The first salute is a long-standing military tradition involving a newly commissioned
officer giving a silver dollar to the first enlisted service member who salutes them.
When Midshipman Samantha Drake ’25 is commissioned on May 3, that first salute will
come from none other than Medal of Honor recipient First Sgt. Allen J. Lynch, retired.
Or, as he’s known to Drake, “Grandpa Lynch.” 
Although he’s not her biological grandfather, Lynch played a significant role in shaping Drake’s life. Growing up in Lindenhurst, Illinois, she spent her childhood next door to Lynch’s grandchildren and the two quickly formed a close bond. Over the years, Lynch became a grandfather figure and mentor to Drake, ultimately influencing her decision to join the Navy.
“Grandpa Lynch has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Drake. “When I started my journey to join the United States Navy, he was one of the first individuals I spoke with about its opportunities. We had many discussions about the leadership qualities of a commissioned officer in his living room back home in Illinois and over the phone while I was here in Jacksonville. His mentorship enabled me to succeed and have the privilege to be the battalion commander of our school’s unit.”
Lynch earned the nation’s highest military honor for extraordinary bravery during the Vietnam War, when he repeatedly risked his life to save wounded comrades under heavy enemy fire. Alone and under siege, he defended their position for two hours, ultimately eliminating enemy soldiers and carrying the injured to safety.
Lynch continued a life of service after leaving the Army, working as a veterans benefits counselor and later as chief of ambulatory care with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He went on to serve as executive director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program in Illinois before becoming chief of the Veterans Rights Bureau with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. He is the founder of the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Veterans Foundation.
Capt. Jeremy Hill, professor of naval science and commanding officer of Jacksonville University’s NROTC program, said having a Medal of Honor recipient participate in commissioning events is a rare honor that brings the values of service and sacrifice to life.
“These heroes embody selfless sacrifice, courage under fire and teamwork through their actions. It was just a concept, theory or something they just said — this award is only awarded to those that physically acted and demonstrated the actions. We are very excited to have Sgt. Lynch join us for the weekend of events at Jacksonville University as a close family friend to one of our midshipmen.”
Following graduation and commissioning, Drake will head to California to the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego to be a Navy Nurse Corps officer.
