Veteran's Day

I am an American Sailor. For most of my life, I have worn the uniform of my country. I've sailed in nearly every ocean and visited most every land. I've helped keep my ship afloat and seen her weapons fired in anger.

I've witnessed the many wonders of this country and the world. From the breathtaking beauty of the calm sea in the morning as the sun rises, to the contradiction of crushing poverty amongst the most wealthy of the world.

In peace and conflict, with my brothers and sisters, I have served this great country of ours. I am a veteran.

Many take my brothers and sisters in arms for granted. Many do not know what it takes to serve an idea. Yes. You see, we serve the idea of this country. We do not serve a person. Veterans have served all the people of our country. We do not take an oath to serve a President. We must obey his orders but we protect the Constitution of the United States.

Imagine that. We swear to protect a set of laws that sets out what this country is. The idea of freedom. Unless you have seen a lack of freedom, you can't imagine what that might be like. How do you serve an idea? Better yet, how do you prepare to lay down your life for that idea? Freedom.

Freedom is a powerful word with a more powerful meaning. From all over the world, people come to America to experience freedom, even today. The media will have us believe that we are universally disliked around the world. Untrue. Some political policies may be unpopular here or there but, notice that we do not have to put up walls to keep people from leaving. We have people coming here, in droves. For an idea. For freedom.

The uniform of the United States Solider, Sailor, Airmen, Marine or Coast Guardsmen is universally recognized around the world. The reason is simple. Americans have always answered the call of our country.

Very few will have the day to themselves on this Veterans Day. Unless you are a bank worker or a government employee, chances are you will work today. My older brother took Veteran's day off several years ago. The next day, his boss angrily asked him where he was the day before. Mickey replied: : "It was Veteran's Day. I'm a Veteran. I took the day off!"

His boss was flabbergasted. He replied incredulously: "Well, I'm a Veteran!"

Mickey didn't miss a beat. He said: "You should have taken the day off too!"

If you are fortunate enough to have the day off. Enjoy it!  I say, "Thank you for your unselfish service to us all."

If you have to go to work, seek out a Veteran and thank him or her.

For the families of all the Veterans, a special thanks to you also. You too served, without a uniform.

As Always...

They'er going to make me better, stronger, faster!

Oh, wait... That's the 6,000,000 dollar man. They are just going to make me able to live my life with less pain. But, I am leaving for the hospital in just a few minutes. The problem is my shoulder. For nearly a year it has been very painful. I've tried everything including drugs and physical therapy. Surgery is the last option.

I'm going to Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth. It's just a few minutes from my home and I've been there many times. In fact, I was born there.

The hospital facilities have changed greatly in 57 years. The hospital itself has been serving the military and their families since 1830. It was the first Naval Hospital in the country. This gives special meaning to the command's motto: "First and Finest."

So, some time after 0600, I will be anesthetized and the fine Navy doctors will tear up my shoulder, file down a bone spur and try to alleviate the pain of arthritis by removing some bone from my shoulder. This all sounds pretty complicated to me but, my doctor assures me that this is not his first day on the job and he has done the same procedure many times. So, here's keeping my fingers crossed.

While I am unconscious, my doctor from ENT will give repairing my paralyzed vocal cord another go. Hopefully, I might come out of this with a voice that can be heard again. We can only hope.

In any case, I have faith in my doctors and know they will do their best for a positive outcome. Anything less is just too much paper work.

Because of all of this, it may be a little while before I am able to publish my blog again. I will do my best to be at the computer as quickly as I can. I do enjoy the writing and appreciate the loyalty of all of you who regularly read my ramblings.

For all the good wishes I have received and prayers for a speedy recovery, I can only thank you all. You are all my friends and I am grateful for each and every one of you. 

I'll be talking to you all soon. My Facebook page should have updates.

As Always...

