Photo By Kurt Van Slooten | Retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer 5 Phillip Brashear, son of retired U.S. Navy Master...... read more read more
Subscribe
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phillip Brashear, and son of retired U.S. Navy Master Chief Carl Brashear, visited Corry Station June 14, 2023 in part of a week-long speaking tour on Naval Air Station, Pensacola.
Phillip Brashear, president of the Carl Brashear Foundation, travels the country spreading his father’s message of determination and resiliency through the “Five Hurdles,” racism, illiteracy, poverty, physical disability, and substance abuse to inspire civilians, service members, and veterans.
“My father never gave up,” said Brashear. “He would say, ‘it’s not a sin to get knocked down, it’s a sin to stay down.’”
Brashear spoke with staff members assigned to Center for Information Warfare Training and staff and students assigned to Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station at the base chapel. During the presentation, he shared photos and stories of him and his father’s service and an underlining message of perseverance.
Phillip told the story of his late father Carl Brashear from early adolescents to his passing in July of 2006.
“Halfway through my Iraq tour I received a Red Cross message because my dad was critically ill,” said Phillip. “I get off the plane in Norfolk and rush over to the Portsmouth Naval Hospital and get to my dad’s room.”
Phillip said he didn’t think much of it due to his father’s past recoveries and began to share his experience as a helicopter pilot in Iraq and the stressful conditions he works under, heat, enemy fire, operations.
“Son, what the hell are you complaining about,” said his father.
Phillip recalls thinking to himself he had no right to complain about his duty to the nation, “when you think you got it bad, I caution you, there’s always someone else that has is worse than you.”
Carl Brashear passed away five days.
After speaking at the chapel, Brashear visited the Gold Coast Café Dining Facility, better known as the galley, where he met with 12 junior enlisted Sailors, assigned to IWTC, Corry Station. During the luncheon, he answered questions, mentored, and encouraged students to fully maximize their naval careers by seizing opportunities to expand their education, benefits, and travel.
“Everyone should leave the military with some kind of higher education,” said Brashear. “whether you’re in for four years or forty, make your education work for you.”
Cryptologic Technical Collection Seaman Kaileigh Hotchkiss, student assigned to IWTC said, “his [Brashear] way of speaking is very motivational. He gave us really good advice and pushed lot about how we should be utilizing all the resources the Navy has to offer.”
Phillip Brashear and his brother DaWayne continue to share their father’s story through speaking engagements, videos and the foundations website, www.carlbrashearfoundation.org.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2023 14:55 |
| Story ID: | 447547 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 459 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, CWO5 Phillip Brashear, son of Carl Brashear, visits Corry Station, by PO2 Lindsay Lair, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
