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That was a nice retirement ceremony I went to yesterday. Senior Chief Petty Officer with 26 years in.

The Chief Petty Officer Retirement Creed

You have on this day, experienced that which comes to all of us who serve on active
duty in "OUR NAVY." I say "OUR NAVY," because your departure from active duty
in no way terminates your relationship. By law and tradition, U.S. Navy Retirees are
always on the rolls ever ready to lend their service when the need arises. The respect
that you earned as "The Chief" was based on the same attributes that you will now carry
into retirement. You should have no regrets. Do not view your retirement as an end of an
era but rather as orders to a new and challenging assignment, to a form of independent
duty. Remember well that you have been, and will always be, an accepted member of
the most exclusive of all fraternities - that of the U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officers. The
active duty Chiefs salute you, your retired Chiefs welcome you. I wish you the traditional
"Fair Winds and Following Seas."