{"id":2801,"date":"2020-11-11T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-11T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?p=2801"},"modified":"2021-10-14T16:28:08","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T20:28:08","slug":"56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"#56 &#8211; Veteran&#8217;s Day &#038; Happy 1st Anniversary, &#8220;A Veteran&#8217;s Journey&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sdm_download_item \"><div class=\"sdm_download_item_top\"><div class=\"sdm_download_thumbnail\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_title\">Blog #56 (Audio)<\/div><\/div><div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_description\"><p>Listen to the audio of this blog, read by Andy Adkins. Click the \u201c<em><strong>Audio<\/strong><\/em>\u201d button below.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_date\"><span class=\"sdm_download_date_label\">Published: <\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_date_value\">October 14, 2021<\/span><\/div><div class=\"sdm_download_link\"><span class=\"sdm_download_button\"><form action=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/?sdm_process_download=1&#038;download_id=5299\" method=\"post\" class=\"sdm-g-recaptcha-form sdm-download-form\"><div class=\"sdm-recaptcha-button\"><div class=\"g-recaptcha sdm-g-recaptcha\"><\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"sdm_download darkblue sdm_download_with_condition\">Audio by Andy Adkins<\/a><\/div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"download_id\" value=\"5299\" \/><\/form><\/span><span class=\"sdm_download_item_count\"><span class=\"sdm_item_count_number\">1<\/span><span class=\"sdm_item_count_string\"> Download<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"sdm_clear_float\"><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Happy 1st Anniversary&#8230; <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0001.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0001.jpg?resize=174%2C261&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"ABH3 Andy &quot;Chet&quot; Adkins\" class=\"wp-image-691\" width=\"174\" height=\"261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0001.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0001.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Andy Adkins (1975)<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One year ago today, I launched \u201c<strong><em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\">A Veteran\u2019s Journey<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, it was appropriate to get underway on Veteran\u2019s Day. I\u2019m a U.S. Navy veteran and served four years: 1973-77. My rating was an <strong>Aviation Boatswain\u2019s Mate-Handler (ABH)<\/strong>, and I made Petty Officer Second Class (E-5) three years into my enlistment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>NAS Agana, Guam<\/em><\/strong> was my first of two duty stations; I worked in <strong>Crash &amp; Rescue<\/strong>. After 15 months in that lovely paradise, I transferred to <strong><em>USS Kitty Hawk<\/em><\/strong> (CV-63), an aircraft carrier. I worked on the flight deck in <strong>V-1 Division<\/strong>, both in <strong>Crash &amp; Salvage <\/strong>as well as a <strong>Yellow Shirt<\/strong> director, loving both jobs. I made one <strong>Westpac<\/strong> cruise in 1975. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s <em><strong>nothing <\/strong><\/em>like working on the flight deck 14 to 16 hours (or more) a day during flight operations. The <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/26-that-adrenaline-rush\/\" target=\"_blank\">adrenaline rush<\/a> is unlike most anything I\u2019ve ever experienced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>One Year Stats &#8211; Interesting<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>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. <\/li><li>I&#8217;ve posted 37 \u201cNavy Friday Funny\u201d blogs. These are always fun; sometimes, I repost a funny because it seems appropriate at the time. <\/li><li>The \u201cmost popular\u201d blogs (to date) are:<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/13-after-30-years-back-on-the-flight-deck\/\" target=\"_blank\">#13 \u2013 After 30+ Years, I\u2019m Back on the Flight Deck<\/a><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/23-rough-seas-sea-of-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\">#23 \u2013 Rough Seas \u2013 Sea of Japan<\/a><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\">#30 \u2013 USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1<\/a><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/36-gone-in-an-instant\/\" target=\"_blank\">#36 \u2013 Gone in an Instant<\/a><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/the-3-minute-navy-shower\/\" target=\"_blank\">#19 \u2013 The 3-Minute Navy Shower: A Luxury Compared to\u2026<\/a><\/li><\/ul><ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/38-hook-line-sinker\/\" target=\"_blank\">#38 \u2013 Hook, Line &amp; Sinker<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>There have been more than 18,000 visits to the blog. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Blogging Surprises<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During my professional career(s), I\u2019ve written several books, published over 300 articles (legal technology) and made over 250 speeches. Yes, I&#8217;m bragging a little here (I <em>am <\/em>retired), but that&#8217;s how I became a successful consultant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blogging has been around for years, but during the height of <em>my <\/em>legal technology career, people were still writing and publishing in print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s still a <em>little <\/em>of that, but my\u2026 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). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So this is literally my first blogging experience. It\u2019s also one of the things that helps keep me grounded and \u201csane\u201d during these challenging COVID times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet over this past year, there were several surprises I did not expect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>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 <em>USS Kitty Hawk<\/em> have reached out. The \u201cinteresting\u201d thing is that during my stint in the Navy, my \u201cnickname\u201d was Chet Adkins. Everyone always called me \u201cChet.