A Veteran's Journey

Happy 1st Anniversary…

One year ago today, I launched “A Veteran’s Journey.”

For me, it was appropriate to get underway on Veteran’s Day. I’m a U.S. Navy veteran and served four years: 1973-77. My rating was an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate-Handler (ABH), and I made Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) three years into my enlistment.

NAS Agana, Guam was my first of two duty stations; I worked in Crash & Rescue. After 15 months in that lovely paradise, I transferred to USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), an aircraft carrier. I worked on the flight deck in V-1 Division, both in Crash & Salvage as well as a Yellow Shirt director, loving both jobs. I made one Westpac cruise in 1975.

There’s nothing like working on the flight deck 14 to 16 hours (or more) a day during flight operations. The adrenaline rush is unlike most anything I’ve ever experienced.

One Year Stats – Interesting

I’m an Electronics Engineer by education (BSEE, ME) and have always been fascinated by numbers. Looking back over this past year, here are a few interesting statistics:

• This is my 56th blog. I usually post weekly on Tuesdays. There have been a few occasions where I posted an extra blog, hence more than one a week.
• I’ve posted 37 “Navy Friday Funny” blogs. These are always fun; sometimes, I repost a funny because it seems appropriate at the time.
• The “most popular” blogs (to date) are:
  • #13 – After 30+ Years, I’m Back on the Flight Deck
  • #23 – Rough Seas – Sea of Japan
  • #30 – USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1
  • #36 – Gone in an Instant
  • #19 – The 3-Minute Navy Shower: A Luxury Compared to…
  • #38 – Hook, Line & Sinker
• There have been more than 18,000 visits to the blog.

Blogging Surprises

During my professional career(s), I’ve written several books, published over 300 articles (legal technology) and made over 250 speeches. Yes, I’m bragging a little here (I am retired), but that’s how I became a successful consultant.

Blogging has been around for years, but during the height of my legal technology career, people were still writing and publishing in print.

There’s still a little of that, but my… times have certainly changed. If you are on a need-to-know basis, WordPress reports there are more than 500 million blogs on the Internet. And, over 70 million posts published each month (WordPress).

So this is literally my first blogging experience. It’s also one of the things that helps keep me grounded and “sane” during these challenging COVID times.

Yet over this past year, there were several surprises I did not expect:

• I share the blogs on several social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn) and also to several Navy Facebook Groups. Several times, shipmates that I either served with in Guam or aboard USS Kitty Hawk have reached out. The “interesting” thing is that during my stint in the Navy, my “nickname” was Chet Adkins. Everyone always called me “Chet.” After 35+ years, it’s hard to get used to being called that again over social media and the occasional phone call, but what a wonderful ride.
  
• Many of the posts have also provided an opportunity for other shipmates–not necessarily those with whom I served–to connect with other shipmates who served together. To see these former Navy shipmates reconnect and reminisce is awesome! And they often share their own memories (“journeys”).
  
• I believe several readers have begun to write their own Navy memoir; not necessarily because of this particular blog, but because of the motivation to write something during COVID. They want to leave a written legacy. If you’re interested, I’ve written a short “How to Write Your Own Memoir.” Feel free to download it (it’s free, my favorite price). Hopefully, it will be of help.

My Blog Evolution

As with anything new, I’ve made several changes to my blog over this past year, both in format and the user interface. I use WordPress as a blogging platform. There are others, but WordPress came with my domain host: i.e., “free,” my favorite price.

I’ve discovered new “plug-ins” that help with the design and format. For example, I learned I could read & record my blog and create an audio file for users who may be visually impaired or simply do not have the time to read. They can listen. And yes, sometimes I expand and add a little “Navy language” to the audio version that’s not in the written post.

Since I’ve written 56 blogs, I can also utilize the statistics on the WordPress platform to help analyze metadata (that’s a technical term that’s often overused). But among other things, I can see which posts are the most often read. Hence, the new “Most Popular” posts feature I added to the right side of the blog last week.

I also figured out not only how to add photos, but how to “Click to enlarge” them, so you can get a better idea of the content I’m writing about.

All these tools are fun (for me) and I hope they make the blog more readable (for you).

Lessons Learned

One of the first lessons I learned early on was that sometimes the “title” doesn’t necessarily represent the “content” of the blog. One of my first “journeys” [#15 – Tattoo-Yes… or No?] was initially titled, “Tattoos-the Mark of a True Sailor.”

Whoa!!!… did I get called to the carpet on that one. Rightly so, too, and I sincerely appreciate the dozen or so “kind responses” pointing to the “error.” Not every sailor (or every “true veteran”) gets a tattoo. My bad; duly noted!

Obviously, that initial title was a turnoff for a lot of folks. That was not my intent, but I quickly changed the title. Unfortunately, too late—the damage had already been done. So the lesson I learned the hard way was the importance of the title of the blog.

BTW – it was simply the story of me & Charlie Brown, a fellow V-1 Division shipmate going into Hong Kong during our port call on Westpac ’75 to get a tattoo. It was quite an experience (especially the guy showing off his “barber pole”), but I’m still glad I got my tattoo, even though a lot of shipmates didn’t.

Another lesson I learned was to be sensitive to topics that may be a “trigger” to other shipmates. We all have some sort of trigger, myself included.

