Matt Farrell ’98 is a Hero In Every Sense of the Word

A 1998 (GSIA) Carnegie Mellon graduate, Matthew Farrell was a major reason the university's football program went 29-11 during his time with the Tartans. Farrell continued to make his mark following his departure from Pittsburgh and has had a successful career as a member of the United States Navy, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Farrell, who is currently on active duty in Kuwait, got his first taste of military life as a Naval ROTC student at Carnegie Mellon.

"I looked into enlisting in the Marine Corps in high school but my family urged me to go to college first," Farrell said. "I wanted to play football and get a great education at the same time. CMU was the best opportunity for both of my desires. The ROTC programs were a perfect fit for me – the people, the mission, the sense of duty. Once I was in, I loved every minute of it."

Following graduation, Farrell began flight school at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla. He received his "Wings of Gold" in 2000 and went to sea duty with the VP-46 Grey Knights, a P-3C Orion squadron in Whidbey Island, Washington. Farrell served nine years on active duty before transferring to the Reserves in 2007. He was mobilized back to active duty to support Operation New Dawn and is currently the Executive Officer for his unit in Kuwait.

"We have a great group of Sailors who work extremely hard and simply get the job done," Farrell said. "It's been an honor to be a part of the team and lead them."

With his wife Tina, 10-year-old son Elijah and 8-year-old daughter Alivia at home, Farrell has a lot to miss while he is serving overseas, but his sense of responsibility to his country and his unit has kept him focused on the task at hand.

"By the time I get home, I will have missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, little league, pee-wee football, concerts and many other school functions," Farrell said. "But it's a sacrifice I have voluntarily made three times over and it's part of the deal. It's been an honor to serve for more than 13 years."

Farrell was last home in February and has orders to be overseas for a year. The internet has helped him communicate with his family and friends on a regular basis. He also keeps tabs on the Tartans from abroad.

"I check in from time-to-time on the website. I always like to see how the winning tradition continues," Farrell said. "It's a testament to the quality of kids that go to CMU and are recruited by Coach (Rich) Lackner and his staff."

Lackner is quite proud of his former player's commitment to the country and stays in touch with him regularly.

"I am so proud of Matt," Lackner said. "He is serving his country and doing it with passion and pride. He is a true American hero."

Farrell feels strongly that the skills he developed as a student and athlete at Carnegie Mellon have helped him as a leader in the military.

"Nothing worth earning comes easy. You have to put hard work, sweat and sometimes tears into what you want out of life," Farrell said. "The goal of football is to win. The goal of any military unit is to accomplish its mission. Football and the Navy are very similar – every player has a role. The team needs every person's contribution to succeed. Everyone has to work to make the team better and accomplish the mission."

Some of Farrell's fondest memories from Carnegie Mellon were as a result of his time with Lackner and the Tartans.

"Coach Lackner and Coach (Terry) Bodnar were great. They fully understood and helped us young men learn balance," Farrell said. "They helped us learn what was important and how to prioritize to accomplish our goals."

One of Farrell's favorite parts of being in the military is the mail he and his team receive from children in the United States.

"It makes us laugh every time. The things little kids say and the questions they ask always bring a smile," Farrell said. "We love reading how they love us and support us. It gives us a little remembrance of why we are here."

On the football field, Farrell was an exceptional player and helped Carnegie Mellon establish one of the area's most intimidating defensive units.

"Matt was a fine defensive lineman for us. He handled academics, football and Navy ROTC and he did all three well," Lackner said. "I believe Matt uses all that he learned at Carnegie Mellon – commitment, unselfishness and how to be a complete team player."

Although Farrell is thousands of miles away from Carnegie Mellon, the university and football program are never far from his thoughts.

"After I graduated from CMU, I thought I was ready for any challenge," Farrell said. "Coach Lackner continues to reach out to his former players years after they graduate and go off into life. He really cares and you can't say that about many people in the world today."