\u201d After 35+ years, it\u2019s hard to get used to being called that again over social media and the occasional phone call, but what a wonderful ride.<br><\/li><li>Many of the posts have <em>also <\/em>provided an opportunity for <em>other <\/em>shipmates&#8211;not necessarily those with whom <em>I <\/em>served&#8211;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 (\u201cjourneys\u201d).<br><\/li><li>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\u2019re interested, I\u2019ve written a short \u201c<strong><em>How to Write Your Own Memoir<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d Feel free to <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/pdfs\/WritingYourOwnMemoir.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">download it<\/a> (it\u2019s free, my favorite price). Hopefully, it will be of help.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>My Blog Evolution<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with anything new, I\u2019ve made several changes to my blog over this past year, both in format and the user interface. I use <strong>WordPress <\/strong>as a blogging platform. There are others, but WordPress came with my domain host: i.e., \u201cfree,\u201d my favorite price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve discovered new \u201cplug-ins\u201d that help with the design and format. For example, I learned I could read &amp; 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 \u201c<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/glossary_navy.html\" target=\"_blank\">Navy language<\/a>\u201d to the audio version that\u2019s not in the written post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since I&#8217;ve written 56 blogs, I can also utilize the statistics on the WordPress platform to help analyze metadata (that\u2019s a technical term that&#8217;s often overused). But among other things, I can see which posts are the most often read. Hence, the new \u201c<strong>Most Popular<\/strong>\u201d posts feature I added to the right side of the blog last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also figured out not only how to add photos, but how to <em>\u201cClick to enlarge\u201d<\/em> them, so you can get a better idea of the content I\u2019m writing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All these tools are fun (for me) and I hope they make the blog more readable (for you).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lessons Learned<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the first lessons I learned early on was that sometimes the \u201ctitle\u201d doesn\u2019t necessarily represent the \u201ccontent\u201d of the blog. One of my first \u201cjourneys\u201d [<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/tattoo-yes-or-no\/\" target=\"_blank\">#15 \u2013 Tattoo-Yes\u2026 or No?<\/a>] was <em>initially <\/em>titled, \u201cTattoos-the Mark of a True Sailor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Whoa!!!<\/em><\/strong>\u2026 did I get called to the carpet on that one. Rightly so, too, and I sincerely appreciate the dozen or so \u201ckind responses\u201d pointing to the \u201cerror.\u201d Not every sailor (or every &#8220;true veteran&#8221;) gets a tattoo. My bad; duly noted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Obviously, that initial title was a turnoff for a lot of folks. That was <em>not<\/em> my intent, but I quickly changed the title. Unfortunately, too late\u2014the damage had already been done. So the lesson I learned the hard way was the importance of the title of the blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">BTW \u2013 it was simply the story of me &amp; <strong>Charlie Brown<\/strong>, a fellow V-1 Division shipmate going into <strong>Hong Kong<\/strong> during our port call on Westpac &#8217;75 to get a tattoo. It was quite an experience (especially the guy showing off his \u201cbarber pole\u201d), but I\u2019m still glad I got my tattoo, even though a lot of shipmates didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another lesson I learned was to be sensitive to topics that may be a \u201ctrigger\u201d to other shipmates. We all have some sort of trigger, myself included. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, I wrote a blog, \u201c<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/36-gone-in-an-instant\/\" target=\"_blank\">#36-Gone in an Instant<\/a>,\u201d which was the story of losing a shipmate in a tragic accident on the flight deck during Westpac &#8217;75. It was a sad day for all of us aboard <em>Kitty Hawk<\/em>. I purposefully held off writing this one for lots of reasons. But when my wife\u2019s cousin (recently retired) was struck and killed on his bicycle close to his home in California, it was time to write it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several shipmates remembered that tragic day and responded to the post. It\u2019s 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 \u201ctalk\u201d via email and social media with other shipmates has helped me bring a little closure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I know there are a lot of veterans, not necessarily Navy veterans mind you, who have similar issues\u2014dealing with past horrors and triggers. <strong><em>You are not alone<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Veteran\u2019s Day<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which brings me to <strong><em>Veteran\u2019s Day, 2020<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a year like no other for <em>all <\/em>of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles-673x1024.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles.jpg?resize=205%2C311&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2822\" width=\"205\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles.jpg?resize=673%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 673w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles.jpg?resize=197%2C300&amp;ssl=1 197w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles.jpg?resize=768%2C1169&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Treaty_of_Versailles.