What was it like traveling to Palau?
Traveling to Palau is one of those experiences you try to explain to everyone, but no matter what you can’t do it justice. Traveling to Palau was scary, exciting and one of the most influential things I have ever done. This trip was my first time traveling without my parents, and first time traveling across the world. I loved that everything was a new experience and adventure, and it taught me enjoy all the little things in life. Palau showed me a completely different world then I was used to. It opened my eyes to different cultures and ideas. Palauan people are some of the nicest people, they taught me how to be happy with what you have, as little or as much as you have. Palau is nothing I expected, but it exceeded every expectation I had.
What was the biggest challenge you or your team faced and how was it handled?
This year I feel my teams biggest challenge was with navigation and the weather.
While weather was an uncontrollable factor , it was a definite struggle to go out on the boat the day after a storm and have the currents still be strong while trying to search with the ROV. Though the weather was a challenge I think navigation on the boat and on the ROV was by far our biggest issue. Though this was a large challenge I feel it made our made our team better at communicating and problem solving. Having to figure out the GPS and then having to teach a new team member each day really put the teams communication skills to the test. The navigation on the ROV was also a challenge, we either had a glare on the screen or the positioning of the compass off. 7 miles out are team had to problem solve and improvise by using human sun shield and using trial and error to reposition the compass, multiple times a day. The media was also a big challenge this year. Having the media with us inhibited us to get much done on some days, repeating motions and the extra people on the boat was a constant issue for all the groups in Palau.
What was the most memorable part of the trip?
I think the most memorable part of this trip was the first night when we were driving to Bem Erimi’s when Flip told us about the BentProp team’s findings. I remember the excitement and amazement I felt as he told us that haven’t just found one plane they have found two. This news gave me incredible motivation for what we were about to do these next two weeks. Knowing how hard the BentProp team had worked to complete a small part of their mission and how their efforts were going to bring four missing service men home is something that drives me to do better everyday.
Do you feel the trip was a success, why?
I feel that trip was a really big success. Being on the team for two years I was able to see how we learned from past missions, and that alone was a success in its own. Our teamwork improved tremendously from the past years. This year we were much calmer, more willing to help and worked better on the boat. Aside from the teamwork side our ROV also improved. I feel this year we had a more reliable robot. Instead of not being able to go out or being late, we were always ready on time if not earlier. Also the days we couldn’t go out, except one, were because of problems outside of our teams control. Plus aside from our teams work it was extremely successful for the BentProp team to be able to bring home more of America's missing servicemen.
What is the one thing you will remember the most from the trip?
The one thing I will remember from this trip was the last dinner. I remember sitting there and looking around and feeling so lucky to be able to share this experience with all these people. This dinner has been a memorable moment from both my first and second mission. I feel at this dinner gives all the teams time to decompress from the trip and tie up all loose ends. Throughout the trip you lose touch with many of the team members and don’t know whats going on in their group and mission. During this 3 hour dinner I feel all these different groups come together to become a team. This year it was especially memorable to have veterans and family of veterans with us. I was hear stories and talk to some amazing people. This dinner strengthens my passion for this mission and reminds me why all these amazing people are here.
If you could do it again would you? Why?
I would repeat this trip and experience as long as I could. Palau doesn’t just allow us to use our ROV to look at something other than pool drains, it’s a chance for “immature” high school students to do something that benefits the world and themselves. Every year I have traveled to Palau I have learned more about leadership, history and my own strengths and weakness. This is a trip that no matter how many times you participate you will learn something, and it is rare to find something that can give you that experience. The people on this trip and the mission of this trip makes it a trip I would no matter how many times its been repeated it will always be something I have a passion and want to do.
What did you learn about yourself on this trip?
This trip has taught me more about myself and what I am capable of then any other experience I have ever had. This trip is so unique and different that you learn things about yourself you didn’t even know. These last few years I have learned that I lead through example, that I can adapt to new things and that I want to be engineer, not a lawyer. This trip allows you to figure out how you learn, lead and how to adapt. Being on a boat 7 miles out you need to adapt on the fly. You have to be able to learn new skills, communicate new thoughts and be flexible. Through this trip I have also been able to practice and improve my leadership skills,and my confidence as a leader.
How do you feel this experience will help you in the future?
I feel that this experience will help me by giving me a ready world goal and mission to work for, and teaching me key skills. Being able to work with such prestige people really influenced me to work harder in my own life. Having to learn new things and adapt on the fly are skills that I use in and out of this mission and school. Through this I have also made some amazing connections and met some extremely inspiring people. Having all these experiences have impacted me to create a brighter future for myself.
What should we do differently the next time?
Next time I think we should limit the amount of media people and increase the amount of BenProppers on the boat. I feel these two go hand in hand though. The media took away from our mission and from time to really work together as one team, instead of two separate teams. Though the media can gave our mission some much needed publicity, by limiting them I feel will allow us to better complete our mission. Also if we could avoid severe weather, such as wind storms and typhoons that would be great! :)
Karly Kruger, Junior, Marketing Team Leader
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