Humor in Uniform

So many people think that those in uniform have little or no sense of humor. My sister was always amazed if my Father, Brother or I would tell a funny story about our time in the Navy. I guess she thinks that we "Trained Killers" should be serious all the time. I once told her that even the trained killer has to blow off some steam sometimes or he would become ineffective.

My service Mom friends will attest  to the fact that their sons and daughters who serve or have  served do in fact, have a well honed sense of humor. Humor is how we cope with stress and relieve boredom. Just like in Civilian life, things would get dull very quickly if we didn't know how to get a laugh. More importantly, we have to be able to laugh at ourselves. Civilians have a sense of humor, why can't the military?

I've got an untold number of funny stories, starting from military school and moving right on through my career in the Navy. Every once in a while, I tell one that my wife of 32 years has not heard. She always asks: "How come I haven't heard this before?" I don't know, but if you'd listen now, you will get a good laugh.

I write about this subject today because, I was on line and found a funny story on a web site that I thought was worth sharing. This seemed like a good way to incorporate it into a blog.

"While having a slow morning during one of our weekend drills at my Army Reserve unit a fellow soldier and I were just sitting in the hallway next to the unit arms room. Nothing was going on until our Platoon Sergeant came by and of course had to come up with something for us to do, he yelled at the armorer “hey you got a .50??” (.50 cal MG he wanted us to break down and clean). As he was waiting on the armorer he asked my buddy, a new Private, “can you break down a fifty?”..the Private proceeded to start going through his pockets and then replied “sorry Sergeant but I don’t have any money on me”….the look on our Platoon Sergeant’s face was priceless, he just shook his head and walked away."*

That's just funny.

One quiet Sunday night at the Pentagon, my cohorts and I had the communications watch. It was a very slow night. There  really wasn't much to do. Even 'Field Day" was complete. As I walked around the Communications center, ensuring everything was squared away, I found a working jacket in the corner, on the deck. Anyone who knows me knows I hate "Gear Adrift". (That's anything not put in it's proper place.) I imagine my penchant for gear adrift stems from my years in Military school (See yesterday's blog). 

I looked at the name on the jacket and sure enough, it was the coat of a sailor who had been told many times to put his belongings were they belonged! We are not a bunch of "Lubberly" Army pukes, who can put there things any place they like. We are Sailors and we stow things away properly! Well, I guess this hapless Sailor failed to receive the memo, again. 

I love a good prank and don't mind using a joke as a learning tool. So, I took the offending jacket and a plastic bag over to the deep sink. I soaked the jacket in water and balled the wet mass up and shoved it in the bag. Closing the plastic bag as tightly as I could, I now had a soaking wet ball. I placed the whole mess into the freezer we had in the Communications Center break area. It should be nice and hard by 0700 (about 8 hours from now.)

Sure enough, as the hour of our relief approached, the offending Sailor began looking for his jacket. One of  he problems with not putting something away where it belongs is, you have a tendency to forget where you "dropped" it. Eventually, our hero asked for help. "Has anyone seen my work Jacket?"

Not only was there a resounding NO in reply; assorted smart remarks began to echo throughout the room;  "Don't you have to work to have a work Jacket?", "What does it look like?" (It's a uniform item, they all look the same.) on and on the wise remarks came as our Slovenly Sailor got more frustrated.

Finally, my supervisor told me that enough was enough. I went to the freezer and pulled the solid ice ball with the working jacket core out of the freezer. I announced "Hey, is this your jacket?" Upon seeing the mass of ice, the entire room burst into laughter. The owner of the coat was not amused. He decided he was going to see the Chief.

Big mistake. After hearing the hapless Sailor's story, the Chief told him he was lucky all we did was freeze  the coat. (The chief didn't care that it was 30 degrees outside and the kid didn't have a warm coat.)

Needless to say, we never had to pick up after that guy again.

The above prank may sound cruel but, I can assure you; on a slow Sunday night, fighting boredom, it was a hoot!

Find the humor in your daily life. It keeps things interesting and reduces stress. A good laugh is good for your health too.

