Sailor's Speak: Conversations with the Military Community
Presentation and Panel Discussion
DATE
April 26, 2023
TIME
1:00 – 2:00 PM
LOCATION
USS Constitution Museum
The Museum invites you to join us for a unique discussion and culmination of the overarching themes that emerged during our program called Sailors Speak: The Impact of War on Naval Veterans, Their Families, and the Country.
Moderated by historian Joe Balkoski, a panel including veterans, historians, and military community members, will introduce commonly-held themes and (mis)perceptions of military life, opening the conversation to the public. With fewer Americans opting for military service, we seek to broaden understanding of the topics integral to those in military life, grounded in historical perspective, and with an emphasis on how their experiences fit within today’s society.
Panelists include:
Capt. Bullard, commanding officer of USS Constitution from 2007 to 2009, was a surface warfare officer who served during Operation Desert Storm in the Arabian Gulf, Operation Reserve Hope in Somalia, and Operation Southern Watch in Bahrain. Capt. Bullard is currently working toward a Ph.D. in physics.
Master Chief Graning is currently stationed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Previously, he served as chief of the boat on the submarines USS Hampton (SSN-767) and USS New Hampshire (SSN-778). He has multiple deployments to the Arabian Gulf, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Pacific, and an ICEX. Master Chief Graning has an MS in Operations and Project Management.
Lt. Col. Harvell has eighteen years of service as a Veteran Service Officer and is currently appointed in Lincoln, Massachusetts. As a career Army Special Forces officer, Lt. Col. Harvell spent many years in joint assignments working with all branches of the military and served in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College.
Capt. Majors was commissioned an ensign in 1968 and retired from the Navy Nurse Corps in 2011 with over 43 years of service. She is a leader and mentor in the Boston area’s military community and also serves as a trustee of the USS Constitution Museum.
Shick has worked as an Intelligence Analyst for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She is an experienced military spouse and mother whose husband, Commander Nathaniel Shick, was the commanding officer of USS Constitution from 2017 to 2020.
This program is made possible by a Dialogues on the Experiences of War grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
