CORONADO, California (October 21, 2019) Andi Valaitis, from Willoughby, Ohio, lives her dream of training with the men and women of Naval Special Warfare (NSW). Components of NSW Command teamed with the Make-a-Wish Foundation to allow Valaitis to experience what it is like to participate in SEAL training and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman operations. NSW Command is the maritime component of U.S. Special Operations Command, and its mission is to provide maritime special operations forces to conduct full-spectrum operations, unilaterally or with partners, to support national objectives. (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialists 1st Class Sean Furey and Paolo Bayas)
Transcript
[Narrator] She has her one wish and it’s truly an honor that she would request to come and train with NSW for a day and spend her time seeing what we do and hanging out with us. So, we’re going to really try to earn that honor. Guys come into NSW, they want to make a difference and serve their country and keep people safe back here. This is service to Andrea.
(Mumbles) drop down.
[Narrator] You know, if we dig a little big deeper, it’s about keeping people back here healthy and happy and safe. It’s another way of serving.
[Announcer] Shoulder-to-shoulder.
[Andi] I was little and remembered admiring my grandfather who was a Marine, so I chose basically something that was so close and so close to me because the water and everything that I had just loved so much as a little kid, and decided I wanted to be a SEAL to… be a tribute to my grandfather.
Send it!
Woo!
[Man On Boat] Woo!
[Andi] I look at them and see that they are putting their lives out on the line every single day, and I just admire that about them and I truly wish that I could live up to what they do. Just, thank you for this experience that, it’s one of the most gracious things anybody’s ever done for me, and I truly will admire it and be thankful for it my entire life, so thank you for everybody that participated and helped.