Cheers!

As Always...


 * Story taken from web site "MyServicePride.com"  

What makes you good?

I've talked about a lot of things in the 50 blog posts that have  preceded this one. Today, I wanted to talk about something good. Well, I think it's good.

What makes us the people we are?

In a post a short while ago, I mentioned the unhappiness in my house while I was growing up. After reading that, I  have been asked how I was able to break the cycle of abuse and violence. You see, although I spent my adult life in the military, I am in no way a violent person. Honestly, I have trouble watching violence, especially if it is a depiction of domestic violence. Movies like "Sleeping with the Enemy" make me physically ill. So, serving in the military has nothing to do with violent propensities.

So, How did I break the cycle of violence and abuse from home? Well, I'll give  you a clue. That is me in the picture, above. 7th grade at Admiral Farragut Academy, in New Jersey.

Before the mothers amongst you gasp in horror at the thought of sending a little kid off to military school, remember this. I asked to go. I think my father was relieved to send me. But, that's for a different blog.

I found Farragut (know as AFA by the cadets and staff) to be an amazing place. It was staffed by real, honest to goodness American Heroes. Men who saved the world, part of the "Greatest Generation" were to be my role models. I remember them as if they were here today. Capt Klein, CDR Duncan, Chief(s) McFadden, Larson and Frendak.

I remember them all. They all had a profound effect on my life. I was a frightened little boy. I was away from home and I missed my Mom so very much in those first days away at school. We, as new students (Plebes) were not permitted to make calls home. It was part of the transition. I'll never forget  going to see Capt Klein, to ask if I could Please call home and talk to my Mom. He told me no. But in a kind way, he explained to me that it would be easier for me, if I didn't call. Of course, he was right. The Capt was a task master. His job was Director of Activities and Naval Training (the title was later changed to Commandant of Cadets). No matter the title, he was the equivalent  of the civilian Vice-Principal. As the years progressed, the Captain would come to be my friend and a role model.

We, as Cadets had most of our dealings with the retired  Chief Petty Officers. What an amazing group of Sailors.  Chief Frendak wrote to me every week when I was in recruit training. Chief McFadden had real pride in me when he saw me in my Navy uniform for the first time.

The Director of Naval Science was CDR Richard E. Duncan. What a kind and understanding gentleman he was. In all the years I knew him, I only knew him to raise his voice once. But even then, he had a sparkle in his eyes that let you know that he was a kind man.

I have fond memories of all the staff from school. But, the person who had the most impact on my life was the one that I had the least contact with, until my final year at AFA. The Headmaster.

You see, Farragut was not some Dickensian bastion of discipline and cruelty as some people might think a Military School would be. It was a place of structure, of course. There was marching and military drills and discipline. But, most importantly was the idea that we all could reach beyond ourselves and achieve. We could achieve physically and especially academically. We were taught that above all else, academic achievement would stay with us throughout our lives and help us become productive citizens and first class role models as we progressed through life.

I learned these things from the Headmaster. Capt Raven O. Dodge was a scary figure to a young 7th grader, away from home for the first time. Thin and balding, he had a quiet voice and only one hand. Yes, he had only one hand. He kept his right hand in his pocket. We heard rumors that he had a rubber hand but, I never saw it. For years I was afraid of Capt Dodge. Although, I found out later that I had no reason to be.

As time went on, Capt Dodge was eventually retired and we got a new Headmaster. But, Capt Dodge stayed on in school as Headmaster "Emeritus." He was given an office much like past Presidents of our Country but, I expect that no one thought much of him any more. He had found his pasture.

One afternoon, after all the classes were done and drill had finished for the day, I was helping out in the admissions office. In an office there, which I thought to be empty, I found Capt Dodge. To my surprise, he knew who I was. "Come in, Mr. daSilva", he said. Inviting me to sit, he visited with me for an hour. He then asked me to return any time to visit again. So, I made a habit of visiting with Capt Dodge 2 or 3 times a week, as time permitted.

