220605 Sentinel, Service

I am proud of my 11 years in the service of our United States Navy from 1963 to 1974.

I had some great experiences seeing foreign countries and having exciting duties aboard ships at sea, flying with an aircrew and some interesting (long hours) of shore patrol duties. I was proud of being an instructor in basic aviation electronics at the same school I was trained in 4 years before. I had the opportunity to see places I would have never visited unless I was in service. My memories of being in a flight crew and working on an aircraft carrier flight deck are not obtainable anywhere else in this world. I worked 12-14 hour shifts for little pay and never had overtime pay. I always did my best and my reward was my navy training taught me enough that I had a way of earning my living the rest of my working career. I still watch videos of activity on flight decks of aircraft carriers. The precision required to run a flight deck is unmatched anywhere else in the world. The performance on a flight deck is more complex than any ballet in show business on a stage in front of an audience. Every activity performed is recorded on cameras, including when mistakes are made causing loss of lives and massive fires and explosions. In civilian life when a fire ignites in a home or building people can evacuate the building to safety. Aboard ship there is nowhere to run in the middle of an ocean, it’s do or die there are no other options.
We Americans should honor those who are serving this country, but sadly these days that doesn’t happen often. Our former president called those who served, suckers for doing what they do. So I ask you this: who in this scenario is the one with honor?