My Retirement Speech

{add any other DVs as needed), Colonel Overbye, , Mr. Wright, Captain Anderson, LCDR Lucas…

That’s more like it.  I figure since this is my last opportunity to get on my soap box, I might as well actually stand on one.  {add any other DVs as needed), Captain Anderson, LCDR Lucas, Officers, Sailors, my Brothers and Sisters of the Mess, my Friends and my Family, Thank you all for being here to share this special day with me.  I stand before you today humbled and in awe that so many of you considered my retirement ceremony worthy of your time.  It is not lost upon me that many of you have traveled literally thousands of miles and at your own expense to be here.  Thank you.  As I look out at all of you I know that God is winking at me.  He is showing me that I have done something right and good.  I have been and continue to be blessed by your love, your friendship, and your camaraderie.  For that I am grateful, even if you’re here just to make sure that I actually go…

 

26 years, Wow, where did the time go?  It really doesn’t seem that long ago that I was getting off the plane into the sweltering heat of Orlando for Boot Camp.  Off course, it probably wasn’t that hot, just seemed hot coming from Wisconsin.    

 

First I have some individual thank-yous to give, then I want to honor to some very special people in my life, a brief reflection of my memories and finally in accordance with watch standing tradition I will give my “passdown” advice to the Officers, my farewell thoughts to the Mess and my guidance to the Sailors before reporting to the Captain that I have been relieved and request permission to go ashore for the last time.

 

THANK YOUS:

 

GOD:  First and foremost I must give thanks, all honor and glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  His Grace, His mercy, His guidance, His blessing and yes even His challenges in my life have allowed me to stand before you today.  I am grateful for His continuous presence in my life.  I am nothing without Him.

 

LCDR Lucas.  Thank you for being my guest speaker today, and thank you for such kind, gracious and inspiring words.  Few are the leaders of today with the motivation and passion that you exude in everything you do.  You are a Sailor’s Officer.  I think it would be difficult if not impossible to find even a single sailor that has ever served with you that wouldn’t in a heartbeat jump at the chance to serve with you again.  Apparently you actually listened to me and the other Rabid Dogfish Chiefs and applied what we taught you.  I wish you well in the remainder of your career Sir.  Thank you and KIIIILLLLL!!!!!

 

 Chief Seys…Jon.  Thank you my Brother from different mother.  Thank you for being the MC today, thank you for without question being the best-friend I could have in the Navy.  You and I go all the way back to Hawaii in the mid-90s.  Since then we have sailed a lot of ocean together, gathered too many sea stories to mention and let us not forget stacked a lot of beer cans along the way.  I value your friendship and I know you are a friend for life, even if you are a Lion’s fan.

 

My Side Boys:  I want to point out that I had the distinct pleasure of guiding each of my Side Boys…and  Side Girls through their respective Induction/Transitions, oh hell, enough of the political correctness, I helped drag each and everyone of them, kicking and screaming, sometimes puking through their Chief’s Initiation.  If I didn’t actually pin on their anchors or place their cover on their head, I was there to witness the beginning of their transformation into the real Chiefs they became.  I am proud of each of you and honored that you are here.   

 

Alex Hebert:  Master Chief Hebert, I remember when you were a first class and telling you to your face that I didn’t think you were ready to be a Chief.  I don’t regret saying that, nor do I think I was wrong at the time, obviously my words motivated you because since then you have done nothing but soar.  I think there are heights you have yet to reach and I have confidence you will achieve whatever you set your mind to.  Thank you for your friendship, and when is the next crawfish boil?

 

Kelly Youngerman:  Doc Youngerman, I am honored by your presence.  Ladies and Gentlemen Doc Youngerman came all the way from Singapore to be here today.  There was no hesitation from him when I asked him to be one of my Side Boys.  It didn’t matter that he was literally on the other side of the world.  Kelly, thank you and I promise I will be there when it is your turn to retire as well.

 

Chuck Shifflett/Amanda Turner:  Chief Shifflett and Chief Turner.  You know, every year during “the Season” there always seemed to be one Chief Selectee that stood out to me as special for various reasons.  Each of you was that Selectee for me.  Why?  Very simple, you’re determination.  You never gave up, your morale was always good and no matter what the Mess threw at you, you kept your head held high and as LCDR Lucas would say, you worked through the problem, not just to it.  I knew shortly after meeting you that you would be outstanding leaders and Chiefs in your own right.  Thank you for motivating and reinvigorating me.      

 

Julian Collins: Senior Chief Collins, another extremely motivated Chief that every Sailor should serve with, even if he is a weather guesser.  However, be warned if you happen to see him in the gym and make the mistake of getting on a cardio machine next to him you will get out-performed and get an un-planned for shower.  To say he sweats doesn’t even come close.  It pours off of him and that’s in the first 30 seconds.  Thank you and stay the course my Brother.

