You Are Among Great People

A COVID silver lining

On 12 June 2024, I was honored to have been invited to attend Olivia K. Degenkolb’s retirement ceremony. She retired a Navy Commander, having served in multiple high-stress, high performance positions. I met her because of COVID mandates and her involvement with Feds for Freedom (F4F).

I knew she was talented, but didn’t really know how talented.

Over the course of a couple years, I came to find out she spoke Chinese and Russian, and was a decorated Navy officer. What struck me was her can-do, positive attitude and her willingness to lend a hand or lend her experience. She wasn’t shy about offering advice either. She gently admonished me for the wording of one of my written products. It was spot on… I suspect she intuitively knew my patience was wearing thin and it was showing.

I found I wasn’t alone.

One of the flag staff retired officers speaking at her retirement, recounted her willingness to call him “an ass” just when he most needed it. I suppose I am in good company and am honored she respected me enough to make sure I knew when I was straying off the righteous path.

These little vignettes are the point. It takes a long time to get to know someone. If you are lucky, you get little pieces of the person and can extrapolate the rest based on consistency of behavior and quality of character. For a long time, the picture is pixelated and grainy. One is left with questions or lingering feelings, like when you admire a Picasso or an impressionist painting and come away wistful, happy, or sad.

Things came into full focus as I listened to her admirers speak of her accomplishments, her family express deep love, and the onlookers try desperately to keep tears from becoming too obvious when her daughter spoke.

She speaks nine languages and is an accomplished athlete. She studied nuclear engineering and engineering physics AND was a pilot. She was also selected in the Olmsted Scholarship Program to study in the People’s University of China, before being selected to represent the United States Department of Defense in Beijing, China.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I called up Liv five years into retirement and found out she had just completed the astronaut program.

Her refusal to take the mandated COVID-19 injection derailed the tail end of her career, but she remained positive and uplifting to those around her. She is a leader whose choices are deeply rooted in moral conviction. Her views were not kept hidden and like a noble warrior, she did not seek conflict, but when thrust upon her, she acted.

The members of Feds for Freedom are blessed and we should be grateful for each other. You chose to stand shoulder to shoulder with individuals like Liv. It doesn’t matter the shape of your career, your background, or your story. Like Liv, when the time came to defend something precious… you did so.

We are among great people and you should count yourself as one of them. Please read her retirement speech below or just watch the attached video. She never pulled a punch and still managed to do it gracefully.

Retirement Speech (12 June 2024) 

Good morning! First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for coming to my retirement ceremony. I am humbled to be here with so many family members, colleagues, and friends who have taken the time to be here. I have both mentors and protégés present. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that the distinction between them blurs as we are so often learning from each other. It’s an absolute pleasure to see everyone and to share this day with you. 

Before I go further, I would like to thank a few key individuals for making this event possible. 

Thank you to Admiral Carney for being my mentor and guest speaker. I met Admiral Carney in 2011 and learned more as a flag aide from him than I could have learned in three traditional tours. Thank you for always taking the time to explain things, for supporting my interests and endeavors, and for providing advice, even when it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. 

Thank you to my leadership for their support. 

I would like to thank CAPT Derbyshire for officiating my ceremony. CAPT Derbyshire is a friend and fellow Foreign Area Officer who served in China. It has been a pleasure to work with you, Sir. 

Thank you to Commander Davis, for rescheduling meetings, proactively engaging, and getting up way earlier than anyone should to drive to DC to be the MC today. It was an absolute pleasure serving with you aboard the USS BUSH. Your leadership, insight, and commitment to your people are unparalleled. 

Thank you, Senior Chief Akeo, for being the driving force behind this event. Without you, I would not have a ceremony today. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with you. You are one of the most tenacious, intelligent, and principled people with whom I have served. 

Thank you to my father in law, who provided the invocation. His faith, along with that of his wife, has helped my family and I with our own spiritual journey. 

Thank you to Senior Chief Monroe and Commander Peterson for outstanding renditions of Old Glory and The Watch. 

Thank you to all of the side boys and those who participated in the flag passing ceremony. Your presence meant a lot to me and enabled a traditional retirement, which I truly appreciate. A special thanks to Commander select Kania and his wife, who travelled extensive distances to be here. You are incredible friends and I am so grateful to have you both in my life. 

Thank you to the Navy Museum and the Ceremonial Guard, for your flexibility and support. You were fantastic and I could not have asked for a more accommodating and professional group. 

My Navy journey started in January of 2001, when I enrolled in the Delayed Entry Program, fondly referred to as “DEP.” I received a cold call from a recruiter, who caught me during winter break on a rare day when I didn’t have anything else going on. At the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I grew up – honestly, I still haven’t figured that out – and there were many aspects of the Navy that sounded intriguing, so I figured – why not? I’ll give this a try. In hindsight, I’m probably the reason you 

get spam calls. Because sometimes, just sometimes, they work. Here I am, 22 years later. 

