Aries Lynch

Aries Lynch is a retired Navy SEAL who has dedicated his life to helping others. He served for 26 years, including deployments to the Pacific Rim and the Middle East. 

Lynch enlisted in the Navy in 1988 and immediately began the harsh training in Underwater Demolitions School. His perseverance and dedication were immediately tested in this training and even further tested through setbacks he endured along the way. The first being when he was bit by a brown recluse spider during training which is highly poisonous and comparable to the black widow spider. Secondly, he was injured beaching SEAL boats. Both incidents caused him to repeat the first and second phases of training. Yet, his determination didn’t waiver and he went on the complete training and was assigned to a SEAL team. 

After retiring, Lynch founded a consulting business that develops training exercises for military units. His main passion is volunteering for the Virginia Beach Fallen Heroes (VBFH) Foundation, which raises money for the families of fallen Navy SEALs. The foundation was catalyzed after the Extortion 17 tragedy in Afghanistan where a rescue mission helicopter was taken down by enemy fire. 38 men and one dog were unfortunately killed in the incident. The loss of these great men and canine sparked the Virginia Beach business community to create the VBFH Foundation. In the foundations’ first fundraiser $60,000 was raised to benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation.  

Lynch is passionate about helping others, and he believes that everyone has something to offer. He says that he is “fortunate to have made it to retirement,” and he wants to use his experience to help the next generation of military members. One of the ways that Lynch gives back is by organizing fundraising events for the Virginia Beach Fallen Heroes Foundation. He also helps to develop the Silent Auction, which features gift baskets donated by local businesses. 

Lynch is inspired by the people who volunteer their time to help others. He says that “the incredible people that do this, they do this on their off time and they’re volunteering because they just want to give back.”

Branch Partner Tanya Gills from our Virginia Beach, VA – Newtown Road branch was honored to present Aries Lynch with his Hometown Hero award.

*Pictured left to right: Chelsea Sutton, Lucy Malandruccolo, Aries Lynch, and Branch Partner Tanya Gills.