Freeholder Ryan Peters Speaks about Life as a Navy SEAL at The Evergreens

Burlington County Freeholder Ryan Peters recently spoke to residents at The Evergreens in anticipation of Memorial Day about his life and experiences as a Navy SEAL.

Peters, currently a Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) in the United States Naval Reserve and a Mount Laurel native, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2004, then went on to graduate from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 2005. He completed three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and told residents about some of his memorable experiences and what daily life as a Navy SEAL was like.

“You have to have a mental toughness to make it through SEAL training,” Peters explained, speaking about the grueling physical and mental training SEAL recruits must finish in order to serve in the elite unit. “I’ve heard it said about the Navy SEALs, ‘You’ve got to be more invincible than the invincible people.’”

But Peters felt called to serve his country, he said, and pursued a career that would place him on the front lines of the fight. “I graduated from the Naval Academy, threw my graduation cap, got on a plane, and started SEAL training seven days later.”

Peters left active duty in 2009 to pursue his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law. After graduating cum laude in 2012, he was recalled to active duty and served another 10 months forward-deployed with a SEAL element in Central America. He is currently assigned to SEAL Team Eighteen.

“What we celebrate on Memorial Day, the sacrifices that were made, is important to remember,” Peters told the crowd. “For those veterans in the room, it’s been said, ‘When you sign up, you sign a check, paid by the U.S. Government, and the amount is “Up to and including my life.” No matter if you’re a Navy SEAL on the front lines or an admin secretary, at some point you could be in harm’s way. But you veterans said, ‘I’m willing to sacrifice my life for my country.’ And some, unfortunately, do.”

The Evergreens is home to a vibrant, active veteran community, and the visit from Peters was the first event to celebrate and honor the Memorial Day holiday. On Monday, May 29, residents can take part in the annual Memorial Day tournament on the Putting Green, enjoy a barbeque and a remembrance program for those who have fallen in combat, which includes a patriotic sing-along, memorial readings and poems.

Captions:

Photo 1 – Veteran and resident Dick Meehan, LCDR/Freeholder Ryan Peters and Doug Halvorsen, President & CEO of The Evergreens

Photo 2 – LCDR/Freeholder Ryan Peters speaks about his life as a Navy SEAL to a large group at The Evergreens in Moorestown.

The Evergreens was founded in 1919 in Bound Brook, NJ, by the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. In 1949, it moved to Moorestown, NJ. Today, The Evergreens offers gracious retirement living continuing its more than 90-year tradition of caring. Since its inception, The Evergreens’ mission has been to enhance the quality of life of those it serves. For more information, visit http://www.evergreens.org