Lieutenant Paul Bodet ’12 on Unity, Community, and Service

On November 11, Head of School Dr. Sam Schaffer welcomed boys, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests to Rousmaniere Hall for RL’s annual Veterans Day Commemoration Hall. “The program today honors those veterans who are with us and also all those others who have served our country in peacetime and wartime over the past 250 years,” he stated. “Their commitment, loyalty, and service to our country, to the values for which it stands, and for each one of us ought never to be forgotten.” 

Dr. Schaffer explained the significance, history, and origin of Veterans Day, highlighting its importance for our country and its relevance in the history of RL, with a high percentage of alumni having served in wars throughout history. In fact, five veterans who graduated from RL—Bob Powers ’66, John Lawler ’75, Tom Hennessey ’01, and Dom Pellegrini ’04—were in the audience, as was the Hall’s guest speaker, Lieutenant Paul Bodet ’12.

Like all RL boys, Paul was an engaged generalist during his six years as a student, excelling academically and holding various roles on campus, including president of the Glee Club and Varsity Cross Country team captain. The summer before his senior year, he was one of seven cadets nationwide—out of a pool of 10,000 potential candidates—to qualify for and graduate from the U.S. Navy’s Sea Cadets development program’s grueling Diving Operations Training program. 

After graduating from RL, Paul attended the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Naval Flight Officer. After eight years in various leadership roles, including as Mission Commander and Instructor of a nine-person team in the P-8 “Poseidon” and operating the MC-Q4 Triton Drone, Paul completed his active duty this past June. 

In his talk, Paul reflected on his time at the Naval Academy and, later, his time serving on active duty. He noted that while serving our country takes incredible strength, bravery, and perseverance, it also requires skills like leadership and community building, something that he learned at RL. “Some of the greatest lessons I learned about leadership began right here at RL,” he said. “From a young age here, you are expected to lead, to take on responsibility, and to learn from older classmates who set the example.”

Paul also discussed how the feeling of unity carries on after RL in various settings, which was very important to him when he joined the Navy. “During my years at the academy I learned that service can take on different meanings for each of us, and that’s a great thing,” Paul said. Sometimes, service can look like just being there for one another and showing up when someone is in need. “It’s not about where or why we started; it’s about respecting the role we play and serving in a way that aligns with our core values.”

Paul highlighted the importance of unity in a country that can sometimes feel divided. “Despite our differences, we’re all on the same team,” he said. He mentioned that he did not join the Navy for any reason other than a desire to challenge himself and try something different. However, after spending eight years on active duty, he said he has never felt more proud of his American privilege.