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Treaty of Versailles<br>June 28, 1919<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can\u2019t image what it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet, we will still celebrate Veteran\u2019s Day. It\u2019s a chance to not only honor <em>all<\/em> military veterans, but also a time for us veterans to reflect on what this day means to us, personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those of you who don\u2019t know the history, Veteran\u2019s Day was established in November 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">World War I, \u201cThe Great War,\u201d 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 <em>eleventh <\/em>hour of the <em>eleventh <\/em>day of the <em>eleventh <\/em>month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of \u201cthe war to end all wars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Personal Experiences<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;ve always tried to honor Veteran&#8217;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&#8230; but as I&#8217;ve grown older, it means more to me each year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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\u2019s a somber experience, but an important tradition to continue to remember our fallen comrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Andy.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Andy.jpg?resize=164%2C240&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Andy Adkins\" class=\"wp-image-19\" width=\"164\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Andy.jpg?w=341&amp;ssl=1 341w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Andy.jpg?resize=205%2C300&amp;ssl=1 205w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 164px) 100vw, 164px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Andy Adkins (2007)<br>&#8220;It&#8217;s not the age, it&#8217;s the mileage.&#8221; (Indiana Jones)<br><em>(Click to enlarge)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every Sunday before Veteran\u2019s Day, our church minister takes a few moments to honor all veterans, asking us to stand. I\u2019m not sure why, but I\u2019m always a little hesitant <em>and <\/em>anxious when I first stand. But when I look around at several dozen other veterans, I realize how blessed <em>and <\/em>honored I am to be in such great company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve been extremely fortunate to have not only a Navy background (me) but also an Army background. My dad, <strong>A.Z. Adkins, Jr.<\/strong>, served with the <strong>80th Infantry Division<\/strong> in Europe during WWII. My father-in-law, <strong>Dr. Rufus K. Broadaway<\/strong>, served with the <strong>82nd Airborne Division<\/strong> in Europe during WWII. I\u2019ve written several blogs about them both (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also know many of you have fathers and grandfathers (and now, sons and daughters) who serve. All are true veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>80th Division Veterans Association<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since I wrote a book about my dad\u2019s experience, \u201c<strong><em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/book_closer.html\" target=\"_blank\">You Can\u2019t Get Much Closer Than This \u2013 Combat with the 80th Infantry \u2018Blue Ridge\u2019 Division in WWII \u2013 Europe<\/a><\/em><\/strong>,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I created and continue to maintain the website, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.80thdivision.com\">www.80thdivision.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This project has been a labor of love and I\u2019ve 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\u2019 histories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can&#8217;t explain why, other than I feel it&#8217;s a calling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Honor Your Veterans<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though this is an \u201cextraordinarily odd\u201d year, please find a safe way to enjoy Veteran\u2019s Day. If you know a veteran, give them a hug\u2026 or a call\u2026 or send them an email or a card. We <em>all<\/em> could use a hug\u2026 and kindness. <em>Don&#8217;t forget about kindness.<\/em> Yes, we all need some in today\u2019s crazy world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past dozen or so years, I started to notice&#8211;really notice&#8211;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&#8230; see &#8220;<strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\">Navy Friday Funny<\/a><\/strong>&#8220;), I hold the <em>deepest <\/em>respect for all veterans, no matter what service, no matter what war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I see someone walking toward me with a military ball cap or other indication they&#8217;re a veteran, I try to acknowledge their service. Sometimes we have time to chat, &#8220;What branch of the military? Where did you serve? When did you serve? What did you do?&#8221; which is always interesting, especially if there are some commonalities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>One more&#8230;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We moved back to Gainesville in 2015; we&#8217;d been working and living in West Virginia for four great years, but needed to move back for various reasons (no, I didn&#8217;t get fired from my job). We found a wonderful home&#8211;we call &#8220;our little slice of heaven&#8221;&#8211;in a great neighborhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three other nearby neighbors also served in the Navy, all were either in Guam or served aboard <em>Kitty Hawk <\/em>at one time or another. Near as we can tell, we weren&#8217;t there at the same time. One of them, an F-14 Tomcat pilot, got a few recoveries on &#8220;Runway 63&#8221; (<em>USS Kitty Hawk<\/em>, CV-63). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is truly a small world with a lot of us veterans. &#8220;<em>Home of the free because of the brave<\/em>.&#8221; Love that phrase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One thing I\u2019ve learned over the years, especially as I\u2019ve become more \u201cseasoned.\u201d That\u2019s my way of saying retired. A wise old veteran once shared with me: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u201c<em>Us veterans have to stick together.