HONOREE:
Christopher Cassidy
BRANCH:
Navy
GAME:
Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Insurance paid special tribute to Navy SEAL and NASA Astronaut Christopher Cassidy of York, Maine, during the Packers-Vikings game for Operation Fan Mail.
Christopher, an avid Packers fan, attended York High School in Maine and Naval Academy Prep School in Rhode Island. From there, he received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1993, and his master’s in ocean engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000.
His experience includes 10 years as a member of the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, with specialized tactics including long-range special reconnaissance (vehicular and foot patrols); direct action building assaults; noncompliant ship-boardings; desert reconnaissance patrols; combat diving; underwater explosives; and a variety of air operations, including parachuting, fast roping, and rappelling.
Christopher made four six-month deployments: two to Afghanistan, and two to the Mediterranean. He served as executive officer and operations officer of Special Boat Team Twenty in Norfolk, Va., and SEAL Platoon Commander at SEAL Team Three in Coronado, Calif. He deployed to Afghanistan two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, and served as ground assault force commander for international and U.S.-only combat missions in Afghanistan, and led two months of noncompliant ship-boardings in the Northern Arabian Gulf.
Christopher was selected by NASA in May 2004. In February 2006, he completed Astronaut Candidate Training, which included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Completion of the initial training qualified him for various technical assignments within the Astronaut Office and future flight assignment as a mission specialist. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Capsule Commander (CAPCOM) in Mission Control. During his NASA career, Christopher completed six spacewalks, totaling 31 hours, 14 minutes and accumulated 182 days in space.
He has been awarded the Bronze Star with combat ‘V’ and Presidential Unit Citation for leading a nine-day operation at the Zharwar Kili cave complex – a national priority objective directly on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Christopher received a second Bronze Star for combat leadership service in Afghanistan in 2004. He is also a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal.
He and his wife, Julie, are the proud parents of three children.
