Operation Purple Pride Headlines
- Operation Purple Pride welcomes personal diaries or journals, photos, quick news updates about you and other classmates serving in Afghanistan or Iraq.
- Nursing soldiers and cheerleading Rachel Engler ('05) took on the challenges of the U.S. Navy, nursing and the Washington Redskins
- Supporting U.S. troops from the air Jeffrey Cretz ('03) serves second deployment in Middle East
- Second tour in Iraq feels right U.S. Army officer and ROTC program graduate Jeffrey Farmer ('88) takes major changes in stride
- Helping make Baghdad a safer place JMU ROTC graduate Capt. Dan Hodermarsky ('03) keeps HQ vehicles in top shape
- No clowning around for this Navy 'bozo' Aviator David Hunter "Bozo" Bankart ('99) takes pride in giving back
- Hobby turns into career Brennan Sweeney ('97) enjoys the art of aviation
- Baghdad, family crisis and intercultural cooperation Eric Johnson ('95) reports on the first days of Operation Iraqi Freedom with Task Force Tarawa Marines
- Different perspectives Will Schiek ('87) leads more than 500 U.S. soldiers providing logistics, security and communications for their Iraqi counterparts
- A service-oriented life Joe Clem ('89) provides medical support in Baghdad
- Rebuilding Iraq Civil Affairs officer Maj. Patrick Creed ('93) works with Iraqis to rebuild a nation
- Serving with JAG Corps in Iraq Lt. Col. Michael McWright ('85) with the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps
- Bringing democracy to the Afghani people and airwaves Maj. Patrick Kerr ('90) with Task Force Lightning
- Securing Baghdad's west side Capt. Shawn Harper ('97) reports on duty in Iraq
- Learning to fly Black Hawks Former JMU recruiter Lt. Kenny Ward ('03) now in 82nd Aviation Brigade
- A brief hello to fellow Dukes Lt. Col. Don Mosman ('85) reports from Iraq
- JMU's award-winning ROTC program Program repeatedly ranked in the top five percent in the nation.
- Maj. Mitchell Bell ('88) rescues injured Marines Marine reservist serves in Al Taqaddum, Iraq
- 1st Lt. James Sheasley ('02) cheers on the Dukes Purple, gold and green for this Marine
- Supporting the global war on terrorism Charles May ('83) is serving in Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Coming home Iraqi war veteran returns to JMU ROTC
- Warhorn History: Lt. Col. Laurie Moe Buckhout's ('84) Operation Iraqi Freedom diary
- MREs for 200,000? Army food service director Lt. Col. Don Vtipil ('84) serves three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan
- A Blackhawk pilot's view of Operation Iraqi Freedom A journal entry by Major Donald R. Nitti ('88)
Hobby turns into career
Brennan Sweeney (’97) enjoys the art of aviation
What started as a hobby turned into a career for Lt. Brennan Sweeney (’97). Sweeney graduated with a B.B.A. in computer information systems and is currently a flight instructor at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
"Hooked" on flying
After graduation, Sweeney took a cross-country bicycle ride with fellow JMU swim team members and developed an interest in flying. “I saw planes flying in and out of Jackson Hole, Wyo., and decided to take up flying as a hobby,” he says. “As soon as I had my first few lessons, I was hooked.”
When that trip ended, Sweeney returned to his hometown, Arlington, and coached swimming for about a year.
Career in Navy
He joined the Navy in October 1998 and completed his 13-week commissioning program at the Naval Aviation Schools Command Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Fla. He completed his flight training and got his first opportunity to fly for the Navy in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sweeney spent about eight months in Texas learning to fly a propeller plane; he trained to fly jets in Meridian, Miss. In March 2001, he was stationed in Virginia Beach where he learned to fly the F-18 Hornet, and that’s the plane he’s been flying ever since.
With his training complete, Sweeney went to Japan in 2002. During this tour of duty, he and his squadron deployed with the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. Then, in January 2003, he was sent to the Persian Gulf for the first few months of the Iraq war.
Brennan Sweeney (’97) flies a F-18 Hornet over Mount Fuji.
“Getting calls for air support was most rewarding when you could help,” Sweeney says, “but it was really difficult to deal with when it was out of reach or when circumstances came up where we didn’t have enough fuel to get there.”
Navy afforded opportunity to explore Japanese culture
Sweeney says he was busy with his Navy duties but was also fortunate enough to find some time to explore Japanese culture. “The food, sightseeing, … the people and trying to learn Japanese were all great experiences,” he says. While he did enjoy his time abroad, he says it was hard being away from his friends and family, including his three siblings Phil, (’94), Bridget (’01) and Caitlin (’06) — all JMU alums.
In October 2005, Sweeney returned to San Diego where he is currently an instructor pilot at the F/A-18 Hornet training squadron. Sweeney teaches young Marine and Navy fighter pilots the art of naval aviation. “I enjoy flying the airplane, but I also enjoy the instructional part of it now. It’s a nice change.”
JMU offered good preparation for future
Sweeney says that academics and involvement on the swim team helped prepare him for his future. “All of my experiences at JMU gave me the maturity and the self-confidence I needed to get through training and my day-to-day experiences.”
Sweeney was on campus in May 2006 for his sister Caitlin’s graduation. “The campus has certainly grown, but I think it’s maintained its close-knit community feel,” he says. “I will always look back fondly on JMU.”