Grandson of NAMC Founder Graduates From Coast Guard Training Center
Connor Naes, the son of North American Marine Consultants (NAMC) vice president Nora Naes and grandson of NAMC president and co-founder Jim “Pritch” Pritchard, graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, N.J., on November 15.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to join the military,” Naes said. “I looked at Naval ROTC, but that didn’t really sound right to me. So, then I looked a little bit into the other branches, and then I saw the Coast Guard, and I thought, ‘Oh, this is really cool. Instead of going away and fighting, I can be at home, and I can save people, save lives.’ ”
Naes grew up with ties to the military as well as the maritime industry. His father’s service in the Army and his grandfather’s service in the Navy motivated him to serve. Growing up with NAMC, Naes learned not only about the maritime industry but also about the Coast Guard.
“Since my mom is in the maritime business, I got to see what the Coast Guard does on the Mississippi River,” Naes said. “She works with a bunch of Coasties as well, or retired Coasties, and they would tell me stories of when they were out on cutters or what they’ve seen. And I thought, this is awesome.”
After graduating from high school in his home city of St. Louis, Naes started at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May in September, becoming the first of his family to enlist in the Coast Guard. Though the stories Naes grew up with were inspiring, graduating boot camp took hard work and dedication that no one can fully prepare for, he said.
“When you go in, you don’t know what to expect,” Naes said. “They shave your head so you’re just like everybody else there, and you’re just trying to survive. But as the weeks go on, you gain confidence, and you can do things on your own. At first, you don’t know how to work together, but by the end, you’re a fully formed unit. You get to know your company very well. You can tell exactly who somebody is just by the back of their head, even though we all look the same.”
The basic training program at Cape May is the only enlisted basic training center for the Coast Guard. Boot camp is an eight-week program in which trainees receive hands-on training with firearms, seamanship, firefighting, damage control and first aid, along with military justice, ethics and Coast Guard history. While training was difficult, Naes described how rewarding it was for his company to receive its flag and to graduate.
“Going into week seven, we packed up all of our things and put them in our sea bag, and we hiked with that on our back for hours,” Naes said. “We walked around the entire training center, and they drilled history into us. We were told that we were taking over what other people have given up their lives for, and it’s up to us now. That’s when we got our company flag, which was a big stepping stone. That means that your company has formed enough to where the CCS [recruit company commander] thinks that you’re ready to be a senior company and lead by example. That was a really big moment.”
The 102 young men and women who graduated with Naes were sent all over the country after completing training at Cape May. New York, California, Alaska, Ohio and Alabama were just a few of the states where members of Naes’ company were sent. Though Naes is away from home, he described how he felt connected to his family now more than ever.
“A big part of my life has been the water,” Naes said. “My grandfather started the North American Marine business, then my mother is in that business as well. I’m in the Coast Guard now, and I’ll be working alongside people like that. It’s cool to see how everything ties together. What I love about the Coast Guard is that we’re part of the communities we serve and how the Coast Guard cares about its people. My family just grew a lot!”
Shortly after graduation, Naes reported for duty in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he will be assisting with hurricane relief.
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Featured photo caption: Connor Naes, the son of North American Marine Consultants (NAMC) vice president Nora Naes and grandson of NAMC president and co-founder Jim “Pritch” Pritchard, graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, N.J., on November 15. (Photo courtesy of Nora Naes)