For example, I wrote a blog, “#36-Gone in an Instant,” which was the story of losing a shipmate in a tragic accident on the flight deck during Westpac ’75. It was a sad day for all of us aboard Kitty Hawk. I purposefully held off writing this one for lots of reasons. But when my wife’s cousin (recently retired) was struck and killed on his bicycle close to his home in California, it was time to write it.

Several shipmates remembered that tragic day and responded to the post. It’s one of those images that will always be with me, as with others who were witness to the event. But being able to write about it and “talk” via email and social media with other shipmates has helped me bring a little closure.

I know there are a lot of veterans, not necessarily Navy veterans mind you, who have similar issues—dealing with past horrors and triggers. You are not alone.

Veteran’s Day

Which brings me to Veteran’s Day, 2020.

This is a year like no other for all of us.

I can’t image what it’s like serving aboard a ship these days with the potential of COVID lingering in every port. As difficult as it may be, I know our sailors will continue the traditions we all experienced during our time in the Navy.

Yet, we will still celebrate Veteran’s Day. It’s a chance to not only honor all military veterans, but also a time for us veterans to reflect on what this day means to us, personally.

For those of you who don’t know the history, Veteran’s Day was established in November 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.

World War I, “The Great War,” officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles, outside Versailles, France. However, the fighting actually ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or a temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Personal Experiences

I’ve always tried to honor Veteran’s Day, even as a kid. My dad fought in WWII and he took time for remembrance and taught me the importance and respect for veterans. I felt I needed to, too. After I served in the Navy, it was equally important… but as I’ve grown older, it means more to me each year.

Several years ago, I started attending an annual get together of veterans at a local cemetery. Both Vietnam veterans and Vietnam-era veterans gather for a quiet ceremony to honor several high school classmates who were killed in the Vietnam War. It’s a somber experience, but an important tradition to continue to remember our fallen comrades.

Every Sunday before Veteran’s Day, our church minister takes a few moments to honor all veterans, asking us to stand. I’m not sure why, but I’m always a little hesitant and anxious when I first stand. But when I look around at several dozen other veterans, I realize how blessed and honored I am to be in such great company.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have not only a Navy background (me) but also an Army background. My dad, A.Z. Adkins, Jr., served with the 80th Infantry Division in Europe during WWII. My father-in-law, Dr. Rufus K. Broadaway, served with the 82nd Airborne Division in Europe during WWII. I’ve written several blogs about them both (see below).

I also know many of you have fathers and grandfathers (and now, sons and daughters) who serve. All are true veterans.

80th Division Veterans Association

Since I wrote a book about my dad’s experience, “You Can’t Get Much Closer Than This – Combat with the 80th Infantry ‘Blue Ridge’ Division in WWII – Europe,” I became very active in the 80th Division Veterans Association. I served as the association National Secretary for several years and during several past reunions, had the opportunity to meet some of the men who served with my dad.

I created and continue to maintain the website, www.80thdivision.com.

This project has been a labor of love and I’ve personally digitized and uploaded over 100,000 pages of documents to the site (over a span of 15+ years), including Morning Reports, General Orders, Unit Histories, After Action Reports, and Photo Collections. I continue to help hundreds of other 80th veterans and their families research their veterans’ histories.

I can’t explain why, other than I feel it’s a calling.

Honor Your Veterans

Even though this is an “extraordinarily odd” year, please find a safe way to enjoy Veteran’s Day. If you know a veteran, give them a hug… or a call… or send them an email or a card. We all could use a hug… and kindness. Don’t forget about kindness. Yes, we all need some in today’s crazy world.

Over the past dozen or so years, I started to notice–really notice–more veterans. Some are Navy, like me, but others are Army, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. While we used to joke about the different branches of our military (and we still do… see “Navy Friday Funny“), I hold the deepest respect for all veterans, no matter what service, no matter what war.

When I see someone walking toward me with a military ball cap or other indication they’re a veteran, I try to acknowledge their service. Sometimes we have time to chat, “What branch of the military? Where did you serve? When did you serve? What did you do?” which is always interesting, especially if there are some commonalities.

One more…

We moved back to Gainesville in 2015; we’d been working and living in West Virginia for four great years, but needed to move back for various reasons (no, I didn’t get fired from my job). We found a wonderful home–we call “our little slice of heaven”–in a great neighborhood.

Three other nearby neighbors also served in the Navy, all were either in Guam or served aboard Kitty Hawk at one time or another. Near as we can tell, we weren’t there at the same time. One of them, an F-14 Tomcat pilot, got a few recoveries on “Runway 63” (USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63).

It is truly a small world with a lot of us veterans. “Home of the free because of the brave.” Love that phrase.

One thing I’ve learned over the years, especially as I’ve become more “seasoned.” That’s my way of saying retired. A wise old veteran once shared with me:

“Us veterans have to stick together.”

Stay safe, my friends.

Until we meet again,
Andy

Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (’73-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran’s Journey for Redemption & Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your FREE copy HERE.

Previous posts mentioned in this blog:

• #26 – That Adrenaline Rush
• #13 – After 30+ Years, I’m Back on the Flight Deck
• #23 – Rough Seas – Sea of Japan
• #30 – USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1
• #36 – Gone in an Instant
• #19 – The 3-Minute Navy Shower: A Luxury Compared to…
• #38 – Hook, Line & Sinker
• #15 – Tattoo-Yes… or No?
• #29 – May 8, 1945: “Ours is a Quiet Celebration”
• #34 – No Better Place to Die