The person I am today was built on the foundation established by my parents, and augmented by experiences in the military over the last two decades. Looking back makes me realize how influential the life experiences have been; the way they’ve shaped my perspective of the world. Those experiences, both good and bad, would never have been achieved through a more traditional life. 

I was raised to always do my best. When I was four years old, my dad taught me to set goals. We ran a 5k race together and he taught me to pick one person at a time that was running faster than me to catch, ensuring that I was focused, and simultaneously distracted, enough to keep moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other, until the event was done. Any you know what? I had a lot of fun in the process. 

I have thrown my mind, body, and spirit into taking care of our people and getting the job done. I am a true believer in our Navy core values of honor, courage, and commitment. I preach to my Sailors and child alike about integrity and the importance of doing 

what is right, even when no one is looking. To say the Navy has been an important part of my life is an understatement. 

Throughout my career, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with phenomenal people. Professionals who are similarly motivated to take care of those around them and to get the job done. 

During boot camp and throughout nuclear training, I learned that teams have to cooperate to graduate. If faced with daunting goals, when every member of a team does their part to accomplish something and helps others who may be struggling, the end result is often magnificent. 

As an instructor at the S8G nuclear prototype in New York, I worked with some of the best people I know. It was there that I met my husband. He is my rock. He grounds me and has been an incredible source of strength throughout my career. As an instructor, I learned that most people really do want to succeed. I learned that leadership takes many forms, and that sometimes, the best thing you can do is just listen. 

When the Navy sent me to college to finish my degree, I learned that school is much easier the second time around. I learned that when someone says your performance is the best they’ve ever seen from a woman, they likely mean just that. They have seen men perform better, but they are truly impressed by your performance as someone of the opposite gender. It isn’t a slight, just a caveated compliment. And that’s ok. 

During flight training, I learned that work really can be fun. My favorite type of flying is called “low levels,” since you fly low to the ground and navigate using the terrain. For anyone who’s seen that pod racing scene in Star Wars, it’s that, just in real life. Talk about feeling alive! 

When I deployed with VAW-112, the Goldenhawks – my fleet squadron, aboard the USS STENNIS, the days were long, but we really bonded as a team. We spent hours in an alert status, often playing euchre and teasing each other to pass the time. I loved it! I was also exposed to the concept of liberty as a mission. We all know that our actions influence the way people think about us, but we may not consider that our actions influence the way people think about the things we are associated with, such as the Department of Defense or the United States. It was an eye-

opening perspective that helped me understand we are part of a bigger game of chess, whether we are witting participants or not. 

After my time with the Goldenhawks, I had the honor of working as a flag aide for Admiral Carney, who was the senior officer in southeast Asia. We were constantly traveling – engaging regional heads of Navy and Defense. I had the opportunity to hear senior leader interests and concerns, straight from their mouths. I was surprised by how many were concerned about China’s island building in the South China Sea. Although every leader touched on this concern, there was a lack of willingness to take action and speak up. Concerns about “today” overshadowed the actions that were setting the stage for tomorrow’s reality. It helped me realize the wisdom in the adage that, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In some areas, such as economic interests, watching partner nations work together also helped me to recognize that it was possible to “cooperate to graduate” – in other words, cooperate to achieve a common goal – at the state level. 

From Singapore, Admiral Carney graciously allowed me to rotate early to participate in the Olmsted Scholarship program. My husband and I spent two years living and studying abroad in 

Beijing, China. It was incredible! We traveled extensively, learned a ton about China, the region, and ourselves. Ironically, it was in classes at The People’s University of China, where I learned about the U.S.’s role in regime change in Latin America. I had definitely learned about slavery in school, and my history teachers had even lightly touched on the Japanese internment camps in the United States during World War II, but I had never heard about Latin America. That taught me the importance of knowing yourself: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Of doing your own research. Of considering things that seem crazy at first glance – sometimes they’re true. 

I also learned the value of spending time with family. It wasn’t a lesson that I always implemented well, but it was an important perspective that helped me grow better at supporting others. My daughter was born in Hong Kong. That was an event that changed my life for the better. By the time she was three months old, we had travelled to five different countries together. It was a truly unique way to begin rearing a child. 

When I returned to the Fleet, I had an opportunity to work directly with junior sailors again. There are a lot of things I love about the military and military life, but my favorite parts are being able to try 

something new every couple years and the people. The opportunity to lead, guide, and mentor others, especially junior Sailors, is something that I have always loved. We can’t do anything without our people. They don’t come with stock numbers so that we can reorder them, and we are definitely not going to get the funding to replace them; so, it’s imperative that we take care of the daughters and sons who have volunteered to serve our country – both military and civilian. I’ve been blessed to have led, trained, and served alongside some truly great people! 

