Class of 2011: Coast Guard Calls for Arundel's Kidwell

Stephen Kidwell has always enjoyed being part of a team. As a wrestler, he helped lead the Arundel High squad to a top-ten finish in the state. He also played a key role for the Arundel lacrosse team this year.

Kidwell, who graduates from Arundel on Wednesday, will now be joining one of the elite teams in the world, after gaining acceptance into the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT.

“I really wanted to be one of those guys that sacrifices, and puts themselves on the line for some greater cause of honor,” Kidwell said.

Indeed, Kidwell was always drawn to the notion of attending a service academy. He was leaning toward either the U.S. Air Force Academy or U.S. Military Academy at West Point, but the Coast Guard became a serious option after he saw the experience of his brother, Joe, who joined the academy two years ago.

“It’s a hard place, he’s definitely let me know that,” the Crofton resident said. “But he’s also said it’s a rewarding place.”

Kidwell’s father, Brad, also served in the Coast Guard for more than 20 years.

Kidwell’s summer break will be short, as he heads out for six weeks of basic training on June 27. He’ll also get one week of training on the tall ship Eagle.

Gaining acceptance into the Coast Guard Academy makes Kidwell part of a select group. Last year, the academy received more than 2,200 applications, but swore in just 289 cadets. Candidates are expected to be both academically strong and physically fit. Kidwell was a consistent honor roll student but said he also prides himself on staying in shape. He plans to wrestle for the academy, which competes in the NCAA Division III.

Kidwell said he’s keeping an open mind about his potential career path, but said he’s drawn to the possibility of piloting a rescue helicopter.

“The thing that I was most attracted to [with the Coast Guard] was that they are a military force, but they have a primarily humanitarian mission,” he said. “It’s protecting the coast, and then there’s a lot of search and rescue, and saving peoples’ lives. That was a huge factor for me. I thought I would like to do that a lot more.”

Kidwell said he knows military service could put him in harm’s way, but that it hasn’t made him question his choice to serve.

“It sort of hit me when I was signing the papers,” he said. “It is sort of scary, but it didn’t really change my decision. I always knew that was a possibility and it was still something I wanted to do.”

Kidwell said he will miss his wrestling teammates at Arundel, and will also miss the school’s diversity.

“There are a lot of different groups of people here that I don’t think a lot of other high schools have,” he said. “It’s a good experience to have, because that’s the way it’s going to be in the real world.”

He admitted to being nervous about entering the Coast Guard, but that it’s tempered by excitement over meeting his fellow cadets.

"It’s going to be hard, but it’s definitely what I want to do,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting my classmates and see who made the same decision as me."