FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Phillip Brashear, a UH-60 Weapons System Support manager at the Defense Logistics Agency in Richmond, Va., stopped by the 511th Dive Detachment at Fort Eustis March 1 to express his appreciation to the divers and share the story of one of the most famous divers in military history - his father, Carl Brashear.
Carl Brashear was the first African-American master diver in the U.S. Navy, and retired as a master chief petty officer. His dramatic story was told on the big screen in the 2000 film "Men of Honor," in which he was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.
Chief Brashear, who also serves as an Army Reserve CH-47 Chinook pilot with Fort Eustis' 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, told the divers of how his father's "never give up" attitude, especially in the face of societal barriers, motivated him to serve in the military.
"When we were growing up, my father never allowed us to use the words 'I can't,' in our house. We always had to try. If we failed, it was okay as long as we tried," he said. "My father grew up poor, joined the Navy, got an education and beat alcoholism. If my dad can beat that, then we had no excuse."
One of the elder Brashear's most difficult tests came when he lost his lower left leg in a diving accident in 1966. Determined to overcome yet another obstacle, he returned to duty two years later to recertify as a diver.
"There were three things he shared with me that I will tell you all," Chief Brashear said. "First, to be a viable citizen in our society, you have to work hard and never quit. Second, get an education and never stop learning. Third, believe in something greater than yourself. You can't live life thinking you are the center of the universe; there are bigger things in life than just one person."
The equipment Carl Brasher used during his training in Panama City, Fla., may have changed, but the discipline required to become a military diver remains. Following completion of basic combat training, Army divers begin training at the bottom of recreational pools at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
The two-week Phase I course puts divers through an intense routine, which only few Soldiers actually complete before advancing to Phase II in Panama City. Students endure 130 days of diving techniques that test their skills beyond practical underwater diving.
Completing the grueling training is accomplished by only the best and most determined Soldiers, a fact Chief Brashear made sure to impart upon the Army divers he visited.
"Let me tell you something; you guys do what my father did, and I love you for it," he said. "It takes a special breed of person to do what you do, and I thank you."