In the second iteration of the Notre Dame-Naval Academy collaborative staff ride, students and staff participated in a two-week series of historic site visits and character presentations centered around the American Revolutionary War as well as visited modern military facilities to gain a better understanding of the various Navy communities and broader military joint capabilities. Comprised primarily of midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy and Notre Dame’s Navy ROTC program, with cadets from Notre Dame’s Air Force and Army ROTC programs as well as civilians from NDISC’s Undergraduate Fellowship Program, the trip had a focus on naval operations and capabilities while also imparting leadership lessons applicable to all those who aspire to serve.

Starting with the 1776 Battle and 1780 Siege of Charleston, the historical staff rides covered the southern campaign and culminated in the Battle of Yorktown and surrender of the British under Cornwallis. Along the road north, the group explored the battles of Camden, Hobkirk’s Hill, the Waxhaws, King’s Mountain, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, and the Chesapeake. At each stop, participants – led by LTC (ret) Brian DeToy of Essential History Expeditions – walked the battlefield terrain, presented events of the battles and key decisions of those present in the first person, and engaged in question and answer with each other and each other’s historical characters. Augmenting these battlefield visits, Notre Dame History PhD candidate CJ Sloan gave a series of lectures on the evolving nature of warfare and the complicated series of alliances at play surrounding the American Revolution and Britain’s fight to maintain control over their overseas empire. Rounding out the history portion, participants visited the Army and Navy Museums at Fort Belvoir and Washington Navy Yard, respectively.

Apart from the historical staff rides, the other main component of this trip was an exploration the modern military. Visiting the Nuclear Power Naval Training Command and Nuclear Power Training Unit (along with an Air Force C-17) at Joint Base Charleston, the submarine USS Pasadena and the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush at Norfolk Naval Station, and Naval Special Warfare Group 2 at Little Creek Naval Base, students were able to experience elements of the submarine, surface, aviation, and special warfare Navy communities. Trip participants also visited the Pentagon, where they received briefings from Admiral Grady, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Brigadier General Schreiner, Deputy Director for Operations for the Joint Staff, as well as a final briefing at the Washington Navy Yard from Admiral Houston, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Bringing the trip together, bridging past and present, participants paid their respects at the memorials near the National Mall in Washington, DC, and at Arlington National Cemetery, sharing stories of those who served and laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Along the way, participants engaged in reflection sessions. Each participant, both student and staff, provided meaningful observations and reflections based on the events, conversations, and connections taking place throughout the trip. A few of the common themes were the following:

• The civil war nature of the American Revolution: while the American Revolution is often portrayed simply as the colonists against the British, the colonists were not a single united group, rather they were a mix of loyalists, patriots, and those somewhere in the middle. In addition to the professional British soldiers and sailors, and the official units of the Continental Army, both sides recruited militia from among the colonists (as well as employed foreign troops). Like in the American Civil War, there were many instances of neighbors and even family members fighting on opposing sides, sometimes in the same battle.

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  The importance of leadership, both from leaders and those more junior: through the study of history as well as everyday experiences, it is clear that leadership is important. It directly impacts mission execution and group morale, both contributing to the likelihood of mission success. From those whose names will be passed down for generations and those who may only be remembered by friends and family, anybody can make an impact if they take initiative. As leaders such as the Marquis de Lafayette (who was only 19 years old when he was joined the Continental Army in 1776) or Nathaniel Delemarre (a Marine Corps enlisted Lance Corporal who commissioned as an officer in the Navy, and who was killed trying to save teammate and team lead Lieutenant Brian Hoke in Afghanistan in 2016) demonstrated, grit and heart are more important to making an impact than age or rank.
• There is a timeless call to serve, and a responsibility to those who have come before: the Arlington National Cemetery drove home this feeling that had been building all trip of a connection to the past via a shared sense of obligation to serve and sacrifice for others. This call to action to serve something greater than one’s self is powerful and deeply rooted. For those who have served in the military and those who have served as civilians, we owe a humble debt of gratitude towards those who came before, a debt we can repay by continuing to serve and preserving the freedoms they fought for.

• Tradition and history are distinct, but both important: history is a record of the events of the past, while tradition is a selection of history that highlights key values of a particular group or organization. The military has a storied history and is rife with tradition. Staff rides, such as these, give context for history; they offer participants a better appreciation for the past by allowing it to come alive, and provide greater motivation to keep learning after the trip. And in drawing inspiration from the stories of those who came before, participants learn the lineage of their country, service branch, school, and, for some, family, and further develop their own leadership philosophies. Tradition provides a foundation and community, and history reminds us that ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances can rise to accomplish extraordinary things. Both are important in times of adversity and challenge. As Captain John Smith, Commanding Officer of Notre Dame’s Navy ROTC program, said in his end-of-trip reflection, “there will be tough days, hard days, and on those days when you’re in the gutter, you’ll find out who you are and why you’re here.”

This trip was made possible by the generosity of benefactors John and Eileen Crowley, with support from the staff at the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, Notre Dame Naval ROTC, and the United States Naval Academy. NDISC is also grateful to Essential History Expeditions for their leadership in logistics and staff ride coordination. Finally, thank you to all participants - both CJ Sloan of the University of Notre Dame Department of History and the University of Notre Dame and Naval Academy undergraduate midshipmen, cadets, and civilians - for their wonderful presentations, engaging conversations, and enthusiastic bridge-building!

Originally published by Kathryn Heyser '23 at ndisc.nd.edu on July 28, 2025.