In the course of Rear Adm. Thomas R. Buchanan’s time at the Naval Academy as commandant of the Brigade of Midshipmen, he developed a few nicknames.
Commandad when the midshipmen were in favor of his decisions. P.R. Buchanan when they disagreed.
Nicknames are not unusual for commanders, Buchanan said. He has had some before, and he’ll probably receive a few more in his career.
“I’m flattered that I had some nicknames,” Buchanan said. “And it’s their interpretation of how things were going.”
Buchanan’s time at the academy has come to an end. He officially relinquished the position to Col. James P. McDonough Tuesday. Buchanan leaves the academy to become the deputy director for plans and policy at the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida.
Buchanan spent the majority of his two-year assignment at the academy leading the brigade through the COVID-19 pandemic. He turned to social media, specifically Instagram, in order to connect with the brigade as they were separated due to the pandemic, which is where the “Commandad” nickname first appeared.
The nicknames reflect some of Buchanan’s personality, he said. He is a father, and that influences some of his leadership. His own children get as frustrated as the 4,000 midshipmen do, he said.
At the same time, he does care about the public appearance of the Naval Academy, he said. That’s part of his position, and he knows there were some decisions made this year that did not put the academy in a positive light.
Buchanan expects that the midshipmen will find nicknames for McDonough as he takes the lead.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented two challenges for the academy leadership. First, in spring 2020, figuring out how to teach leadership remotely. Then, bringing back the midshipmen during a pandemic.
Decisions made during the pandemic were done for the safety of the midshipmen, he said.
The pandemic presented challenges for the academy, he said. Going forward, the institution will be doing a bit of a reset coming off the abnormal year and a half.
“And we’ve made some deliberate decisions here recently, that are going to set the Naval Academy in my view on a very good trajectory for the coming years,” Buchanan said.
Buchanan’s second year at the academy also dealt with leading midshipmen through discussions about racial injustice, prompted by the police killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
In one of his Dant Dailies, the Instagram story series he created, he discussed the protests and offered recommendations for reading material.
Buchanan chose to speak publicly about diversity and inclusion so that outsiders could see the conversations happening on the Yard or over the summer among scattered midshipmen.
To the midshipmen, he wanted to have the conversation around respect. If one group did not feel respected, then they could not lead with their full potential, Buchanan said.
“And it wasn’t taking a particular stance on the right or the left, it was taking a stance about respect,” he said.
The academy started a Midshipman Diversity Team, under Capt. Timika Lindsay, the chief diversity officer. A number of other steps, including looking at where the academy is in terms of its diversity and inclusion measures, are underway, Buchanan said.
The midshipmen are poised to adapt to changes that come as a result of the Midshipman Diversity Team or discussions about race and diversity, Buchanan said.
In addition to the Midshipman Diversity Team, the Midshipman Affairs Team and the Culture Council were also started under his tenure.
The Class of 2022 is ready to continue the movement, he said.
The Naval Academy will also likely look at its curricula and see where dignity and respect can fit into the institution’s culture and practices, Buchanan said.
“And that will demand a degree of patience, I think, because we want to make sure that we don’t swing the pendulum in ways that are that are counterproductive to good order and discipline, and the elements of the ethos of our Navy and Marine Corps,” Buchanan said.
Looking back at the past year, Buchanan does not regret any decisions, he said. He does think they could have been better communicated, which may have addressed some of the frustrations felt by midshipmen and the academy community.
Buchanan’s biggest piece of advice to McDonough was to focus on communication and articulate messages as early as possible.
Buchanan will miss the events, most of which were canceled this year, where he could speak with the midshipmen, faculty and staff.
To the midshipmen, he wants them to know that the academy is a team. There is a sense of us versus them sometimes when it comes to decisions, but every decision made is either for safety or for developing leaders in a dynamic time, Buchanan said.
