On our first liberty in Navy boot camp, one of my fellow recruits got a huge eagle tattoo on his bicep. The eagle claws enclosed, in big font, his boot camp company number, 029. Can you imagine going through life with your boot camp company number taking up a quarter of your arm?
Hahahaha...now THAT made me laugh!
Train ticket to Chicago from Great Lakes: $5.00
Drinks for everyone in the Chicago bar: $186.23
Cab fare from Chicago back to Great Lakes because you were drunk and missed train: $98.00
Seeing a sailor in the fleet two years out of Boot Camp with his Boot Camp Company tattooed on his bicep: Priceless!
That which seems, today, to be of overwhelming importance may, tomorrow, fade into insignificance.
High school class rings come to mind ...