[A Navy Vet]

"There is nothing quite so satisfying as catching a three wire on a black a$$ SOCAL OPAREA night, with the deck pitching and rolling to the limit of the FRESNEL lens stabilization computers!"

Actually, in my Seaman recruit delirium I asked to be transferred to the Ranger upon receiving orders to the New Orleans. Boy, was I naive. Anyway, we had our moments on the helo carrier. Harriers are fun. And fully loaded CH-53's give off enough 360 degree rotor wash you better have a low profile or your in for a swim. Still, there's no question Big Deck personnel have one the most dangerous jobs in the Navy.

[Taxman]

It is all dangerous, my FRiend -- big deck, Gator, tin can, silent service, AORs, small boats, SEALS, whatever. I think we all earned our hazardous duty pay!

But, what the Hell, we were young, full of pi$$ and vinegar, and were going to live forever, weren't we?

They got us young, trained us well and let us do our thing. And we did it, fair weather and foul. We worked hard, drank too much on the beach and worked too hard on the boat. We bitched a lot and we miss it a lot, right!

But we never forgot that "The sea is unforgiving of human error."

And we survived to tell these tall tales! LOL!

[Taxman]

PS Just in case I forgot, thank you for your service!