They met when he was a sophomore and she was a freshman at Ayala High School in Chino Hills, California. She jumped into his lane at a varsity swim practice and “immediately started cooking everyone in every swim set,” he says. “So she stood out to me. We’ve been best friends since then but we began dating in the summer after my youngster, or 2nd year, at USNA.” That’s when Justin Chu (Class of 2023) knew Anna Cohee was special.
Dating Despite the Difficulties
Dating while attending a military service academy is very different from the common college dating experience. There are long stretches of time where military duties prevent couples from spending time together, strict academic and extracurricular schedules that make connecting over Facetime or other platforms difficult, and a career path that will likely take them far from home.
How do you navigate the journey of being a Naval Academy midshipman while maintaining strong relationships? Having started dating Cohee at the beginning of his junior year, while she was becoming a sophomore at Biola University in La Mirada, California, Chu has some ideas. Recounting the experience, Chu said, “Facetime and Zoom calls were a godsend. We lived on making those calls every night and the time difference absolutely stunk! When I was in Korea [he spent a semester there], there was a fourteen hour time difference where I was ahead, so I would wake up to call Anna as she was going to bed; it was weird to meet each other in different vibes of the day.” In addition to being on different continents for an entire semester , Chu and Cohee had the added difficulty of piloting a long-distance relationship across different time zones, even when Chu was in Annapolis - yet they found ways to make it work, despite the challenges.
Weathering Any Waves
“We called pretty much every day except during finals week just so we could learn more about one another, and we saw each other in person about two times a year over the summer and during Christmas….” says Chu. While this was not easy, their connection was anchored by a common understanding of what they wanted in the relationship as well as a strong commitment to each other. Chu explains, “We both believe foundation and principles are everything in our long distance relationship…. We both wanted to pour so much into the service of one another so that we could be there for the other person when it started to get rocky. Anna is ambitious, challenge-seeking and bright, as well as servant-hearted and loving, and that’s what drew me to her right away.” Much like a Navy officer navigating the seas, they learned to weather these waves.
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Love in Annapolis — and Beyond
When they were together in Annapolis, the couple had some great go-to spots. Chu and Cohee often frequented Galway Bay Irish Pub, the Iron Rooster and the Annapolis Ice Cream Company. Chu says Cohee loved watching the water at Trident Light before going to the Ring Dance. One of their favorite places was sitting on the benches on the patio behind the new Hopper building, and “seeing the rowing team fly by!” Their relationship blossomed in the beautiful setting that is Annapolis and the Yard.
In December of 2022, Chu proposed to Cohee. He had his best man and Cohee’s maid of honor wake up early to set up a picnic blanket with rose petals in the middle of the only Redwood Forest near where they grew up in Carbon Canyon Regional Park. They hiked this special trail, and Cohee was completely surprised by the spread! After she said “yes!” the couple then celebrated with a surprise party at her favorite beach in Laguna. They will marry in early August in Aliso Viejo, California, and Cohee will join Chu in Pensacola, where he will be earning his Master’s of Data Analytics from the University of West Florida while attending flight school. They will live on the base there to become an integral part of the military family.
The Importance of Service
Long-distance relationships aren’t easy, no matter where the couple lives. Chu and Cohee made it work by spending time virtually with each other even when they were apart, and focusing on service toward each other. There are countless couples at the Naval Academy who find ways to make it work despite the challenges. USNA is a special place, and when they’ve found that special person it’s important to serve the relationship as much as possible.
Want to spend a romantic day on the Yard? We are booking tours now! The Naval Academy Business Services Division supports the Brigade of Midshipmen by donating our profits from our 20 business units that allow our mids to be successful, well rounded future leaders. We support a variety of extracurricular activities such as cultural arts, theater, music, club sports, and a variety of other club activities.Your USNA tour helps serve the Brigade, while you enjoy some time in one of the most beautiful places in Annapolis. Come see us soon, and you’ll see why many people fall in love here, and especially with this spot.
