During this last year I decided I wanted to go to nursing school and it was arranged that I would shadow at sickbay with the doctor and corpsmen.It was a blast since all my buddies would come to sickbay in fear that I would perform some sort of procedure on them.
.While I was there sick call visits decreased dramatically!!!!!!!.
As I already had my sights set on the next phase of my life you would think it would be easy to go, but to end twenty-two years was really sort of hard to grasp.I knew that once I was out most of us would eventually lose track of each other.No more getting together with the guys for BS sessions ,no more SAR ,no flying,I could go on but I am certain retired folks know what I mean.
If anyone gets to think they are indespenseable an oldtimer told me once to have a person fill a bucket with water and stick his fist in it,then have him pull his hand out and see what an impression he left.The old timers leave and the men we trained take over without missing a step. I guess its some sort of law of continuability but what ever it is,it works.
At Salem as well as here one of our major jobs seemed to be chasing the Russian fishing fleet around.SAR cases were still aplenty though, so we never lacked for work.
My retirement ceremony was great but bittersweet.
I was a Coastie,and always will be in spirit.
I go to different air stations now and then and now I am just some old excoastie passing by but I don't care wether the new guys know it or not we are comrades now and forever.