Navy Life...And The Things I Miss...

I grew up in a Navy town, I remember the day when if you werent from this area, then you were a sailor. I remember being in high school and all the girls had sailors for their boyfriends. Back 30 years ago most of the guys didn't have cars, and had to walk every where so it was common place for us girls to "Cruise" for guys.. Of course i didn't meet Senior like this, we met some years later in a local bar, I was shocked that I met a sailor who was actually from here..

I miss working on base, and the pride I would feel every single morning driving past the ships, stopping while the sailors raised the morning colors.

I miss being respected and called "Ma'am"

I miss seeing the guys in line for morning muster on the flight decks..

I miss seeing all those big ships every day, and thinking how lucky I am. most Americans will never get to see one up close like I do.

I miss duty days, and taking Senior dinner, then hanging out with him. And if he had a  weekend duty day, sometimes we would fish off the end of the boat ( how many people can say they have done that? )

I miss the Fourth of July, and sitting on the boat for a ring side seat to the base fireworks..  One year a Carrier was decommed and fire works were shot off her deck...it was the most amazing spectacle I have ever witnessed, and only a handful of us got to see it.

I miss the base softball league, and having to stop in the middle of a game for evening colors. I would look at the field of players, with hats off and everyone with hands over their hearts at sunset. And how prideful I was at the sight.

I miss watching the ships leave, and knowing that duty comes first, and those guys are going out in to harms way, I would wish them "Fair Winds and Following Seas" and hope for all to have a safe return home.

I miss standing on the beach and seeing that big ship out on the horizon preparing to pull back in to port. And the emotion one feels when you see it getting closer and closer and knowing your sailor is coming back home to you.

I miss homecomings, and seeing all the guys in their dress blues and whites "manning the rails" .. You would have loved ones on the pier searching and searching until they found their sailor.

Senior always thought me silly, but I miss him in his coveralls, and the smell of the ship that was forever in the fabric of all his uniforms.

I miss writing and numbering letters, now adays keeping in touch is much easier, but back years ago, it was letter writing, we would number them, and more often then not you would get letter number 10 on one day, and then letter number 5 or 6 after that... Now with modern technology there is email...and I would laugh at the new wives who came in to my work place on base, complaining how the email was down again on the ship...lol --Oh if they only had a clue!

But what I miss most, is the Pride in Country and Service every one had...There was prestige in saying you were in the military, each division we were in was a unit and a family, we did everything together. Now, in these times and days it hurts and makes me sad to think of the things that  I use to take for granted are being diminished and our militay under attack by  none other then our own Government. I feel for these new guys and girls who are enlisting...because I feel they will never know the military the way I knew it to  be.