or near the top of several categories at their respective schools. The top-ranked student was a female from Bolles.
“She’s also a varsity athlete,” said McCarthy, who entered the Naval Academy in 1973 and got out in 1977. “In fact, four of the top five were women. These are extraordinary kids and tremendously bright.”
Some of the other students McCarthy interviewed go to Paxon, Wolfson, Bishop Kenny and Orange Park. This is the second time McCarthy has participated in the interview process.
The next step, McCarthy said, involves a meeting in Orlando with Martinez who will pare the names down to 10 for appointments to Annapolis. Two of those are automatic appointments while eight others from each region will compete for the open appointments. Telling several kids from the Jacksonville area they won’t be going to Annapolis won’t be easy.
“You’d be happy with our 10 best from this region,” said McCarthy, who only interviewed applicants to the Naval Academy, but was informed those seeking appointments to West Point (Army) and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. were just as impressive.
Having spent three decades in the Navy, McCarthy understands what it takes to fulfill a military commitment and then continue that obligation as a career. While all of the students were impressive academically and personally — one is fluent in Mandarin Chinese — McCarthy wanted to make sure they all knew what they were getting into: four years in a military academy and a five-year commitment to that branch of the military.
“I wanted to make sure they wanted to go and this wasn’t just a resume builder. You wouldn’t go to Juilliard if you didn’t want to do music,” he said. “None of them batted an eye. All of them said they weren’t that excited about having to kill someone, but if they are sent to do a mission, they will carry it out. That’s a pretty positive statement about Jacksonville schools. Some of them get it completely.”
McCarthy said 5-10 students from Florida will get appointments to the Naval Academy, West Point and the Air Force next spring. The nominees are divided among that state’s members of Congress and the Senate. He said there are at least a dozen local students qualified, but not all of them will get appointments.
The Bolles student, McCarthy said, indicated she was willing to forego a full scholarship to Duke in order to serve her country.
McCarthy is a from a military family. His brother graduated from the Naval Academy in 1980 and his son, a Nease High product, finished last year. Looking back, McCarthy said today’s academy applicant is a different kind of student.
“I am not sure my brother or I could have competed favorably with this group,” said McCarthy, who went into the Naval Academy just as the Vietnam War was coming to an end. Today’s military academy student may be facing war immediately after graduating.
“We were different, but relative to today’s kids, kind of the same. There’s the same commitment and dedication.”
McCarthy said the long ride and day were worth the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the area’s brightest students and future military leaders.
“It was fun. It’s a long drive — I left Jacksonville about 4 a.m. and didn’t get home until 10 or 11 that night,” he said. “But, there are some awfully sharp youths who are willing to raise their hand, serve their country and stand behind our military. It was one of my better days.”
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