We talked about all sorts of things. Some of no consequence; others of great import. Some funny and some were actually school secrets. I found out who the administration liked, disliked and even who the staff thought would go far in life.  The Captain told me that I had a reputation as a person who never gave up and he always admired that in me.

One day, as we were visiting, he pulled out a pack of Marlboro Red cigarette and offered me one. As he held out the pack of smokes, he asked, "You do have a 'Smoker's Card', right?" I smiled and told him yes, I was permitted to smoke. This kindly gentleman, whom I had been frightened of as a 7th grader then remarked "You are probably the only Cadet in the history of this school to have his cigarette lit by the Headmaster!" With a smile he lit my smoke. I still smile today, thinking of that.

I don't smoke any more but, the lessons I learned at AFA stay with me today. I try to be kind to everyone, especially those who are weaker or smaller in some way than I. I do my best and I try to be a role model for those in my life.

It was the staff at a now closed military school that helped me  grow up, face my fears and be a good citizen. I only hope that I live up to the expectations they have placed in me.

Thanks for listening.

As always...

Go bake some bread

Today is election day. Thank God! My phone has been silent all day. The thing I hate most about the election season, especially the day before the election is; the never ending phone calls! It seemed to me that every 5 minutes, my phone rang yesterday with some pollster or another calling. I especially love the very personal messages our state representatives deliver when their machines call.  To me, there is nothing more personal than a recorded message from a politician. I live for those calls. Don't you all?

So, here in Virginia, the polls opened at 6 o'clock this morning and will close at 8 tonight. The decisions have been made and people are standing out in the chilly weather to cast their ballots. I'll go later and vote when my son gets home. It shouldn't be to crowded.

In the mean time, I was looking at various news items on line and came across one that peaked my interest. According to this web story, Navy Seals are not permitted to wear the "Don't tread on me" flag on their Navy uniforms. The story went on to say that the Obama Administration thinks that the flag is "To Radical". I'm intrigued.

Having worn a Navy uniform in one form or another since the age of 12, I searched my memory for where on the Navy uniform that particular flag would be worn. Now, I am getting older but, I don't believe that I have developed any unusual memory loss. I don't recall any place on a Navy uniform  that that flag would be worn.

As an aside: The "Don't Tread on Me" flag was last used aboard U.S. Navy Ships in the Bicentennial Celebration era (1975-1977). This comemorative flag was flown from the "Jack Staff" (The flag pole at the very bow of the ship, in port.)  it was flown in place of the Union Jack, which normally flies in port.

  In all my Naval experience, I have never seen the "Don't tread on me" flag worn on any Navy uniform. However, maybe my mind is going. After all, I spend hours each day at a computer, writing to people I have no idea are going to read what I write. So, maybe I have gone crazy. But, not so crazy that I forgot how to check things.

After a little digging, I found U.S. Navy Uniform Regulations on line. Imagine that! The regulations talk about a lot of things but in no place does it even mention the "Don't tread on me" flag. Now, I realize that I could have just gone to a few web sites run by civilians and found that this story was not only bogus but stupid but, I wanted to go to the source so there would be no confusion. By the way, if you want our Sailors to be permitted to wear this particular flag on their uniforms, you can write to
the Secretary of the Navy.  I'm sure your suggestion will be forwarded to the Navy Uniform Board.

So, that puts the stupid news to bed for today. I really wish that the people who wish to make the current administration look bad would at least make up believable stories when they fib. Honestly, the administration doesn't need help looking bad. Like most, they do a good job of that themselves.

In the mean time, my house smells really nice because my daughter is baking bread for a Church Bazaar.  She is making several  loaves of Italian bread along with an assortment of rolls, including Pretzel Rolls. The smell of baking bread almost makes me forget the pain in my shoulder!

