Blog nr 19-Anniversary

Today, Aug 18th, is an anniversary of sorts for me. It was on this date in 1977 that I officially retired from the U.S. Navy.

I was aboard the USS Horne (CG-30) on this memorable date. I had been serving aboard this vessel for 1 year. We were located in Long Beach, California Naval shipyard, undergoing a scheduled overhaul. My family was residing in Colorado Springs, Colorado while I completed my active service----they were not there for the retirement service; for that I am sad, but with the payscale in place then, I couldn't afford 4 tickets to California for them.

The ceremony was nice---the troops gathered on the fantail, the skipper read a real nice letter thanking me for my service, the Chief's mess presented me with a beautiful plaque which commemmerated my service, everybody stood in line for congratulations/good-bys, etc.
The communications department which I led also gave me a beautiful plaque.

Following Navy tradition, the Boatswain's Mate Petty officer of the watch, piped me ashore, the messanger of the watch rang two bells and the announcing system blared "Senior Chief Petty Officer, departing." I walked down the after-brow and didn't look back: this is Navy tradition at its best. I kept walking until I got to the barracks, where we were berthed, to pick up my gear. A good friend drove me to the airport and I immediately got on a plane and returned to Colorado to be with my family. I had not seen them for 8 months.

Why did I retire when I did? There were many reasons---the Navy was undergoing many, many changes that I was not comfortable with. (1) The Navy was talking about allowing females to serve on warships: EGAD!!!!! Now I don't consider myself "sexist", discrimatory against women, etc., but the thought of females aboard a man-o-war, with all it's isolation, danger, etc., just didn't sit well with me. My number (2) reason was that the word "Leadership" means a lot to me and I saw that the leadership style of many of my superiors was becoming too lax, easy-going and "soft", to put it in simple terms. I was a "child" of the 40's and 50's and discipline meant something to me that was being eroded by this new leadership style. It was time for me to go and let the "new" breed take over. Number (3) reason was the fact that I was in a very tight rating and promotion looked further and further away. I got tired of highly passing my advancement tests and not getting selected for advancement.

But there was one reason that I retired when I did that really did it for me. For many years I had served my country doing what I truly loved to do- serve at sea. But something more important was calling---my family needed me home, living a "normal" life with my wife and children. My oldest was 11 years old and becoming a handful for his mother. My two little girls were 8 and 4 years old and they rarely saw me. So, after 20 years of "duty to my country", I decided it was time for "duty to my family".

So, I got out. You may ask if I miss that part of my life and I will be honest---yes I do. When I visit my son in California and I look at the present-day warships, gaze out at the open Pacific Ocean, I truly miss the life. That feeling usually lasts 15 minutes or so: then I start missing my home, my wife and kids/grandkids and the life I have been leading for the past 33 years.

I remain in contact with many of my shipmates that I have served with during my time in the Navy: it's great talking and reminiscing about the "good old days". But nothing gives me more pleasure than being with members of my family.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, TOM.