<\/em>\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stay safe, my friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Until we meet again,<\/em><br>Andy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/never-forget\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel.jpg?resize=74%2C111&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"NEVER FORGET Book Cover with &quot;New&quot; Label\" class=\"wp-image-3452\" width=\"74\" height=\"111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?w=1707&amp;ssl=1 1707w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NeverForgetCover-AZA-NEWLabel-scaled.jpg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 74px) 100vw, 74px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#000030\">Andy Adkins is a US Navy veteran (\u201973-77) and the author of several books. His newest novel, NEVER FORGET, is the story of A Vietnam Veteran\u2019s Journey for Redemption &amp; Forgiveness. NEVER FORGET is FREE (eBook, PDF) for all veterans. Download your <strong>FREE<\/strong> copy <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/never-forget\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Previous posts mentioned in this blog:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/26-that-adrenaline-rush\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#26 &#8211; That Adrenaline Rush<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/13-after-30-years-back-on-the-flight-deck\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#13 \u2013 After 30+ Years, I\u2019m Back on the Flight Deck<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/23-rough-seas-sea-of-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#23 \u2013 Rough Seas \u2013 Sea of Japan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/30-uss-kitty-hawk-bremerton-shipyards-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#30 \u2013 USS Kitty Hawk @ Bremerton Shipyards, Part 1<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/36-gone-in-an-instant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#36 \u2013 Gone in an Instant<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/the-3-minute-navy-shower\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#19 \u2013 The 3-Minute Navy Shower: A Luxury Compared to\u2026<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/38-hook-line-sinker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#38 \u2013 Hook, Line &amp; Sinker<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/tattoo-yes-or-no\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#15 \u2013 Tattoo-Yes\u2026 or No?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/29-may-8-1945-75-years-ago-today\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#29 \u2013 May 8, 1945: \u201cOurs is a Quiet Celebration\u201d<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/34-no-better-place-to-die\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#34 \u2013 No Better Place to Die<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy 1st Anniversary&#8230; One year ago today, I launched \u201cA Veteran\u2019s Journey.\u201d For me, it was appropriate to get underway on Veteran\u2019s Day. I\u2019m a U.S. Navy veteran and served four years: 1973-77. My rating was an Aviation Boatswain\u2019s Mate-Handler&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\/\" class=\"readmore\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">#56 &#8211; Veteran&#8217;s Day &#038; Happy 1st Anniversary, &#8220;A Veteran&#8217;s Journey&#8221;<\/span><span class=\"fa fa-angle-double-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[60,59],"tags":[20,67,206,106,74,162,83,95,7,84,16],"class_list":["post-2801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-army","category-navy","tag-80th-infantry-division","tag-82nd-airborne-division","tag-a-veterans-journey","tag-abh","tag-agana-guam","tag-aviation-boatswains-mate-handler","tag-crash-salvage","tag-hong-kong","tag-uss-kitty-hawk","tag-westpac","tag-yellow-shirt","content-layout-excerpt-thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>#56 - Veteran&#039;s Day &amp; Happy 1st Anniversary, &quot;A Veteran&#039;s Journey&quot; &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I launched &quot;A Veteran&#039;s Journey&quot; a year ago on Veteran&#039;s Day. Most blogs are Navy-related, but a few Army. My dad &amp; FIL served in the Army. All are proud veterans.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"#56 - Veteran&#039;s Day &amp; Happy 1st Anniversary, &quot;A Veteran&#039;s Journey&quot; &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I launched &quot;A Veteran&#039;s Journey&quot; a year ago on Veteran&#039;s Day. Most blogs are Navy-related, but a few Army. My dad &amp; FIL served in the Army. All are proud veterans.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Veteran&#039;s Journey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/andyadkinsiii\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/andyadkinsiii\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-11-11T11:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-10-14T20:28:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/azadkinsiii.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_0001.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andy Adkins\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@azadkinsiii\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@azadkinsiii\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andy Adkins\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andy Adkins\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3cbf38c3ae372859df51574b46563a4a\"},\"headline\":\"#56 &#8211; Veteran&#8217;s Day &#038; Happy 1st Anniversary, &#8220;A Veteran&#8217;s Journey&#8221;\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-11-11T11:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-14T20:28:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2371,\"commentCount\":4,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/3cbf38c3ae372859df51574b46563a4a\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/IMG_0001.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"80th Infantry Division\",\"82nd Airborne Division\",\"A Veterans Journey\",\"ABH\",\"Agana Guam\",\"Aviation Boatswains Mate Handler\",\"Crash &amp; Salvage\",\"Hong Kong\",\"USS Kitty Hawk\",\"Westpac\",\"Yellow Shirt\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Army\",\"Navy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/\",\"name\":\"#56 - Veteran's Day & Happy 1st Anniversary, \\\"A Veteran's Journey\\\" &#8212; A Veteran&#039;s Journey\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/56-veterans-day-happy-1st-anniversary-a-veterans-journey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/azadkinsiii.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/12\\\/IMG_0001.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-11-11T11:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-14T20:28:08+00:00\",\"description\":\"I launched \\\"A Veteran's Journey\\\" a year ago on Veteran's Day. 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