The idea that anything is possible with the right team was strongly reinforced at U.S. Pacific Fleet. We worked insane hours, but accomplished some things that most people said were impossible. To my friends and co-workers – thank you. You kept me sane. I truly believe the nation is a safer place for the hours we invested during our time in Hawaii. 

When my family was selected to return to China as diplomats, representatives of the United States to China, arguably our greatest adversary, we were stoked! We knew it was going to be a challenging tour, but were excited about the opportunity to help support and shape national policy, as well as the opportunity living abroad would present for my family. After successfully 

completing a year and a half of training, and a week prior to our flight to China, with all but three and a half suitcases of our worldly belongings packed up and having moved out of our home, I was placed on operational hold for not receiving the COVID-19 shot. This requirement was not imposed by China, it was levied by the United States. I lost my assignment as the Assistant Naval Attaché to China for submitting a religious accommodation request – a right that is protected by the Constitution of the United States. My chain of command threatened to separate me one week prior to 20-years of service, threatened punitive action for having religious and medical concerns associated with the shot, denied leave and training, treated me like a leper, and refused to release my household goods for nearly a year. 

I was not alone. There were nearly 80,000 military members who were similarly impacted. 80,000. Of those, over 8,000 were separated from the service. Those numbers don’t even begin to address the quantity of government employees, health care workers, and other Americans who experienced similar, and in some cases worse, treatment. Discrimination against the unvaccinated was rampant and unchecked. Even the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling gym had a sign prominently posted on the front 

door stating unvaccinated personnel were not authorized to shower at the facility. 

During this challenging time, and yet another example of cooperating to graduate, I worked with numerous military and civilian personnel who were concerned about the legal, religious, and health implications of the government mandates. Together, we worked as a team to obtain preliminary injunctions against the mandates. The courts recognized the constitutional violations that were taking place and took action. At the speed of law… but they took action, which is what was important. Those individuals will always hold a special place in my heart, as we fought side by side, during some of the darkest days of my career. 

We realized that mandating an emergency use authorized product was illegal. Upon review of the law, I discovered that every American has the right to accept or refuse administration of products that have not been FDA-approved. I addressed my legal concerns with the chain of command. The available shots, test kits, and masks were all emergency use authorized products and could not legally be mandated. Once I realized my concerns were not being addressed or elevated, I asked about the legal basis of weekly COVID testing mandates, which were solely levied against 

unvaccinated personnel with no symptoms of sickness, during a COVID-focused Town Hall at the Defense Intelligence Agency, where I was stationed. For that question, I was charged with Conduct Unbecoming of an Officer and was informed that it was inappropriate for an officer to ever question the legal basis of an order. That is obviously untrue, given the events of the My Lai massacre. During the trial, individuals attempted to deflect blame for horrific acts by stating they were “only following orders.” The judges stated that was never a reason to commit illegal acts. We swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and are required to adhere to the Constitution and U.S. law. 

Each person should have received a copy of the Constitution. If you didn’t, please pick one up prior to departing today. I am concerned about society’s lack of understanding of the Constitution – the very document military members, federal employees, and American leadership swear an oath to support and defend; the very document that ensures fundamental rights to all U.S. citizens. For those who have taken the oath, have you ever considered how to support and defend the Constitution, against all enemies foreign and domestic? What does that look like? When would you need to do that? Are there tripwires? Will you always get an order from senior leadership to defend the 

Constitution or might you have to recognize that occurrence on your own? Please take the time to re-read the Constitution in the coming days, and to consider the questions I just posed. 

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, "[t]he ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." When something seems wrong or does not sit right with you, speak up. Engage. It is not only our right, it is our responsibility. 

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has positively impacted my life or that of my family. I won’t mention everyone by name, but please know that I am grateful for the opportunity to have served with you. In good times and in bad, we worked together to accomplish the mission. Thank you for your friendship, professionalism, and dedication! 

I’d like to thank my family, friends, and everyone else who has always been there and supported me. Your guidance, cheerleading, and love was instrumental to my success. 

I’d like to also thank my daughter. She is the light of my life. Her optimism, intelligence, curiosity, and genuine care for others keep me going. I love you, Sweetie, and I can’t wait to spend more time with you! 

I’d like to thank my husband for his unwavering support. You have always been my North Star, keeping me on the right path; asking the hard questions; enabling an intense level of career engagement. Thank you! I’m looking forward to our next chapter in life and all of our coming adventures. 

Finally, I would like to thank everyone again for being here today and for being a part of this retirement ceremony with me! Best wishes for all of your future endeavors, and fair winds and following seas!