When talking with most people, you will hear all of the reasons why they are not successful, the injustices, the political back-stabbing and the disabilities that kept them from realizing their dreams. Not so with Commander Chris Cassidy. This young man started out with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in1993. From there, he joined one of the toughest teams in the world: the Navy SEALS.

As a Navy SEAL, Cassidy undertook Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, California, where he was awarded the highly sought after status of Honor Graduate. This is no mean task when you are competing against the “best of the best.” After receiving his first assignment to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDVT-2) in Little Creek, Va., Cassidy had a phone conversation with Capt. William “Shep” Shepherd, the first Navy SEAL in NASA’s history to become an astronaut.

Following In The Footsteps Of Giants

Captain Shepherd, now the Head Science Advisor of U.S. Special Operation Command (USSOCOM), laughs as he tells the story of that first phone call. “This ensign called me one day back in the ‘90s when he was getting ready to get out of BUD/S … and he said part of his interest was to, maybe, be positioned in his SEAL career so that being an astronaut was an option available to him. Chris is kind of an anomaly! He’s a pretty exceptional guy and I think he is somewhat modest about his own capabilities,” says Shepherd.

Modest or not, Cassidy’s SEALS career has included holding such positions as executive officer and operations officer of Special Boat Team 20 in Norfolk, Va., and platoon commander at SEAL Team 3 in Coronado, after which he went on to earn his Masters Degree in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2000. His SEALS career has taken him to the Mediterranean and Afghanistan where he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and two Bronze Stars with Combat ‘V’ for missions with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. If that weren’t enough, he was made an honorary member of the 10th Mountain Division by its soldiers, a rare and singular honor.

Aiming Ever Higher

Commander Cassidy applied for NASA’s Astronaut Candidacy Program in 2004. Not one to be easily dissuaded, he faced NASA’s doubts that a knife-wielding Navy SEAL could have anything to contribute to the space program. What they soon discovered was that Cassidy’s professional expertise and personal integrity made him an ideal candidate for the space program.

Once more, Cassidy proved himself to be unbeatable by attaining honor roll student status. Much to his credit, Commander Chris Cassidy of York, Maine, will be the second SEAL in NASA’s history to launch into space, where he will work as a mission specialist and a part of the STS-127 crew that will upgrade the International Space Station (ISS).

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Not one to boast, Cassidy states, “The goals in my career really just seemed to sort of happen. You know, good coincidence, timing and luck kind of play a lot into it.” He also attributes his success to his time spent as a Navy SEAL. “I’m really humbled and honored to represent the SEAL Teams and the Navy here at NASA and on my space mission. I realize every day that it could be anybody … so, it’s just really, really humbling to be here and be the fortunate one to be selected. That said, I’m excited and motivated to take my Trident to space and execute the perfect plan. And that’s what I plan to do and do proud by Naval Special Warfare.”

According to Holly Ridings, a 10-year NASA veteran and the Lead Flight Director for STS-127, “I’m always impressed with Chris’s utter calm. Nothing fazes him. It’s that whole focused Navy SEAL thing.”

To hear Cassidy tell it, you would think he had just earned his drivers’ license. He tells us, “I was really blessed with great mentors and folks who kind of guided me when I was [at] the SEAL Teams … There are so many opportunities that exist in the Navy … the biggest thing is: Do your job and do your job well. And, if you do that, the doors are going to open wide for you to all kinds of other opportunities.”

A great perspective, to be sure. According to Commander Cassidy’s example, there are no limits.

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Photo courtesy of army.mil