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Ens. Ryan P. Conole, USN, ’02, who currently serves
aboard the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), sent the following letter to HCM
on April 9.  Last
May, the members of the class of 2002 left the Cross and began making their
separate ways in the world. Some went to teach, some to volunteer, and
others continued their schooling. I was commissioned as a naval officer.
As I write this I am aboard the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), a
guided missile destroyer currently in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation
Enduring/Iraqi Freedom. These are surroundings significantly different
from Worcester and the College.
My day is similar in many ways to that of my classmates currently working
in New York or Boston. Most days begin with divisional quarters, a time
for myself and my Chief Petty Officer to go over the work plan for the
day and put out any information that our sailors need. After quarters there
is plenty of administrative work ensuring files are up-to-date and information
in them is correct. Like any bureaucracy the Navy produces paperwork at
a prodigious rate, a fact of life I am sure that most graduates have experienced.
It also produces meetings in various sizes and descriptions to plan for
future operations, yet another characteristic my job shares with most.
At some point during the day I must make the climb to the bridge to go
on watch, directing the ship through waters which, with current operations,
are crowded with merchant vessels and warships. There is always the chance
of a nighttime attack by a small boat, or being the first ship to find
an as-yet undiscovered mine. These are possibilities that begin to make
this job different from most. Then it’s back below for a few hours
of sleep before the cycle begins again.
I have seen a lot after 70 days at sea. Frequent helicopter operations,
nighttime missile launches, the occasional General Quarter’s drill,
and small boat operations. I have even met two of my classmates and brother
officers, Tim Mayotte and Gianni Waghelstein, in what can only be described
as unlikely circumstances. We met up at the U.S. Naval Base in Bahrain
while their ship sat at anchor near mine. It seems you cannot go anywhere
in the world without meeting a Crusader. Through it all, the most impressive
thing I have seen is the dedication shown by American sailors to do their
job with professionalism and pride each and every day. Even though our
schedule has been arduous, these men have continued to make sure our ship
is ready to execute any mission assigned, in almost any conditions imaginable.
It’s humbling to serve alongside them.
As I reflect on my time at Holy Cross I have many pleasant memories of
the institution that guided my growth both intellectually and personally.
I remember having my eyes opened to the world of political philosophy in
Professor David Schaefer’s class as a freshman, the tremendous people
I met as an RA in Healy and Loyola, the values that I developed as a midshipman
at the NROTC unit, and the friends I made during four years on the hill.
I have no regrets about my choices over the past five years, not the choice
to attend Holy Cross, nor the choice to accept a commission through the
NROTC Unit based at the College.
Holy Cross is a very special institution that does not dedicate itself
exclusively to producing engineers, doctors, naval officers or any other “specialist.” Its
reason for existence is to produce liberally educated men and women who
have the tools necessary to meet any challenges presented and the moral
base to make difficult decisions. From what I have seen, it has succeeded
in this difficult venture and any institution, including the Navy, can
only be considered stronger by the presence of a Holy Cross graduate. To
those still at Holy Cross, I can only implore you to enjoy it. The world
of work and worry will come soon enough; enjoy the time provided to you
to grow intellectually and personally. You will not realize how incredible
the experience is until you are beyond it. To my own classmates, and especially
those who accepted commissions along with me and are currently deployed
the world over, I wish you all the best over the coming years.
Ens. Ryan P. Conole, USN, ’02
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