A Veteran's Journey

Trivia Questions (Answers @ end)

1. Who said, “You don’t quit because you get old. You get old because you quit.”?
2. In what movie did we hear, “The less you do, the more you do.”?
3. In what song (and who sang it), did we hear:
   I’m so glad we made it
   Look how far we’ve come

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As I’ve grown older (i.e., “seasoned”), anniversaries come and go—some are more memorable than others. At 68, my wedding anniversary in March remains the most important. I won’t pretend to try to “rank” the others, like birthdays, family events, or deaths… they’re all important to me.

However, July 10 is one of those anniversaries that I’ll never forget.

I enlisted in the United States Navy on July 10, 1973… 50 years ago today. Three Years, Eleven Months, & 29 Days (But Who’s Counting) later, I walked off the afterbrow of USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63, in San Diego for the last time. That is, until the decommissioning ceremony in 2009.

“Permission to go ashore, sir?” Even though I was technically a civilian, old habits die hard. “Permission granted. Good luck, son. I turned to the fantail and saluted the flag, once again (old habits die hard).

In one of my first blogs, I wrote, “From Sailor to Civilian.” It wasn’t that hard for my conversion from the Navy. A full-time job with the City of Gainesville Fire Department and returning to college as a full-time student kept me busy and somewhat regimental. Without question, that definitely helped me ease back into civilian life.

My last post…

In my last post, I wrote about an “unwanted journey,”—my wife’s cancer. FYI—appendix cancer: removed and no additional treatments necessary (no chemo, no radiation). That was one hell of a weight lifted off our shoulders.

And we just returned from a 3-week vacation in Scotland—no problems whatsoever. Unless you want to count the travel delay from Atlanta (2½ hours) or the travel delay from Edinburgh (4 hours). But… such is international travel these days.

After posting that story, I received a plethora of comments, messages, text—some public, some private—from friends and shipmates. Many have been on this journey before. I can’t tell you what that support has meant to me and to Becky. I heard from people I’ve never met before. That tells me that we’re all family.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And another FYI… Becky is back to her normal everyday routines. It’s like there was a 2 1/2 month “blur.”

An Important Date

Forty-six years ago, at 22 years old, I was ready to conquer the world. And, like many fellow Navy veterans (and Army, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard friends), I did… in my own way.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again… I may have left the Navy, but the Navy never left me. There’s a sort of impression that remains with me. I still fold some of my clothes the same way. I still drink my coffee black & strong. When I feel a stiff wind blowing in my face, I often close my eyes, stretch out my arms and remember “bow flying” on the flight deck.

I don’t cuss like a sailor as much as I used to, but I can still toss a zinger at the appropriate time now and then. And yes, there is a Navy “Glossary of Terms“ on my website. You know… just in case you need to recall a certain term or phrase.

And yes, there are times when I’m with another veteran—it doesn’t matter which branch of service—and we hit on a subject that few civilians would dare discuss. There are often a few moments of silence, perhaps a memory that we both share from different worlds. But because we served, we know. Memories are often golden, but there are a few that many of us would rather forget.

Today is an anniversary for me: July 10, 1973 is the day I joined the Navy. I never questioned the decision to join (well, that is, after boot camp), and I’ve always looked at this as the one of the major cornerstones of my character. That may not be the case for everyone, but it is for me.

This week’s post is shorter than usual. My son and his two boys are spending time with us in Florida. They live in San Diego, so we only get to see them a few times a year. We make the most of it, especially these days…

One last comment

This is not mine, but it really spoke to me.

My grandmother once gave me a tip:
In difficult times, you move forward in small steps.
Do what you have to do, but little by little.
Don’t think about the future, or what may happen tomorrow.
Wash the dishes.
Remove the dust.
Write a letter.
Make a soup.
You see?
You are advancing step by step.
Take a step and stop.
Rest a little.
Praise yourself.
Take another step.
Then another.
You won’t notice, but your steps will grow more and more.
And the time will come when you can think about the future without crying.
~Elena Mikhalkova

Until we meet again,
Andy

Answers

1. Anonymous.
2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Chuck (Paul Rudd).
3. You’re Still the One (1997), Shania Twain; written by Robert John Lange, Shania Twain.

Previous blogs mentioned in this post:

• #31—USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63 Decommission
• #17—From Sailor to Civilian
• #48—Not Just Another House Fire
• #4—From Civilian to US Navy

Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (’73-77) and the author of several books, including You Can’t Get Much Closer Than This-Combat with the 80th “Blue Ridge” Division in World War II Europe, published by Casemate Publishers (2005) and selected as the Book of the Month for the Military Book Club. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran’s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness; NEVER FORGET is offered as a FREE (PDF, eBook format) download. Adkins also writes a weekly blog, “A Veteran’s Journey.”