PBS Carrier series

[mudkow60]

SIG,

Have you deployed yet? Where are you going next?

 

[SIG600]

SIG,

Have you deployed yet? Where are you going next?

Been there, done that, got the patches. Round 2 (ring the bell please).

 

[Capi_Cafre']

As a civilian I was a bit surprised to see that smarmy bootlicking suckups apparently thrive in the military just as they do in the business world. Yeah XO, I'm talkin' to you.

 

[wonka]

I think I saw 3 guys from my old squadron as shooters, (including the main Guy)

Man I 'm glad I punched.

------------------------------------------------------------------

So are we . . . .

 

[taxi1wire]

What a series..

Yes I did catch the series a few weeks ago as did a lot of my classmates at Flight Safety Wilmington, (remember the flight manual is a crutch for guys who don't have the gouge!) I could only watch snippets as I was going thru 604 initial, but what I saw brought back some very familiar emotions from 26 years ago.
As a 27 year Navy vet who wore both hats (dog bowl and now a CDR's lid, I have to say that some of the E-3's responses haven't changed...HA!!! I muttered basically the same things 5 months into a 9 MONTH WESTPAC during 1982-1983. And that is after 8 months of workups with the rank of E-2. You salty sailors who have been there know what I am getting at. Mess crankin and working as a line rat TAD because there are no more transfers coming to the ship.....but I digress.
Still I have nothing but pride and a deep satisfaction knowing that I succeeded in doing some things that not too many people set out to do. In 1981, only 2 people out of my H.S. graduating class of over 300 joined the service. Of that, I was the only one to go on to serve (other guy medicaled out at Great Lakes.) The Navy has always treated me fairly and I used all of the programs offered to me to rise to where I am today, (CDR USNR)
I did cringe somewhat when I saw some of these young sailors on the PBS series doing what I saw soo many of my contemporaries do over 25 years ago, and that was to get mired in current life and NOT look forward and USE what the Navy offers to get ahead. But to each his own. I felt plenty of empathy for these young volunteers because I not only saw a shadow of myself, but also my young sailors that I had as a department head later in my career.
It is so great to see yet another great work showing just what the Navy is. Although this isn't Top Gun, Red Oct, Off and a Gentlemen, or A few good men, it lays out just what happens out there on "the boat".
To all of you that have never been in the service and saw some of this series, remember that there are volunteers from America all over the world doing the dirty work required to keep this place halfway sane. They do it because they are looking for an out, a better way, to give back, or to do something unique. What ever the case, they are out there, please don't forget them!
Like I mentioned I am finally retiring this summer after 27 years and it is hard. Think of your last year in a frat. I will never forget my years as a sailor, nor regret one single hour of my service. The Navy has been my home on and off since I was 17 and I will be eternally grateful for the opportunities given me.


The smoking lamp is out,

Village

 

[rhinodriver]

God bless V-2! The hardest workers on the ship!