Nat Thompson '97

I graduated from Woodberry in 1997 and attended the Lawrenceville School as a post-graduate student - part of the Naval Academy Foundation Program. After graduating from Lawrenceville in 1998, I attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating with a degree in Political Science in May 2002, and securing one of sixteen billets to SEAL training. In October of 2002, I began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, CA. I finished BUD/S and SEAL Qualification Training in March of 2004, moved back to the east coast and have been in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach - based SEAL Teams ever since.  

 

Commands:

1.  Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, October 2002 - March 2004

2.  SEAL Team FOUR, April 2004 - January 2006

3.  SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO - January 2006 - April 2008

4.  SEAL Team TEN, April 2008 - Present

 

Positions Held:

 

1.  Assistant Officer in Charge(AOIC) DELTA Platoon, SEAL Team FOUR

2.  AOIC ALPHA Platoon, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO

3.  Officer in Charge(OIC) SEAL Delivery Vehicle Platoon, BLUE Troop, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team TWO

4.  OIC BRAVO Platoon, ONE Troop, SEAL Team TEN

5.  ONE Troop Commander, SEAL Team TEN

 

Deployments:

1.  Operation Iraqi Freedom, March 2005 - August 2005

2.  Brazil, May 2005 - May 2005

3.  Paraguay, September 2005 - October 2005

4.  Bahrain, October 2006 - November 2006

5.  Operation Enduring Freedom, January 2008 - April 2008

6.  Operation Iraqi Freedom / Operation New Dawn, March 2009 - August 2009

7.  Haiti, January 2010 - February 2010

8.  U.S. European Command (EUCOM) / U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), September 2010 - January 2011

9.  Operation Enduring Freedom, March 2011 - February 2012

 

Personal Awards:

1.  Joint Service Commendation Medal (2)

2.  Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for Valor

3.  Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2)

4.  Joint Service Achievement Medal

5.  Navy Achievement Medal

 

Unit / Service Awards:

1.  NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Service 

2.  Sea Service Deployment (5)

3.  Humanitarian Service

4.  Global War on Terror Service

5.  Iraq Campaign (2)

6.  Afghanistan Campaign (2)

7.  Presidential Unit Citation

8.  Navy Unit Citation

9.  Combat Action (2)

10. National Defense Service

11. Navy Expert Rifle

12. Navy Expert Pistol

 

My time in the SEAL Teams has further strengthened the intangible qualities and values of leadership, brotherhood, teamwork, and honor, which I learned well at Woodberry. Not many young men are exposed to a scholastic environment that inherently fosters a sense of service; and for my four years at the Forest, I'm truly thankful.  

 

I've had the unique opportunity to serve with this country's heroes for the past ten years - they come in all shapes and colors, from every corner of the nation, and all walks of life. Whether it's the 19 year old Georgia National Guardsman standing front gate watch in full gear in the Iraqi summer heat at my Forward Operating Base or the Alabama-native Army Special Forces Team Sergeant I served with whose aggression surprised even me. The Illinois and Ohio Guardsmen providing convoy security to my platoon as we navigated the worst parts of Baghdad - their sheer joy at just having the opportunity to do real work, even though I had to suffer through running radio commentary about how great Ohio State football is every single day. The young Army Rangers with limitless energy, humping over the toughest mountains in Afghanistan and still reminiscing about their senior proms, which happened less than a year earlier.  The tenacious Marine Platoon Leaders in Helman d, gladly accepting the worst areas and the toughest assignments- meeting the enemy in what he believed were his safe havens, and going where our allies, the British, would never go. The military families who do not get enough credit for all they endure, and how much they do to support their deployed servicemen and women. The Iraqi and Afghani idealists and nationalists - interpreters, policemen, and special operations soldiers who fought side by side with me and withstood every hardship that my men and I did. And finally, the men who I've formed lifelong friendships with, whether we ran with logs on our shoulders on San Diego beaches, planned and executed difficult combat operations, or shivered and joked together under some cold body of water on a ten-hour dive - this is a tribute to them and to the heroes of this country, who make America what it is. I'm truly thankful to have served with such a wide cross-section of our military, and do not regret a single experience.   

 

     I'll leave the Navy sometime next year, at the end of my operational career which has been blessed in many ways.  With me, I'll take a rucksack's worth of phenomenal memories that will last me the rest of my life. It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve our country in the unique organization to which I belong. I'll never forget the ultimate sacrifices of the men whom I've been lucky to call friends and teammates. Most importantly, we as a nation should never forget how blessed we are to have such men in our midst. It's been a great ride so far, and now my incredibly beautiful and strong wife, Darcy; my twins, Zac and Molly; and I look forward to the next step in our lives.