This Veterans Day, you might not have to look far to thank veterans for their service. They might even be in the pew next to you.
U.S. Navy CAPT. Beth and CAPT. Robert Kilgo (RK) Creighton are former fighter pilots and flew F/A-18 Hornets all over the world, prepared for any conflict. Every Veterans Day, they reflect upon the sacrifices made by previous generations of their family.
“Veterans Day for us is recognition of the brotherhood and sisterhood in arms brought from love of freedom, willingness to fight for it, and a legacy of family service across five generations,” Beth said. “The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month was imprinted upon us as kids for its importance. For us it’s a sacred time for reflection on how ‘all gave some and some gave all,’ including some of our own family members. Our family traditionally attends a Veterans Day ceremony, and we light a candle for each deceased veteran in our family. Some years we’ve been able to attend Mass, or visit church, and in our hearts we give thanks to God for our great nation.”
The couple also served as air landing signal officers to ensure other fighter aircraft landed safely aboard aircraft carriers. Together, they served 30 years in active service and in the Navy Reserve, keeping the Catholic faith as their focus.
RK was born in Japan while his father worked as an Air Force OB-GYN. When he was 1, his family returned to the U.S. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans, where he enrolled in Navy ROTC, and after graduation, he pursued aviation and was commissioned as an ensign.
RK was sent to the Naval Air Base in Lemoore, Calif., and immediately deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, where he flew F/A-18 Hornets. After he returned, RK trained students to fly and fight in the First Gulf War in 1990. He additionally served as an air landing signal officer, ensuring that aircraft landed safely aboard ships.
Beth grew up the youngest of six and the only daughter in a devout Catholic family. She spent most of her youth traveling across the country. The faith was essential to her parents’ marriage and their family, she recalled. “They sacrificed and spared a lot of luxury for themselves to make sure all six of us went to Catholic schools,” she said.
Three of her older brothers were Navy aviators, and Beth also wanted to serve her country. “All I ever wanted to do was fly, because that’s what my brothers did,” she said. Women first entered naval aviation in supporting aircraft in 1973, but Beth would not be allowed to fly in combat until 1994, when Congress lifted the combat exclusion policy to allow women to fight in combat.
When she was 16, Beth was scheduled for an ROTC scholarship interview when her family received news that her brother Craig was missing off the USS John F. Kennedy. Three days later, the Navy declared Craig dead. “That day that we knew Craig was missing was the day I had to go do my ROTC scholarship interview,” she said.
Beth braved through the interview and the physical tests. She won the scholarship and went on to complete ROTC at Pennsylvania State University in State College. After her commissioning, she joined RK’s squadron in Lemoore. “I was back in California as an instructor pilot, and I run into young Ensign Creighton — Sullivan at the time,” RK said, referring to her maiden name.
The two began dating, which at times became a long-distance relationship while one of them was on deployment. A year and a half later, RK proposed, and the couple would face a year-and-a-half, long-distance engagement.
While engaged, Beth graduated from flying school, “knowing I had a fleet seat with the ability to deploy and fly, fight and win,” she said. The couple married a month later, Sept. 10, 1994, and Beth was promptly assigned to Lemoore, where, like RK, she flew F/A-18s and served as an air landing signal officer.
The couple anticipated that the Navy would separate them on different deployment cycles. RK, however, had developed a neurological medical issue during their engagement that required him to take a break from flying combat aircraft.
RK tried to re-enter combat aviation and applied for a promotion. Despite his recovery, he was denied the promotion and told he could no longer fly combat aircraft. At first, he was devastated, but he joined the Navy Reserve, earned his flying status back and was promoted to captain. He continued his work in aviation as a pilot for American Airlines.
“It’s funny, you think of the hand of God shaping and changing things,” RK said.
Having Christ at the center of their marriage was essential, the couple said. “That was a key ingredient to then surviving what came next, because I was sent on three combat deployments in less than five years. Every time I went on cruise, some kind of war or skirmish broke out,” Beth said.
RK’s prior deployments were less eventful. “I go on two deployments: nothing happened. She goes on three deployments, and she’s dropping bombs,” he said.
On deployment, Beth never missed a Sunday Mass and even led an RCIA program. RK was raised Episcopalian but grew in the Catholic faith while dating Beth. He entered the church the Easter before the couple married. For devout Catholics like RK, Beth joked, “You’re born into the Catholic faith, you read your way into the Catholic faith or you marry your way into the Catholic faith.”
When Beth faced intense situations while deployed, she would place her faith in God’s plan for her. “It was really easy to put my faith where my fear would want to be, because your faith is bigger than your fear. And I firmly believed that I was meant to come home and have a family with RK,” Beth said.
Beth returned to California after her final deployment and entered the Navy Reserve in 2002. She and RK had their first child Ellie in Lemoore before they moved to Leesburg, where three more boys followed. They moved to Purcellville in 2004.
When the couple retired from the Navy, they found comfort in their vocation as parents. “I think the transition has been made easier because I’ve always known that I’m valued,” Beth said. “I felt very valued in the Navy, and I’ve always felt very supported and valued at home.”
The Creightons continue to serve through community service and parish life at St. Francis. Beth started American Heritage Girls Troop 0962 at the parish, and RK became a scout leader for Boy Scout Troop 961 in Hillsboro. A catechist for the religious education program at St. Francis, Beth enrolled in the masters of catechetics program at Christendom and is working toward a master’s in theology. “It’s like falling in love again with the gift my parents gave me,” she said.
The Creightons’ devotion to their country carries on through their children. “Our great grandfathers, our grandfathers, our fathers, our brothers, and now our daughter, Ellen, joins us all in service,” Beth said.
While she was in the Reserve, Beth wore the Navy uniform alongside her daughter. “Having a daughter in the Navy is an indescribable feeling of pride. We never dreamed we would wear our nation’s cloth at the same time as one of our children, and we humbly recognize we’re not nearly as talented as Ellie! When we consider our daughter’s service, and that of her peers, it warms our hearts because we see the brilliance and dedication of those who have relieved the watch.”
RK and Beth said that prayer and trust in God’s plan sustained them while in active service and at home as parents, even when life took unexpected turns.
“It’s like we tell our kids,” Beth said, “God answers prayers one of three ways: ‘yes, not right now or I have something better in mind.’ ”
