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Why I love the Navy

3K views 19 replies 19 participants last post by  brianinpa 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I WAS A SAILOR ONCE, I WAS PART OF THE NAVY AND THE NAVY WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME THAT'S WHY I LOVE THE NAVY

Why I Love the Navy

I LIKE standing on the bridge wing at sunrise with salt spray in my face and clean ocean winds whipping in from the four quarters of the globe, the ship beneath me feeling like a living thing as her engines drive her through the sea.

I LIKE the sounds of the navy, the piercing trill of the boatswains call the syncopated clanger of the ships bell the harsh squawk of the main broadcast and the strong language and laughter of sailors at work

I LIKE navy vessels, nervous darting destroyers, plodding fleet auxiliaries, sleek submarines and steady solid carriers

I LIKE the proud names of navy ships Australia, Melbourne, Sydney

I LIKE the lean angular names of navy destroyers Anzac, Vampire, Vendetta, Voyager

I LIKE the tempo of a navy band blaring through the upper deck speakers as we pull away from the tanker after refuelling at sea

I LIKE the pipe "libertymen fall in" and the spicy scent of a foreign port

I LIKE sailors, men from all parts of the land, from city and country alike and all walks of life, I trust and depend on them as they trust and depend on me for professional competence, comradeship and courage, in a word they are shipmates

I LIKE the surge of adventure in my heart when the word is passed "special sea dutymen close up"

I LIKE the infectious thrill of sighting home again, the waving hands of welcome from family and friends. The work is hard and dangerous, the going rough at times, the parting from loved ones painful but the companionship of robust navy laughter the all for one and one for all philosophy of the sea is ever present

I LIKE the serenity of the sea after a day of hard ships work, the beer issue, watching flying fish flit across the wave tops as sunset gives way to night

I LIKE the feel of the navy in darkness the masthead lights the red and green navigation lights and the stern light the pulsating phosphorescence of radar screens

I LIKE drifting off to sleep lulled by the myriad of noises large and small that tell me that my ship is alive and well and that my shipmates on watch will keep me safe

I LIKE quiet middle watches with the aroma of kai on a winters night

I LIKE hectic watches when the exacting minuet of haze grey shapes racing at full speed keeps all hands on a razor edge of alertness

I LIKE the sudden electricity of "action stations" followed by the hurried clamour of running feet on ladders and the resounding thump of watertight doors and hatches as the ship transforms herself from the peaceful workplace to a weapon of war ready for anything

I LIKE the sight of space age equipment manned by youngsters clad in No8's and sound powered phones that their grandfathers would still recognise

I LIKE the traditions of the navy and the men who made them and the heroism of the men who sailed in the ships of yesteryear. An adolescent can find adulthood. In years to come when sailors are home from the sea they will still remember with fondness and respect the ocean in all its moods, the impossible shimmering mirror calm and the storm tossed green water surging over the bow, and then there will come again a faint whiff of stack gas, a faint echo of engine and rudder orders a vision of the bright bunting of signal flags snapping at the yardarm a refrain of hearty laughter.

Gone ashore for good they will grow wistful about their navy days, when the seas belonged to them and a new port of call was ever over the horizon, remembering this they will stand taller and say

I WAS A SAILOR ONCE, I WAS PART OF THE NAVY AND THE NAVY WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME THAT'S WHY I LOVE THE NAVY
 
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#8 ·
As a former Marine, I spent significant time on board various ships. I was always impressed by the efficiency and "esprit de corps" of my Navy brothers in arms. Although there is a competitive rivalry between the members of different forces, when it came to cooperation and getting the job done, everyone pitched in and performed their job with professionalism and cooperation. I am proud of our past and current military (and the excellent members of our allie's forces) and the job they are do in such horrible conditions. Without them we would be at risk of losing the fundamental freedoms that we currently enjoy.
 
#11 ·
Very thoughtful amd meaningful words. Those could be modified to fit just about any branch of the service. I almost enlisted in the Navy in April, 1969 but by father talked me out of it. April, 1999, I realized that I could have retired with full pay, benefits, including benefits for my wife, now of 38 years.
 
#16 ·
Yes Larry, I'm with you on this one for sure. My 4 years on a Navy vessel mean a lot to me. I learned new skills, a better work ethic, shared a lot of adventures and misadventures with my mates and learned to love being at sea, good weather or bad. However, having picked up on the term 'beer ration' in your narrative, I wonder if I might have joined the wrong navy, lol.
 
#20 ·
You can take the sailor out of the Navy, but you will never take the Navy out of the Sailor. After 20 years I retired in 2003 and still wish that I could have stayed in longer. There are a lot of things that I miss, but I like knowing where my family is when I lay down at night.
 
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