Well I retired from the Navy after 20 years of service last Friday Dec 2nd. My wife surprised me big time. She had my whole family fly out, my dad and stepmom from Chicago, my mom from Florida, my Sister and her family from Dallas, and my brother and his family from California. I didnt know they were coming until they al showed up for the ceremony. We had a great weekend with the family together. We got drunk Friday, and then got in a bar fight, and had to call my mom to pick us up from the bar. She wasnt very happy when her grown children had to call for a ride. I sat around the house all week and I am going crazy already.
I am waiting for a call for a job interview with the shipyard, probably wont hear anything until after the first of the year.
Everyone of my Sailors attended the ceremony and made me so proud and sad at the same time. The Chief that took over my job started crying when he read "The Watch", which is a poem that tells you have been relieved of your duties and they now have the watch. My wife got all choked up when I presented her with the flag from the passing of the flag ceremony, she was totally surprised. I got really choked up when I read "The Snipes Lament" which is a tribute to the sailors that work in the enigneering plants. It was originally written about the old 1200 psi boiler plants that literally ate men alive. It meant a lot to me because my first 2 ships were old 1200 psi carriers.
