Palau Reflection- Maddy Armstrong

What was it like traveling to Palau?

It was definitely new for me. I have never traveled out of the country before, so it took my perspective to a whole new level. I knew that it was a mission, but it really hit me when I met Jo Shoemaker and the Bent Prop team. Traveling across the globe with my team and working with the diverse Bent Prop Team has opened up a new window in this world that I would of otherwise have never been a part of. All of the learning experiences that I have gained on the trip will play a role in my future. For instance, Mr.Nicholas said “you can’t experience Palau without going to Palau”. It’s something that is really hard to put into words. The culture is rich in history, the people are friendly, and, we were welcomed with open arms. It’s absolutely beautiful, and there is always something new to discover. The opportunities were endless. 

What was the biggest challenge you or your team faced and how was it handled?

I would say one of our biggest challenges was navigation this year. I knew that we worked well as a team and we were trying to navigate, but I felt as if we were going in a bit blind. I know that out of all us who navigated, I”m not sure any of us felt 100 percent comfortable doing it. One thing that helped us tremendously was pulling out more then one GPS and trying to sync it with another GPS for accuracy. The help we received from Dan and Casey taught us about using a shot-line. After their lesson it took us less time to navigate and we were ready to dive on our target. I still feel that this is something that we need to work on with the team, along with our communication skills while on the boat. 

What was the most memorable part of the trip?

Where do i start?!? Going to the Battle of Peleliu was an amazing experience. Being able to walk on the same ground that our service men fought on literally took my breath away. Walking on orange beach was emotional for me because I saw the picture of what it looked like on the day of the invasion. With all of the new vegetation it was hard to imagine that there was a battle fought there. It also gives you a new perspective for the mission. There is a tremendous amount of history on Peleliu. As I stepped on to that Island I wasn’t aware that I was stepping in to an entire different culture. I want people to know that the Peleliu history is not forgotten. It is still relevant, has significant meaning and an tremendous impact on this generation. 

The Team on Orange Beach on Peleliu

Do you feel the trip was a success, why?

Yes, we became one step closer to locating our targets. We now have ruled out where not to navigate, and we also took our mistakes and learned from them, which means we are improving the team work skills for next years team. The Bent Prop team was able to locate two aircraft, an Avenger and a Hellcat. It’s not necessarily about who found it, but ultimately about bringing closure to the families of the MIA’s. Narrowing down the search is equally important to the end result because it allows our team and the Bent Prop team to connect our two missions. 

What is the one thing you will remember the most from the trip?

One thing that I will always remember from the trip is having the amazing opportunity to talk with Jo Shoemaker. I got the chance to talk with Jo one of the work days about her Uncle, who was shot down in WWII. She also spoke of her husband who had passed away quite recently. My outlook on the mission was changed drastically when I heard her story. I knew that this was a mission that my whole team was interested in, however Jo took my interest level and turned it into passion. It was Jo, that made me realize why this project was so important. It was an absolute honor meeting her and I hope that one day I can have as much impact on someone that she had on me. 

Maddy and Jo Shoemaker 

If you could do it again would you? Why?

Absolutely. Chloe taught me how to become a better leader. Karly taught me to be flexible. Emma taught me how to delegate tasks. Jeremy and Joe showed me passion. Pat and Dez taught me the history of WWII. Mrs.Zemeke and Flip taught me how to make the best out of every situation. Mr.Nicholas and Mr.Richards taught me to learn from my mistakes. Dan and Casey taught me how to navigate. Derek taught me how to learn from constructive criticism. All of that is what has shaped me. It’s what brought this mission for me to a full circle. I took everything I learned and applied it to trying to bring closure to missing service men. Knowing that there are still families out there who still have so many unanswered questions is why I wanted to go to Palau. I want to answer some of their unanswered questions, I want to bring them a little closer to their family members. 

What did you learn about yourself on this trip?

Knowing that I need a total of 8 hours of sleep a night and that failure is something that you can always learn from. I think that’s why our team has developed so much over the years. We know that when we learn from our mistakes, our job is to relay that information to next years team. We problem solve and troubleshoot because it will get us one step closer to finding a target. Learning from mistakes is in fact one of the many skills that I know the Stockbridge Advanced Underwater Robotics team has mastered. 

How do you feel this experience will help you in the future?

Not only can I take what I have learned on this trip into my future, but it also allows me to make connections with people or projects that I am interested in. I have always had an interest in Public Relations,While in Palau this year I got the chance to talk with Rick, the Director of Global Relations, for Go Pro. Not only did I learn more about Go Pro cameras and marketing skills, but I also discovered a new hobby. In January of this year, a classmate and I entered the White House Film Festival. The film had to be about how you use new technologies in the classroom and why project-based learning is so important. We took raw video footage from last years Palau expedition and spent about a month editing and revising the film. We ended up winning Honorable Mention and got recognition for our achievement. I immediately became interested in film and video editing. I soon became the “Go Pro Girl” for our team. In Palau I spoke with Rick about my film, and we started talking about different opportunities. We now share our videos with one another via email. In addition Rick is mentoring me in a new project involving Go Pro video. I look forward to many new opportunities with Rick.

What should we do differently the next time?

I think we should definitely have more work days with the Bent Prop team. Maybe not everyday because we need to discover things on our own. Constructive criticism has helped us over the years. It was evident that the constructive criticism allowed us to grow from day one to the end of the mission. I also think it has showed through out the years. This was my first year in Palau however, hearing about the first trip from Mr.Richards I think the Bent Prop teams presence challenges our team in a way that our team can not be challenged back in Stockbridge. It is those very challenges that we learn the most from. 

Team Photo with BentProp

Maddy Armstrong, Junior, Marketing Team Leader