Tuesday, July 23, 2013
I had the privilege of serving under Jim Varley when I was a junior officer and he was commanding officer of the USS Wichita (AOR-1) in 1974-75. He had terrific seamanship skills, a great sense of humor, and an affable, approachable manner that made everyone on board want to do well for him. Beyond that, he was simply the best leader I have ever known. I routinely cite examples of his skill in leading people when coaching others, and when I have a leadership challenge to work through, I always try to think about what he might have done in the same situation. He will live forever in my heart, as I am sure he will in others, and the skills that he passed along have had an impact on hundreds of people. I will miss you, Captain Varley. See you on the other side. Thad Peterson
