SPRINGER’S USF JOURNEY LEADS TO LIFESAVING SOFTWARE He determined to find a way to better protect combat soldiers. Being “in it to win it,” he toured attack sites where U.S. deaths occurred and interviewed officers for information to lower fatalities. So began the process of developing Tactical NAV.
With his coach’s encouragement, he enlisted, landing in Fort Bragg, N.C. with the 16th Military Police Brigade as a combat journalist. Within five weeks, the rookie public affairs officer began receiving communications from major news networks about the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison camp in Iraq, and received a baptism by fire in the coverage of major world news. “I sat in the front row for the first Abu Ghraib court martial. I was a Private First Class, and I walked the prison and saw the whole thing with top military officials. I was thinking, ‘Three years ago I was sitting in COM class not taking it seriously, and here I am in the center of something they could be covering in class,’” he said. But his unfinished USF degree troubled him. “There was not a day I didn’t think about finishing. I was always questioning whether I was doing the right thing.” Back in Fort Bragg after one combat tour in Iraq, he was approached about officer candidacy. His college credit and military performance had already earned him a promotion to sergeant. One obstacle stood between him and officer candidate school (OCS)—he had 84 course credits and needed 90. “I called USF and asked how I could get this done. They factored my military Defense Information School credits along with my transcripts, and within three weeks I got a phone call from Jane Martin, who said I received 21 transfer credits. It was good enough to begin OCS, and the Army offered to pay me to come back to USF later to finish my degree. God blessed me, and I am so thankful for the opportunity. I finished OCS and became a commissioned U.S. Army Second Lieutenant on May 27, 2006,” he said.
After another stretch in Iraq as a field artillery officer, he came back home to finish his long-delayed degree in 2008, graduating in 2009. The second chance allowed him to achieve a 3.9899 grade point average for the two semesters, elevating a barely passing GPA to 2.86 at graduation. “Going to school again was just such an opportunity,” he said. He walked in military dress blues topped by cap and gown at commencement. “I was very proud to be part of USF, and the Army allowed me to get this degree. It’s the greatest achievement of my life. The thought of not finishing drove me. I proved to myself I could do it,” he said. Two days later he packed for a trip to Fort Sill, Okla. to take on the Field Artillery Captain’s Career Course. In December, he arrived back at the 101st Airborne Division— this time as a battalion fire support officer—deploying to Afghanistan in May 2010. Ready for the fray, he embarked with a “Let’s do this!” attitude. But soon he saw tragic life loss as a fire support officer for his brigade, as the enemy attacked from mountain elevations. “We took seven rockets the first day, and at the end of June, two soldiers were killed by a rocket,” Capt. Springer said. “It takes mapping the world to get it to do what it does,” he said. “During a rocket attack, we took out the app and called for artillery fire. The enemy fire stopped cold, because you can traverse to the location in the terrain and send the fire there.” Through it all, USF has been his touchstone. “If the defense company discussion comes, I will seek advice from USF, my parents and family about the right thing to do,” he said. “If not for Jane Martin approving my credits, I wouldn’t have graduated and had these experiences. I am blessed and deeply grateful for everything and everyone who helped.”
“It’s all based on soldiers’ feedback. I’m getting emails from them about what they need, and that’s what I’m putting in it. If it saves lives, I’ve accomplished my goals.” - JO N S P RIN GER, BA ’ 09