Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2015 | Page 6

Alumni Who Serve
Coast Guard Rear Admiral
John Nadeau ’85 reflects on
the “spirit of service”
from the University of Michigan in
“I look back at the mentoring I received at
2003. Nadeau said, “The engineering
Thornton; it gave me a great foundation.
work taught me how to think logically When a mentor guides you, you might
and solve problems, but I gravitated
not even know it at the time. When I was
to the people
Class President,
part of problems
I worked closely
“To me, ‘service’ simply means
and preferred
with geometry
putting others before yourself...it’s
working with a
teacher Mr. Curtis.
what makes a school teacher devote We got a lot done
white board and
her time and attention to help a
creating a team.”
together. Also, on
young student that is struggling.
the football field,
Nadeau explained
Coach Cote was a
And
it
is
what
drives
the
countless
When people hear that John Nadeau his duty as
other dedicated servants that steadily master at getting
was promoted to Rear Admiral,
the Assistant
the most you
work on their own, often without
they often ask if he’s the youngest
Commandant
possibly can out of
who has ever been appointed to that for Capability
recognition.”
what you have.
position. Admiral Nadeau replies,
at United
“No, I am not the youngest Admiral States Coast Guard Headquarters in
“It has been amazing to watch the school
ever. But I am honored to be the
Washington, D.C., “The Coast Guard
grow over the years with the addition of
first person selected for promotion
has 11 different missions, including:
new facilities, the increasingly diverse
to Rear Admiral from my Coast
marine safety, search and rescue, drug student body, and the rapidly expanding
Guard Academy Class of 1989.”
interdiction, marine environmental
curriculum. The world is becoming more
Postscripts asked him to reflect on
protection, and ports, waterways,
complex and technical; consequently,
what service means to him.
and coastal security. To accomplish
the Coast Guard is looking for specialists
all these things, we must identify the
rather than a jack of all trades. We are
“To me, ‘service’ simply means
capabilities and resources we need—
fortunate to attract a highly educated and
putting others before yourself. It is
such as boats, cutters, aircraft, people,
motivated workforce. Many of our new
about faithful dedication to your
and competencies—and then go
recruits are college graduates, and it is
people, the mission, and our great
acquire them.
not uncommon to see people working on
Nation. The ‘spirit of service’ is
advanced degrees.”
what makes a Coast Guard rescue
swimmer jump from a perfectly
Coast Guard Rear Admiral
good helicopter into freezing cold
water and rough seas to save others John Nadeau (left) and Petty
Officer First Class Chris
in peril. It is what makes a tired
Hall, Diver, demonstrate the
cook on one of our Cutters roll
capabilities of diving gear at
out of bed at 0430 to get breakfast
started to feed his fellow shipmates. the Naval Diving and Salvage
Training Center in Panama
Similarly, it is what makes a school
City, Florida in July. Nadeau
teacher devote her time and
visited the Center and was
attention to help a young student
invited on a “familiarization
that is struggling.”
Rear Admiral Nadeau prepared
himself well for a life of service.
After Thornton Academy, John
graduated from the U.S. Coast
Guard Academy in 1989 and
obtained advanced degrees in
Mechanical Engineering and Naval
Architecture & Marine Engineering

6

dive” with Coast Guard divers.
He is quick to say that this was
a special occasion and that his
responsibilities do not usually
involve diving.