Brendan Looney

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 2004, Brendan began his military career among the members of the Navy intelligence community. He requested a transfer to the Navy SEALs, which was approved in late 2006. He then began BUD/S School in March, 2007, and graduated from SEAL Qualification Training as the “Honorman” for Class 265 on June 22, 2008. Three weeks later, on July 12, Brendan and Amy were married. Within 48 hours of the conclusion of the ceremony, he was deployed to Iraq.

Brendan was deployed a total of four times during his naval service. His first deployment took place when he was part of the intelligence community, with the three ensuing deployments coming as a SEAL. His final deployment, as a member of SEAL Team THREE, began on March 9, 2010.

Prior to his deployment this year, Brendan left his base in San Diego and flew to Annapolis with the dual purpose of visiting his family and attending the Navy-North Carolina lacrosse game that was played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on February 25.

Lacrosse was actually the second sport he competed in while attending the Naval Academy. He spent his first two years at Navy as a member of the football team before transitioning into a lacrosse player starting in the spring of his sophomore season.

One of the proudest lacrosse seasons for both Brendan and his family took place during his senior season at Navy. That year, Brendan and brothers Billy and Stephen helped lead Navy to the NCAA National Championship Game that was played in Baltimore.

On that Memorial Day in 2004, a partisan, patriotic crowd of nearly 50,000 lacrosse fans filled M&T Bank Stadium to support the Midshipmen in their eventual 14-13 loss to Syracuse. On September 22, 2010, 2,000 of Brendan’s fellow U.S. service members gathered in Afghanistan to pay their respects to him and his fallen comrades as they departed for their final journey home. Receiving Brendan upon his return at Dover Air Force Base were 76 members of the Looney family and friends.