Baking bread is very therapeutic. It requires lots of skill and concentration. You get a good little work out too, when you knead the dough. I hope she saves us a loaf to go with dinner tonight.

So, today I've had a little bit of fun with you all. Be careful of what you believe when you read a story on line. Remember what the great showman P.T. Barnum said: "There's a sucker born every minute." Well, maybe he didn't really say that but, that's the story and I'm sticking to it.

Happy Election Day. Vote Early and Vote Often!

As Always...

It takes more than a flag to make a Patriot. (No, I'm not talking about New England's team)

I hear all sorts of talk today, in the media and by politicians about being a patriot. Frankly, I do not believe any of them know what it is to be a patriot. Because you wear the image of an American Flag on your coat lapel, does that make you a patriot? Well, if that is the case, 90% of the population are patriots. Wrong! Symbols and slogans don't make you a patriot.

I don't need the American flag to show  I am a patriot. Everyone who knows me, knows. I don't need to be permitted to say a pledge in a school to be a patriot. If I feel the need to pledge, I'll do it.

I don't need a court to tell me I can pray in a school, on a plane, in a court or before my dinner. If I want to pray, I'll do it. By the way, if I am in public and my praying to my Christian God offends someone, well, I won't tell you here what I would say. I'm sure you can imagine.

My point, friends is simple. Patriotism is not something you wear or wave. You do not need permission to be a patriot. You show you are one by your actions. If you want to be free, act free. If you want to be free, go out and get your freedom.

Freedom is a gift. But it must be earned with our actions. People complain all the time about a government that is unresponsive to the needs of the people. When did YOU do something about it? You as an American can do something. Write to your representative or, better yet; start a writing campaign. 1,000 letters on the same subject will get someone's attention.

Personally, I am a conservative. I believe smaller government is better government. But, currently we have no government. The legislative branch of our government is stalled in ideology. All in the name of patriotism. Of the 435 members of the house of representatives and 100 in the Senate, I'd be amazed to find 100 people who know what a real patriot is. I'd bet that all 535 of those legislators would classify themselves as patriots.

If they were patriots, we would not have had a government shutdown. If they were, the deaths of 4 Americans in Benghazi, Libya would have been really and truly investigated and those policy makers would have been called to account. But, the Secretary of State told a  Senate panel "What difference does it make? Those are not the words of a patriot. What was going on, when and why were all facts that needed to see the light of day. A patriot would have said "I am the Secretary of State, it was my responsibility to safeguard our diplomats over seas. Obviously I failed in that task." But no, The Honorable Secretary obfuscated her responsibility and as a consequence, failed as a leader and a patriot.

You see, anyone can say they are a patriot, it's your actions which define you. So, the next time someone tells you they are a patriot and they want to say the "Pledge of allegiance" in the schools, tell them to teach the pledge to their children if they like. But, the pledge alone won't make them a patriot. I'm sure all the senior members of the current administration know the pledge. Well, they know the words, the real meaning may escape them.

The conservative crazies in the congress want to put prayer back in schools. I don't understand. Prayer to whom? I have friends of all faiths. Many of them pray differently than I. I understand the desire to pray in school, I used to do it all the time. Just before a test, I would lower my head, close my eyes and say what became know as the "Alan Shepard's prayer": "Please God, Don't let me screw up." Simple and effective. But, I didn't need a court to say I had permission to pray. I just did it, quietly, without fanfare, without recognition or the expectation of reward. That is what a patriot does.

When the rebels threw the tea into Boston harbor in 1773, they did not have the permission of the King. It was an act of defiance. To England, it was an act of revolution. To us, it was Patriotic. But, it was action. You read about it in the history books as an active protest. It is not in the history books as an idea that a bunch of fellas talked about around a table in a tavern. They let their actions speak for them.

Women would not have the vote in this country if it are not for the patriotic women who marched and protested for years to get what was theirs and should have been codified in our Constitution in the beginning. It wasn't. The women went and got it. Not by sitting around and talking but by action.

