The 26-year U.S. Navy veteran captained the U.S.S. Bremerton nuclear submarine in the 1990s and then was later promoted to Commanding Officer at Naval Station Pearl Harbor from 2002-2005, overseeing 1,000 military personnel and 1,000 civilian workers at the base.
Cox, who is now a resident of Hawaii, told students during his Veteran’s Day visit and speech that Butler County’s only Catholic high school prepared him well for his illustrious career in the Navy and for life beyond.
After graduating in spring 1975, Cox earned a chemical engineering degree from Northwestern University - while a member of the school’s Navy ROTC program - before enlisting in America’s seafaring force.
“Being at Badin – my education prepared me well for success in college, in the Navy, and in life,” he told students during a school assembly. “Anyone graduating from Badin can be confident that they will be successful.”
His life is testament to that.
The life aboard America’s attack submarines is grueling and dangerous, even more so for those in command as Cox was of the U.S.S. Bremerton from 1995 to 1998. He and his crew patrolled the Pacific Ocean with many international port stops including Hong Kong, Singapore and Fiji, according to a statement from Badin officials on his school visit.
As captain of the Los Angeles-class submarine, which is 360 feet long, 33 feet wide holding a crew of 135, Cox said the nearly self-sufficient life below the waves periodically gave him a sense of being unconquerable.
“You feel pretty invincible,” he said. “The reactor is fueled for 20 years, so you are limited in your travel only by the amount of food you can bring on board at one time. The crew is so well-trained that they can fix anything on the boat.”
“The nuclear side of the Navy is very rigorous. You have a survivor mentality. You forget the tough times and focus on successfully executing stealthy missions vital to national security.”
“The missions can be exciting, but the people you serve with are the truly special part of the job,” said the now retired former Hawaiian business executive who is married for 40 years and father of three.
The Navy, Cox told Badin officials, is a “young man’s game.”
“The long work days at sea aboard the submarine, frequently under stressful conditions, is why everyone on board is so young,” he said, adding the average age in the Navy is 24.
“Younger people, who are well trained, handle stress well.”
“Sailors are given a lot of responsibility at a very young age,” he added, noting that the “up-and-out” system of promotion serves the Navy well. “You develop great leadership and management skills rapidly as you are promoted to high positions of responsibility.”
“You develop a special bond with your shipmates based on shared hardships and experiences. The memories of the people I served with are the most meaningful to me. Of course, we did a lot of cool stuff, too.”
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