Lieutenant Commander Daniel W. McDonald '05 Delivers Moving Veterans Day Speech

LCDR McDonald posed two important questions to the boys and asked them to explore them.  He began by asking them to consider what service is to them. He said there were two keys to discovering the answer. “First, you need to align your principles and values to your actions,” he said.  “To do that you need to consider what your principles and values actually are. Second, you need to put others before yourself. These are both things you can start doing today.” He stressed to the boys, “You have a faculty dedicated to making sure that you become good people.”

LCDR McDonald attended the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Naval Officer in 2009. He qualified as a Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer and has since deployed worldwide with Navy, Army, and Special Operations forces. He is currently stationed at MacDill AFB, in Tampa, FL. While at Belmont Hill, he was a varsity wrestling captain, played varsity football, and served as a Peer Leader.