Washington County Enterprise-Leader
‘Old’ And ‘Young’ Master Chiefs Meet Up
MILITARY MEMBERS RECONNECT
FARMINGTON — Ed Marshall of Cane Hill is 68 years-old and Travis Biswell, who grew up in Lincoln, is 36 years-old.
The two men are not related but they have found they have a lot in common.
Their paths first crossed at Lincoln High School. Marshall taught world history at the school for 20 years and Biswell was one of his students.
“He was one of my best students all around,” Marshall said. “His head was in the right place and he was a leader at the high school.”
Marshall served for 22 years with the U. S. Navy. He retired at the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and then started his teaching career.
He learned through Facebook last year that Biswell also had achieved the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and the two reconnected again.
To achieve the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer is “tough” and Marshall said he was impressed to learn that Biswell made it at such a young age.
“I had no idea he was thinking about the military,” Marshall said. “I’m very proud of him. When I found out, I was jumping up and down.”
Biswell has been in the U.S. Navy for 14 years. He left San Diego, Calif., on May 1 and visited family in northwest Arkansas before reporting to his ship in Virginia, the James E. Williams DDG 95. He will serve as the Command Master Chief on the ship.
Both men like to run and they teamed up to run 10 miles together as master chiefs. They wore T-shirts that said, “Old Master’s Ten Mile Run” and ran from Parks Corner Dog Grooming between Prairie Grove and Lincoln to the Enterprise-Leader office in Farmington.
“I did it for the opportunity to sit down with Ed and catch up,” Biswell said. “It was a non-gestured way of saying thanks to the Master Chief here.”
Marshall said, “It was a wonderful experience for me to be able to run with him. He’s a young Master Chief and I’m an old Master Chief.”
One of Biswell’s tasks in becoming a Master Petty Chief was to build a wooden box that holds a special book for other Petty Chiefs to sign. Biswell brought his book for Marshall to sign and Marshall, in turn, showed Biswell his own book that he had from years ago.
“I think it is one of the most precious books out there,” Biswell said.
Marshall said the advice he would write in Biswell’s book would be about the same advice written by others.
“God, family, troops and self in that order,” Marshall said. “If he does it in that order, everything else will fall in place.”
Master Chiefs share a brotherhood and sisterhood bond, Marshall said.
“There’s an unspoken respect. We know what it takes to get to the Master level.”
As the Master Chief Petty Officer on the James E. Williams, Biswell said his mission will be to take care of his people. The ship is a guided missile destroyer and the crew will be making preparations for future deployment. It has 270 enlisted personnel and 30-40 officers.
Biswell has completed two Atlantic and four Pacific deployments on three ships. His personal awards include two Navy Commendation Medals and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
With men like Biswell in the Navy, Marshall said he is confident in the future of the organization.
“I feel comfortable and at peace,” Marshall said. “As far as the Navy goes, it’s strong.”
Biswell thanked Marshall for the vote of confidence but was quick to note, “I still have tons to learn.” He considers Marshall a mentor, adding, “He’s already walked in the shoes I’m walking in now.”