Son of a Son of a Sailor
I did not attend a military academy and did not serve our country. I wanted to though, and I considered applying to the Naval Academy for admission during my junior year of high school. Both my dad and my grandfather had attended the Academy and served in the Navy.
But my dad was candid with me at the time. “Son, you don’t have the grades or the bona fides; you don’t stand a chance.” He was right. To get into the Naval Academy, you need sensational grades, outstanding extracurricular efforts and a U.S. Congressman or Congresswoman must nominate you.
To say I did not do high school well is an under-statement. My brother and I both attended St. Andrews School in Middletown, Delaware at the insistence of my father, who today seriously regrets that unfortunate decision. St. Andrews, founded in 1929, is a wonderful academic institution, and notably, was where the Robin Williams’ movie Dead Poets Society was filmed.
My brother and I believe that we hold the notable distinction of being the only students in the 89-year history of the school to be expelled twice. Yeah, twice. So, the Naval Academy was not going to be part of my career path.
But my dad and his father did serve our country. In fact, my grandfather, Admiral Malcolm Everett “Gary” Garrison, who was a submarine captain during World War Two, is as close as any Garrison’s ever going to get to being a real American hero.
Because I know and work with so many distinguished veterans, and respect and honor my dad and grandfather as Naval heroes, I have always felt guilty that I did not serve our country. As a result, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Garrison Brothers Distillery will be hosting Red, White and Bourbon on Saturday, November 10 in Hye, a collaborative event aimed at raising funds for the Admiral Nimitz Foundation.
The Admiral Nimitz Foundation provides development funding for the National Museum of the Pacific War, a museum dedicated to telling the human story of WWII in the Pacific. Since 1971, the Foundation has built a well-established and respected institution, which annually welcomes more than 100,000 visitors, including 15,000 middle and high school students from across the state.
To observe Veterans Day and to honor those who served, Garrison Brothers will partner with several neighboring businesses for a day-long celebration on November 10. Garrison Brothers’ own Mike Walsh will trumpet Reveille to kick off the event at 9:30 a.m. and blow Taps at 5 p.m. to conclude the event.
The event will take place at Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas, on Saturday, November 10, from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Guests can enjoy craft beer from Family Business Beer Co., hamburgers from Fischer & Weiser, tacos from Tubby’s Ice House, and a variety of red and white wines from William Chris Vineyards, Grape Creek Vineyards, Cicada Cellars, and Hye Meadow Winery. 100% of sales from beer, wine, and food will go directly to the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. Habana Cowboy will also be on site with a mobile cigar lounge and Complete Culture Custom T-Shirts will debut an exclusive Red, White and Bourbon branded tee.
Distillery Director Jason Brand (AKA Rev) will give tank tours of the ranch atop the Nimitz’s 76-year old M31A Stuart Tank for a $10 donation to the Admiral Nimitz Foundation, and patrons can dip their own red, white, and blue wax bourbon bottles at the gift shop. A portion of proceeds from the sale of each bottle will also be donated to the Admiral Nimitz Foundation.
Only 500 tickets are available and are priced as follows:
- $20 for adults
- $10 for kids (ages 3 to 12)
- $10 for Admiral Nimitz Foundation members
- $5 for veterans
As part of an ongoing partnership with Team Rubicon, a non-profit veteran service organization that uses disaster response to help assimilate veterans back into civilian life, Garrison Brothers Distillery will donate $5 to the organization for every bottle of Cowboy Bourbon™ and $1 for every bottle of Boot Flask Bourbon that is sold between September 21 and November 1.