A few years ago, one of our local libraries was going to be  quietly closed by the city council. You  know, a little back door, midnight politics. A good friend o mine heard about it. She raised such a stink in public, on Election day that the next day the paper ran a story that the library was not going to be closed. The city manager had no idea how in the world that "rumor" got started. Patriotism in action.

Your patriotic action can be great or small. Size is not important. In a week, we celebrate Veteran's Day. This is a day to remember all who served. Show your pride. Show your patriotism. Shake the hand of a Veteran and thank him or her for their service.

For those patriots among us, you have my permission (as if you need it) to say:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
And to the Republic of which it stands.
One Nation.
Under God.
Indivisible.
With Liberty and Justice for all.


As Always...

From the Halls of Montezuma...Marines are not just Soldiers at sea

In a Tavern in Philadelphia, PA in November of 1775 a small band of men joined together and formed what was to become Known as the finest fighting force for freedom the world has ever known.

The United States Marine Corps

was born from those humble beginnings. Today it has grown to a force of dedicated men and women of well more than 200,000.

Marines have fought in every conflict the Country has been involved in. Currently, they serve in all forms of combat, on land, sea and in the air. Marines are truly the most versatile of all the Uniformed services of the Untied States.

The service is steeped in tradition. The tradition of a fighting spirit. Often times, just the mention of the deployment of United States Marines into a crisis situation is enough to defuse the tension and get the aggressors to back down and begin talking. This reputation as the fiercest fighting force in the world is well deserved and has been earned over 238 years of hard fought combat. The blood of each and every Marine that has ever served is with every member of the Corps from the first day they assume the title. It can be seen in the uniforms of our Marines.

Each part of a Marine's uniform serves a purpose and both protects the Marine and reminds him of his fighting heritage. From the high collar of the dress blue coat which was designed in the old days to thwart a blow from an opponent's sword, to the blood stripe on an NCO's trousers or the piping on the Enlisted coat. A Marine never forgets those who have gone before.

Of all the services, Marines learn their history as a service from before their first day in training. Names like Henderson, Daily and Puller still come easily to the Modern Marine's tongue. 

Marines were initially formed to serve as Naval Infantry. They would fight from the decks and rigging of our young Navy's sailing ships and fight the ship. It was there, in the crucible of battle that the first young Marines began to build the tradition that we all know today.

Of course, now, Marines fight in places with no ship for support. Afghanistan is a dry environment but it's for boding scenery doesn't deter our Marines. they continue to fight for the peace. That's what they have always done. The Marine Corps is the power projection ashore which gives our Navy it's punch.

Some of the Corps most famous fights were during World War II in the Pacific. FADM Nimitz had been employing what was known as an "Island Hopping" strategy. The fighting was mostly done by United States Marines. 

In the Korean conflict, some of the most famous fighting was performed by Marines.  Marines have always answered the call of their country, no matter the place or time. No sacrifice is to great for Marines. 

I write this as my son dons, once again his uniform for another drill weekend. This drill is special. It's held in November. 10 November is our Marine Corps Birthday. Beginning today and throughout the month, Birthday balls will be held to honor those who have gone before, serve now and will serve in the future. I am fortunate enough to have many Marine Corps friends Both Marines and their families. As a Sailor, I am honored. I also come from a family of Marines. 2 of my children and a son in law are Marines. Nephews, Cousins, Parents, Brothers; the list goes on. Marines all.

As we celebrate the Corps birthday, we don't ever forget those left ashore as our Marines serve. The Marine Corps Moms, sisters, wives, brothers. They too are all part of the United States Marine Corps family.

To all my Marine Corps Friends and Family, wether you are still with us or standing your post in  Heaven, especially this month; in November, I remember you all with a special place in my heart. For all you have done and all you continue to do; for all of us, in the cause of Freedom I say:

Semper Fidelis!

As Always...