Sometimes you need a boatload of people to help you through. It’s a lesson Admiral William H. McRaven (retired) learned after a parachute accident that left him bedridden for months. The accident happened while he was participating in a Naval Special Warfare exercise involving a 1,000-foot free-fall jump.
McRaven, who served as the ninth commander of the U.S. Special Operations command from August 2011 to August 2014, got both legs tangled in his parachute because another parachutist was underneath him and opened his chute into McRaven’s falling body. When McRaven opened his own chute, his legs became tangled and the chute broke his pelvis and back, sending him into a lengthy recovery. He got through his convalescence, he said, with the help of his wife, colleagues and friends.
“In life, you need to make as many friends as you can, have as many colleagues as you can, and take care of as many strangers as you can,” McRaven said. The admiral was the closing keynote speaker at the (ISC)2 Security Congress this week in Orlando. It was a fitting close to an event underscored by the themes of resilience, being there for others and letting the human spirit drive your actions.
McRaven’s accident recovery was one of the many times in his life in which he had to rely on a team to accomplish his mission. While training as a Navy SEAL in the 1970s in San Diego, it was something he learned quickly. Exercises in BUDS training such as carrying and rowing a rubber boat in unison emphasized the importance of teamwork. If everyone didn’t row in time and at the same pace, it was easy t ..
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