Butch Lambert
Active member
I just wanted to share Kavs last email from OCS. Our young Buddy is now a Navy officer and I couldn't be prouder if he were my Son.
Hey boss, the final email didn't make it to ya so I thought I'd send it back your way.... later. Though home and it's weird not having a "Plan of the day." set out for me.
Kav
Well, were all done so I thought it only fitting to give my last update setting at the same ole window, staring out over two carriers the USS Forrestal and the USS Saratoga, I have always reported from. We had a great graduation and one of the Senior Chiefs said we “did a hell of a job”. I was very happy for I jacked my hand up the night before graduation and holding the sword at attention was quite a feat. I was also pleasantly surprised I won the Alfred award. Our last walk up the stairwell was kind of biter sweet for most of us.. happy as hell to get home to family, friends, and fuzzy companions yet we knew we’d miss one another. Though we hated many parts, those memories of eating crappy food, marching in the rain getting soaked, and taking cold showers are now a fairly fond memory. One of the most touching times of the ceremony was one guy in our division had not seen his wife for ~9 months for she had been deployed to Afghanistan . She was his first salute and you’d thought someone cut into a room full of onions when they saluted.
I was one of the last out of the hall this AM and it was kinda strange to leave knowing I won’t be hitting the rack in room 2411 this eve. I went back over my habitual tracks one last time heading over here behind the barracks, keeping my fingers crossed I don’t wake up a skunk, looking through the rock pile for some cool rock, then walking in and ordering my medium coffee (for I still don’t get the whole grande, vente, etc) then pulling up to the window.
It’ll be weird not pulling facing movements everywhere I go and having to keep a look out for the Chiefs making sure to yell out “Chief on deck!” as they walk in so you don’t get some character building exercises.
At our reception Chief gave one last talk reminding us of who makes the navy work.. he said if we treat our enlisted like crap you’ll have a short career but if you earn their respect and treat them with respect they will be the first to lay their life down at a moments order. As usual when he finished his talk we all had goose bumps. Chief was a phenomenal man, a man if he said we are about to march into hell I would not question his orders. I had become quite skeptical of how many people still held a true belief in honor and truly lived by it. I saw this in Chief Campanella and as well I saw this in several in our division.. people who I would never question their integrity. It was quite refreshing. Finally getting here has made me proud to know I will get the chance to work with several people of the same character. I don’t want to bore you all with gushy stuff so I am actually going to end this and go do something mindless, take one last walk through the halls, and give one last salute to the Ensign on the Quarter Deck.
Oh!! Something fun I did forget to mention.. we had a guy in Hotel Company fall asleep on the toilet the other night so we had to get him up and get him to bed… try to keep a straight face on that one.. ordering a man to get off the toilet and get to bed. He got the nick name LTJG Narcoleptic.
Be good and you can’t imagine how happy I am to get to mi casa and see my kids.
Your happy friend,
Kav
Keep him in mind and in your prayers.
Butch
Hey boss, the final email didn't make it to ya so I thought I'd send it back your way.... later. Though home and it's weird not having a "Plan of the day." set out for me.
Kav
Well, were all done so I thought it only fitting to give my last update setting at the same ole window, staring out over two carriers the USS Forrestal and the USS Saratoga, I have always reported from. We had a great graduation and one of the Senior Chiefs said we “did a hell of a job”. I was very happy for I jacked my hand up the night before graduation and holding the sword at attention was quite a feat. I was also pleasantly surprised I won the Alfred award. Our last walk up the stairwell was kind of biter sweet for most of us.. happy as hell to get home to family, friends, and fuzzy companions yet we knew we’d miss one another. Though we hated many parts, those memories of eating crappy food, marching in the rain getting soaked, and taking cold showers are now a fairly fond memory. One of the most touching times of the ceremony was one guy in our division had not seen his wife for ~9 months for she had been deployed to Afghanistan . She was his first salute and you’d thought someone cut into a room full of onions when they saluted.
I was one of the last out of the hall this AM and it was kinda strange to leave knowing I won’t be hitting the rack in room 2411 this eve. I went back over my habitual tracks one last time heading over here behind the barracks, keeping my fingers crossed I don’t wake up a skunk, looking through the rock pile for some cool rock, then walking in and ordering my medium coffee (for I still don’t get the whole grande, vente, etc) then pulling up to the window.
It’ll be weird not pulling facing movements everywhere I go and having to keep a look out for the Chiefs making sure to yell out “Chief on deck!” as they walk in so you don’t get some character building exercises.
At our reception Chief gave one last talk reminding us of who makes the navy work.. he said if we treat our enlisted like crap you’ll have a short career but if you earn their respect and treat them with respect they will be the first to lay their life down at a moments order. As usual when he finished his talk we all had goose bumps. Chief was a phenomenal man, a man if he said we are about to march into hell I would not question his orders. I had become quite skeptical of how many people still held a true belief in honor and truly lived by it. I saw this in Chief Campanella and as well I saw this in several in our division.. people who I would never question their integrity. It was quite refreshing. Finally getting here has made me proud to know I will get the chance to work with several people of the same character. I don’t want to bore you all with gushy stuff so I am actually going to end this and go do something mindless, take one last walk through the halls, and give one last salute to the Ensign on the Quarter Deck.
Oh!! Something fun I did forget to mention.. we had a guy in Hotel Company fall asleep on the toilet the other night so we had to get him up and get him to bed… try to keep a straight face on that one.. ordering a man to get off the toilet and get to bed. He got the nick name LTJG Narcoleptic.
Be good and you can’t imagine how happy I am to get to mi casa and see my kids.
Your happy friend,
Kav
Keep him in mind and in your prayers.
Butch