BETTER KNOW A STABLEMATE—SAMUEL UBERSAX
“Ten-hut! There’s an officer on deck.”
What is your name?
Samuel Ubersax.
What is your favourite colour?
Orange.
What is your favourite word?
Serendipitous.
Who is your favourite musician?
Can’t name one; I am all over the place with music.
What is your most marked characteristic?
My optimism.
What talent would you like to have?
I suppose it would be fun to be more naturally gifted in music or dance, but hard work will get you there if you put your mind to it.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Commissioning as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. A less tangible achievement that I work on each day is my character. At my funeral, my goal is to have a completely unassailable character, and a life lived utterly in service to others. If I can die with those two achievements, then I can die a happy man.
Who are your heroes in history?
Everyone who gave their lives so that others could live or have a chance at a better life. A lot of these people are completely anonymous, and we will never know their names. But it was through their efforts and their toil that the human race progressed and moved past the brutality of nature into the beauty and peace of civilization and art. In terms of world leaders: Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and, of course, Chesty Puller. I could name so many more.
Who are your heroes in real life?
I try to take something away from every person that I meet. I have been deeply impressed with the work ethic, drive, and technical skills of a lot of the enlisted Marines who I have had the privilege of working with. I would not really call anyone my hero in real life, except for people like Jason Dunham and Kyle Carpenter. They are definitely my heroes. These two young men were both awarded the Medal of Honor for jumping on a grenade to save their brothers and sisters.
What is your idea of happiness?
Service to others, sacrificing the present for what could be in the future, and daily improvement and working towards a goal.
Where would you most like to live?
Japan, probably Tokyo or Osaka.
What profession would you like to attempt?
My goal is to work for the State Department one day and work my way up to become a diplomat and, eventually, ambassador to Japan. I would love to work in foreign affairs and liaise with U.S. allies and help alleviate problems all over the world—especially in Asia.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Sweets! Especially Japanese sweets.
What is your most treasured possession?
Books, and of course my running shoes; I would be lost without those.
Why did you start running?
I was a collegiate tennis player, and I ran fairly consistently throughout adolescence as a form of cross-training. My dad is a successful marathoner with a 2:52 PB (in his 50s, no less, and he didn’t start running until he was in his 40s), so it was only natural to follow that path. As soon as my college tennis career ended, it was natural to start running full-time. Plus, it is a job requirement as a Marine officer.
What does running mean to you now?
It is the foundation for everything I do. There is no leadership without physical fitness, and there is no physical fitness without cardiovascular endurance. Running is a de-stressor, helps me think better, calms me down, revs me up, gives me something to look forward to, gives me goals to chase after outside of work, and the best thing about it is that I have 100% control over my effort. I love it.
What do you like about Stazza’s Stable?
I love the community, and, of course, The Stablemaster! I never knew I would find such an awesome group. I feel like I belong. It is a wonderful feeling.
What is your motto?
“If it is not right do not do it, if it is not true do not say it.”