Posted on 03/28/2005 8:32:56 PM PST by justshutupandtakeit
Friday March 18 was a bitterly cold day in Charleston whence I had traveled to the ceremonies attending the graduation of almost 300 new Navy Nuclear Engineers from the Navy Nuclear Power Command Training school. This event was held out doors where a crowd of parents, family and friends watched our sons and daughters received their certificates marking the end of a grueling and intellectually challenging course of study which will enable the men to be assigned to the Submarines and Carriers defending our freedom across the globe. Female graduates will be performing their duties upon the air craft carriers and surface ships.
One of the graduates was my son, Arlen, who also sang in a quartet our National Anthem. His mother would have been brimming with pride as well.
These young sailors raised a great flame of pride, love and hope for the future in my heart and those of others there. Our Navy will be in good hands while our nation produces young citizens like these.
After graduation most transferred to Ballston Spa in New York's beautiful Hudson River Valley where they will be assigned to prototype training working on actual reactors.
Hats off to these sailors.
At first I was kind of annoyed that it was so damn cold. And the sailors were just dressed in their blue blouses and were freezing. Then I thought well that is a parent thinking since they will have to endure much more demanding things and their duties will have to be performed weather or no weather. And it was good that we had to experience a little discomfront to remind us that the world is not a nice, warm and cozy place all the time and we shouldn't be so spoiled.
I am reminded of a bumper sticker a good friend of mine showed me one time. He was a Navy Engineer as well. It read:
"Navy Nukes are built better than Jane Fonda"
Ping any interested parties please.
thank. Pretty funny.
Congratulations! You have real bragging rights.
My grandson just finished boot camp up at Great Lakes. He's on his way to submariners school in Connecticut.
Thank God this country still has young men and women like these, who volunteer to keep us all safe.
"One of the graduates was my son, Arlen"
Thank You Arlen for your service to our country!
justshutupandtakeit, you must proud!
"Navy Nukes are built better than Jane Fonda"
That sir is the truth
bump
Congratulations!!
Congrats! I went through training at that prototype ten years ago. That period in my life stands out as the most hours I ever studied in a week - 15 hr days, 7 days a week with changing shifts for 6 months just to survive the final review board. I had some shipmates that only needed 8 hrs a day (dam# them!). One thing is for sure, my time in the Navy/subs makes the civilian work I do now seem like a party!
You made me cry. Your son must have had great parenting to have grown up with a sense of duty and honor. Congratulations, and I wish him, and you, the best.
Congratulations!!!!!! One of our boys is an officer on the Enterprise.
Bump
Congrats to you and your son, jsuati.
Kudos to your son - please thank him for me for his service to our country! Thank God for him and men and women like him willing to go!!
Congrats from an ex-nuke ET. It's a heckuva thing making it through the school. Going through the whole nuke ET program way back when, I was told that overall it was ranked as the third hardest school in the country. Didn't see the sun for weeks on end going through power school.
Congratulations to both your son and to you. My father was a submariner in WWII on a Gato Class Sub named the Gurnard (there is now a nuclear sub by the same name). My father stayed with the sub for the duration of it's service until after the end of the war. He was what was then known as a plank owner working in the engine room.
Submariner service holds a very special place in my heart, my father never told many war stories. Much of what I have learned of his service to his country I have learned from his old shipmates that I have sought out through Internet sources.
Please know that you have every right to be proud. Your brave young son and the others in his class will be in my prayers. Thank you.
Congratulations.
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