Another nice thing about retired life: stepping outside each morning at 7:55am and hearing “The Star-Spangled Banner” playing over the loudspeakers at Naval Base Ventura County in the near distance, singing along under my breath.
It sounds corny, but it is a calming and edifying way to start the day.
Sitting in the passenger seat as my wife drove us across the Coronado Bridge in San Diego yesterday, I saw a sight that stirred the heart: three complete carrier groups in port all at the same time, including at least two of the Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers.
There were also a bunch of auxiliaries, and what looked like half of the Gator Navy, plus the USS Boxer in dry dock for her upgrades.
What made me happiest was the light in my 19 year-old son’s eyes. He may have been born in China, but he is an American through-and-through.
A Bucket and a Pen 