Navy Stuff

...talent is an inner drive that propels a
person to take time. People who are
experts at something work harder at it
than the rest of us because they see
(and taste and hear and feel) possibilities
the rest of us cant discern. People with
talent help us see what is hidden.
from: Improve the Shining Moments
by: Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I learned something new last weekend while in California!
Actually I learned a LOT of new things.
I LOVE learning new things!!
We are so grateful that Joe invited us to attend his 'change of command' ceremony! We had a wonderful time!!!
May I share with you some of the things I learned?
First thing I learned:
remember the old days when you had to plan for lots of extra minutes into your driving time....because of traffic!! Never will I complain again about our traffic here in the desert...well, maybe not NEVER...but less frequently. We were unpleasantly almost late for the ceremony. gulp!!
And to make a stressful situation even worse it turned out I was an honorary guest...so there I was finding myself being presented with what felt like 5lbs of flowers and being escorted to our seats by a handsome enlisted sailor, where all were waiting for the program to begin.


The ceremony was formal and impressive. The speeches were heartfelt and sincere. It was obvious that these men and women who had served together for 2 years or more were are a very cohesive unit!! It was obvious to me that my 'baby' brother was/is an outstanding leader and very well respected.


I love that my bro can and does get emotional when speaking about the people that serve our country with such devotion and sacrifice.

Rear Admiral Peter A. Gumataotao

It was hard not to be terribly impressed to learn that 2 admirals came in from various places in order to be a part of this time honored tradition.

Captain Joseph C Sharp and Admiral Rowden
the Admiral is taking over command of the Ronald Reagan Aircraft Carrier and the whole battle fleet.
be impressed!!

My brother now leaves his command of a reserve unit in Korea, to begin something new in Hawaii!
We froze our hineys off but it was worth every shiver to be there.



The evening brought us another unique naval experience!
We were invited to attend something known as Dining In.
Dining in is a formal military ceremony for members of a unit, which includes a dinner, drinking, and other events to foster camaraderie.
It seemed to us that there was already plenty of camaraderie going on between these lovely people. And it was a blast to see what goes on 'behind the scenes' so to speak.
(during the cocktail hour, I was privileged to visit with Admiral Rowden for several minutes. I was a bit star struck, but enjoyed talking with him and of course was impressed with his vision and insights about the United States and his view of our place in the world. ** he mentioned the book, THREE CUPS OF TEA!!! and I could tell him I had read it!! how about that!!!?)

The dining in follows established protocols.

After a brief cocktail period of 30 to 45 minutes, the presiding officer, known as the "President of the Mess", announces, "Please be seated." The group then retires to the dining area to be seated.




Guess who was the "President of the Mess?" Thats right...my little brother!! And its safe to say that he enjoyed every minute of it.


There was a fun little skit...that must have roots in old maritime tradition, about whether the beef that is to be served is "tasty and fit for human consumption", after which the meal was served to we diners.


After the yummy cheese cake was finished, the "President" (baby brother Joe) invited the 'vice president', who is a junior officer, and the 'vice, vice president' (who was called to the table in order to help the Vice President with his duties) call to the Mess, to bring forth the port to be served, and then the toasting began.


The 'president' and the guest of honor ( the admiral) then had an opportunity to speak if they so desired.

This was so fun to witness, as the tongues became looser from the effect of the grog. (But be rest assured that there is also a bowl of nonalcoholic grog for those that dont drink.)

What is grog you might ask....???
Here is a short history.....

Mixing of the grog

Humans discovered long ago that they could not drink sea water, but that they did require significant quantities of fresh water on their long voyages. Since they had no way of desalinating sea water, the fresh water they brought on board in casks, quickly developed algae and became slimy. (gross!!) This stagnant water was 'sweetened' with beer or wine to make it palatable. (thus the drunken sailor?)

The grog usually consists of various alcoholic beverages mixed together, unappealing to the taste. You could smell the alcohol evaporating from the bowl into the air. Good thing there were designated drivers!!

One of the toasts went to the empty table set to one side of the room.
I found the explanation and felt it important to share it with you.


Small table set for one

Single chair

White table cloth

Slice of lemon on a plate

Inverted glass

Spoons/fork set

Single rose

Sword




The toast went like this:

"Mr. President, although we are in the presence
of several honored guests this evening, there are many that could not be
with us tonight. The empty table symbolizes that members of our profession
are often called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. We remember
our fallen comrades and those that are unable to be with us now. The
table is set for one. It is small, symbolizing the frailty of the
human condition. The chair is empty, they are not there. The
table cloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their intentions to respond
to the call of duty. The single rose reminds us of their families
and the loved ones who must function without them. The slice of lemon
is on the plate to remind us of their bitter sacrifice. There is
salt upon the plate, symbolic of their families’ tears. The glass
is inverted, they cannot toast with us this evening. Remember, all
of you who served with them and called them comrades. You depended
on their loyalty and relied upon their abilities. They did not forsake
you. We must remember them."

May I just end by saying:
May God please bless America in its righteous desires and PLEASE bless all the men and women in the armed services with safety, wisdom and protection!! And bless their families for their sacrifices!!!