The Chief list came out today, and Sailors who’ve worked for me and friends who I knew when enlisted were on it. I’ve lost track of most of the folks, lost track, that is, until I see ‘em out on the ship or at the base.
I am happy and proud for my Shipmates. May they be good, tough Chiefs. Our Navy surely needs ‘em. I look forward to their pinning. Six weeks from now, they will be iron-forged into the Navy’s newest Chiefs.
Enthusiastic vets wanted for challenging, well-compensated work. More information here.
Off the San Diego coast, you would expect to find a couple of surfers, some dolphins, a fishing boat or two, and a coupla giant Mola molas, or ocean sunfish:
Mola molas, or ocean sunfish, captured off San Diego by Daniel Botelho.
Do not ask what the best thing about the Navy is, you’ll get the usual sarcastic replies.
While they are celebrating Ramadan in the Muslim world:
A Muslim man sleeps along the streets of historic centre of Stone Town in Zanzibar.
Two Soldiers are mid-air and one facedown in the mud in China:
Soldiers jump as they take part during a military training session in muddy water at a military base in Jinan, Shandong province.
And Zombies are countering Westboro Baptist Church protestors in America.
I can just imagine what this guy is saying on his radio:
Ireland’s Camillia Speirs lays as she felt down while competing in the Eventing Cross Country equestrian event at the London 2012 Olympic Games in Greenwich Park.
I’ve been one of the higher-ranking Sailors at a Command and I’ve been one of the lower-ranking. And currently, I am the latter and it is nothing but pure joy. For example, I could not get away with this piece o’ Thomas Foolery if we had junior folks around:
My boss (a retired Navy Captain): So NavyOne, what do you think of that luggage that I gave you? (He sold me, at a very nominal price, a piece of luggage that was too small for him.)
Me: I love it, sir! Although, one of the wheels is a little squeaky. Other than that, perfect.
A Commander sitting next to me: You know what they say about the squeaky wheel?
Me: It gets the grease?
The Commander: Yes. . .
Me: Well, Commander. (I don’t use “Commander.” I call him by his first name, even though I shouldn’t as an LT. In my strident defense, I knew him before the silver oak leaf.) I had plans to take it over to Jiffy Lube and get it up on the racks. It’ll give those guys over there a chance to really get to the heart of the problem.
A British Officer, who vastly outranks me, half chokes on his beer (we’re in a hotel lobby) and stares at me as if I am nuts. Then he grins ear-to-ear and tips his glass my way.
Me: Could cost me a little bit though.
(I never learnt how to leave a punchline good and alone. I do refrain from asking the group how they pronounce Jiffy Lube in Mexico. Yiffy Lube, if you must know. . .)
Hu Jintao
An actual headline: Japan concerned by China’s navy, opaque leadership.
Perhaps Hu Jintao needs a little more sun? So he can get a tan to hide his opacity?
The real challenge lies at the feet of the poor guy introducing him at political events. Bystanders in the crowd have been known to mouth: who?
There is a special warm place somewhere south of here (and I don’t mean Venezuela) for frauds who impersonate military veterans for their own gain. You can consider adding Mark Niemczyk of Tinton Falls and Thomas Scalgione of Manahawkin to that list.
NYC Subway, the 6 train
I am not judge, jury, and executioner, but I get angry when real vets are mistreated. Like Ralph Carnegary, a Vietnam vet who was jumped on a New York City subway. On my old line, the 6 Train at 28th Street. . .
For those both among you and amongst you, please enjoy some pleasant sweet-nothings:
Blue Water Recoveries discovered the bell near the Hood’s hull
The United States and Great Britain (England, the United Kingdom, Them*) have a special relationship. And if anyone needed any more proof of it:
A US billionaire has offered to lead an operation to recover the bell of the sunken battle cruiser HMS Hood, which was sunk in 1941 and killed 1,415 men, for free.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said US philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Paul G Allen has offered his private yacht be used in the search to recover the bell at no cost to it.
HMS Hood, which was a state-of-the-art vessel for its time, is the largest Royal Navy vessel to have been sunk, causing the biggest loss of life suffered by any single British warship.
* I am full well aware that there is a difference among the three. I seem to recall a YouTube video bobbing around somewhere that details the variance among the Britishy definitions.
Updated: Per Ex Royal Marine Detachment Sergeant Major, HMS London, I took out the the in the title. Thanks again Sergeant Major. . .
When I got back to shore from the aircraft carrier, my back was mess. Not only was I always hunched over to avoid objects up high, I had a scab on my scalp. I look at the Netherlands’ women’s field hockey team and wonder how they play all hunched over:
Gaelle Valcke of Belgium competes with Ellen Hoog of Netherlands during the Women’s Pool WA Match W02 between the Netherlands and Belgium at the Hockey Centre on July 29, 2012 in the London Olympics.
Call me American-centric, but when I saw the Dwight D. below,
I thought she was in San Francisco.
Does this bridge not look like the Golden Gate?
Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) passes under the Friendship Bridge while transiting the Suez Canal.
Most honest reason for joining the Navy, Leon “Rabbit” Robinson’s:
“I was hungry,” he said. “They (the Navy Recruiters) told me I wouldn’t have to worry about that, and they were right. I never missed a meal.”
I only missed one meal on the mini-deployment I just did. Just my luck, I had to brief the Operations Officer (OpsO) that morning and I had low blood-sugar. Not a big deal, but I never missed another breakfast. As for Rabbit’s story, it was a different country back then.
Is Matiss Burgis of Latvia a famous mathematician, known for his ground-breaking work in theoretical algebra or is he a ranked table tennis player playing in a match at the Olympics:
Matiss Burgis of Latvia