Something I saw at work today...

[N2056]

For those that do not know me I work for the Navy, as a civilian. I was also a sailor for 10 years before that. My work involves maintenance on the propulsion systems. As I was heading for the parking lot at the end of the work day today I heard a very long horn blast, and I realized that it was one of our boats departing for a 6 month deployment. About a minute later the base loudspeakers started playing Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" at high volume as the boat was moving into the harbor. It was pretty moving...

For me, a vessel departing on deployment always hits hard. I try to avoid being on the pier right before the boat leaves. It tends to tear me up a bit seeing the families. You guys that are Navy / ex-Navy know what I mean.

I look forward to seeing them return. There is a cool submariner tradition that has all of the boats that are in port sound their horns in unison to welcome the returning boat home as it nears the pier. It's pretty cool to see!

[TARPSBird]

I remember those early mornings getting ready to go on deployment. My wife and I never did the "standing on the pier" routine. It was always kiss the wife and kids good-bye in the car at the foot of the pier or outside the air terminal, then off we went. And yes, I still feel emotion when I see TV coverage of a ship or squadron departing on cruise. Always feels better to see them return. :) :USA-flag:

[tigisfat]

Always feels better to see them return. :) :USA-flag:
These days you don't get to see everyone return, unfortunately. My brother and I always took leave to welcome each other back from deployments, and try to have each other's houses straightened out before we came home. Noone backfills or reports to Iraq from tech schools obviously, so it was fairly plain to see how the numbers in my brothers unit had diminished each time.


On a lighter note, if the USAF started a 'honk your horn on the way out and in' tradition, noone would hear it. :icon_lol:

[CADFather]

I took part in a couple of air deployments while in the Army with the 101st. So I got to see some of the emotions that you Navy fellas experience. And yeah it hits hard every time I see young men and women leaving the relative safety of our shores to go help keep Democracy alive.