Joe:
I was hoping you would post pics. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I know you are both very proud as you should be. Please tell that new sailor thanks from all of us.

Congrats ! Must have been a very proud day for you..

Thanks, everyone!

Congratulations, Joe. That young lady has just drafted you into the Navy family, one of the finest organizations in the long history of this country. Please pass best wishes and smooth sailing to your Great Lakes graduate from Mrs. and Mrs. Wolverine, who both once proudly wore the Navy blue and white and found each other for a lifetime in that same service.

One more little thing which always meant a lot to us:

“Eternal Lord God, Who alone spreadest out the Heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea; vouchsafe to take into they almighty and most gracious protection our country’s Navy, and all who serve therein. Preserve them from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy, that they may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security unto such as pass upon the sea on their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietness serve Thee our God.”

Congrats!!
She now works for my taxi service! LOL

- that annoying guy from the other Dept. of the Navy–the Men’s Department.

“The Men’s Department”, indeed!!! “Taxi service”. Humphh!! They call them Marines but many are unable to handle even a little sea weather. Put them down below in a Navy transport, and those big “men” start vomiting like babes. Then they crawl topside and beg the real sailors for assistance. The sailors, of course, just advise them to go to the windward rail of the ship and do what they have to do. The sailors then pass out wet towels and mops… that is, after they stop laughing.

Gotta love ‘em anyway, these bros in arms. We all go back a long ways together. A damned good team we have made over the years, especially when the going gets really tough. Semper Fi always from this pair of Navy vets. Mrs. Wolverine reminds me from time to time that it was her principal job to bring healing and cheer to a lot of young Marines with broken bodies and damaged spirits. She has never forgotten her young heroes.

Joe and family,

Congratulations and thank you for sharing the pictures and video.

Sure brings back memories, I must have seen a dozen of those ceremonies at Great Lakes. They were always cool. Back in the day they were held outside on the parade deck. I don’t recall having a nice indoor facility like portrayed here. My father was stationed at Great Lakes and we lived on base for a little over two years. I remember seeing the new recruits coming and watching them paint the rocks white. Every class did it, and as a young kid I always wondered about that. That was a long time ago, in fact, I remember watching Up Up with People on the same parade deck. Anyone remember them?

Anyway, didn’t mean to turn this into something other than honoring the new sailor. But I appreciate that your post pulled old memories out of my head. GO NAVY!!

Oh this one is for Monk:

How can you tell a marine from a sailor on an aircraft carrier?

The marines are the ones throwing bread to the helicopters.

Thanks for the memory, Jack. I remember singing that as well — at a very solemn service conducted by the base chaplains on the day they placed the silver bars on my collar. In my pocket were the orders sending me to Vietnam. That hymn meant a lot, especially in that day when the casualty lists were growing longer and, as some said, there were no atheists in the foxholes.

It meant a lot to Mrs. Wolverine as well, especially when she had to deal with her job of caring for those grievously wounded young Marine heroes of hers. We decided to be married in the hospital chapel…by the Navy chaplains and surrounded by our Navy and Marine Corps friends and colleagues, including some who had to come to the service on crutches or in wheelchairs. It seemed to be the natural thing to do for us.

There are some “family” things you never forget. It gives me no end of pleasure to see someone like Joe’s daughter join that great family. She will remember that too, no matter what else she may do in her life.

Both of you….know full well, I have a serious sense of fun and a mean sense of humor.
Wolv…as I’ve stated in the past, I’d fight side-by-side with you any day.
And Blackout….believing that all jarheads are intellectually challenged could be dangerous to your sense of order in the world.

“Jolly green giants”?!!! I know the USMC can do a great number of things and do them well —– but selling canned vegetables on TV????? Just how much did that military budget get cut?

Listen up, all you Marines. Old Wolverine had nothing to do with that statement in #21 — nothing at all, I assure you, I’ll swear to it.

Well, anyway, Joe, one more word of congratulations to your Navy daughter. She now has earned the right to join in with all the ex-military yahoos on this crazy thread.

That would be TOO low, my dear jarhead friend.

Wolv, thanks, I imagine before too long she’ll be able to fit right in here.

Wanted to send my son Navy greetings, “Fair winds and following seas” but wasn’t sure I would get it right, so I Googled it and this is what I discovered! It certainly brought back fond memories of my son’s graduation from Great Lakes in 1998, and the pride I felt that day. He was in the Marine reserves for a year prior, then switched to Navy, hoping to eventually finish college and become an officer. Ten years later, he graduated from U of San Diego and is now stationed aboard a sub as a supply officer. I send your daughter best wishes for an interesting and successful career. Thanks to Jack for the music and lyrics to the beautiful Navy hymn (entry 15).

Thank you for your kind words. I am sending him an email with your comments included. He told me tonight that the Navy hymn that I referred to and that Jack sent us is his favorite hymn. As noted on Jack’s link and as James told me, it is called “Eternal Father”. James and I agreed that those who have not heard it have missed quite an awe-inspiring experience.