 

Monica Tipton:  Chief Tipton, soon to be Chief Warrant Officer Tipton.  She wants to be an Officer, but notice she refuses to give up the title of Chief.  Always a smile on your face and sharp tongue when needed.  The Wardroom is getting a strong, intelligent and determined woman, lead on Monica, lead on.   

 

So many other friends and colleagues, I may not have mentioned you by name, but rest assured I am grateful for the particular role you played or continue to play in my life and that you are here to share this special day with me and my family.  Thank you.

 

OK, here come the tough ones.  For those of you quick to the tears, get your tissues ready.

 

Wendy Hockinson-Peterson:  Among the many things I am blessed with are enduring friendships.  Friendships that have stood the test of time and miles.  Wendy I single you out because besides Grace, you are my oldest friend here and I could think of no other friend that best represents the blessing of the many friendships I have, old and new.  Ladies and gentlemen, Wendy and I have known each other since the sixth grade.  I hope and pray that everyone here has a friend like her.  I have been blessed with her friendship and so many others.  Wendy and I dated during two different periods while we grew up.  It never worked.  We finally realized why,  we were destined to be friends and couldn't let the drama of high school romance screw that up.  Once we figured that out we have been great friends ever since.  Oh, if any of you talk to her and she tries to tell you the story of how “I forgot to pick her up for a party” one time in high school, don’t believe a word she says, no one really thought little miss-goody-goody wanted to go to that party anyway.  Wendy, thank you for all the years of our friendship and for always being on the other end of the phone when I needed you.  You will always hold a special place in my heart.   

 

Grace:   Grace, Grandma Grace, my longest and dearest friend.  Notice I did not say oldest.  By the way for 39 years old you look mahvelous.  Grace, You truly honor my family and I by being here today.  The foundation of my character is by no small means because of you.  I can never thank you and Speed enough for your love, friendship and even the discipline you instilled upon me when I was a boy.  You have never been far from my thoughts and prayers, no matter where I have traveled or what I have done.  I cannot imagine my life without you in it and I could not have imagined this day without you here to share it with.  I love you and thank you. 

 

Mom:  If God is the cornerstone of my life, then Mom, you are the keystone.  Thank you for giving me life.  Thank you for holding my hand and encouraging me as I learned to walk, knowing that was the beginning of my leaving.  Thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.  Thank you for doing everything in your power to ensure I could chase after my dreams.  Thank you for being my biggest fan and kindest critic.  Thank you for all of the spankings, even the one, and there was only one I didn’t deserve.  Thank you for being the greatest example of love, loyalty, of being a good person, a good parent and a good friend.  I love you and thank you for being you, but remember… (motion to each side of the mouth with pinky) 

 

Daughters in general:  Brylea, Makenna and Emily…my girls.  How blessed I am for each of you.  Each of you in your own special way has challenged me to be a better Father.  Hard as I wished for boys, God knew what He was doing in giving me girls.  My love for you is immeasurable and cannot ever be lessened.   

 

Brylea:  Brylea, my baby, my Piddle-Bug, my athlete.  Watching you cartwheel, spin, flip and fly when you do gymnastics amazes me and fills me with pride.  Apply that determination and passion to everything in your life and nothing will stand in your way for long.  Thank you for being you and letting me be your Dad.        

 

Makenna:  Makenna, my Dweedle-bug, my budding actress and singer.  The confidence you exude on stage also fills me with pride.  I cannot even begin to express the joy I have experienced when we have shared the stage.  I hope we have many more opportunities to do that.  Similar to what I told Brylea, the world is your stage and there are spotlights waiting to shine upon you, audiences waiting to cheer for you.  Earn the warmth of those spotlights, earn the joy of that applause.   Thank you for being you and letting me be your Dad.     

 

Emily:  My first born.  Did you know that seeing you for the first time was surreal and very scary?  AH, I’M A DAD!!!  You and I have had to endure the most separation during my Naval career.  For those times when Padre was needed and not there I am sorry.  Although you and I know we were never apart were we?  You have grown into a beautiful woman with a beautiful heart and a joy for family and life.  I guess even though your Mother and I couldn’t make a marriage work, we sure did something right in raising you.  I cherish that you are close and look forward to you and Matt giving us grandchildren, although I am in no hurry for that just yet.  Thank you for being you and letting me be your Dad.     

 

Jenn:  Jenn, my wife, my lover, my partner, my best friend.  To steal the cheesy quote from the movie Jerry Maguire…”you complete me”.  Thank you for being adventurous enough to join me on this journey over the last 17 years and for hopefully decades to come.  Thank you for making me a better everything that I am.  I thank God daily for His gift of your presence in my life.  You are beautiful inside and out.  You are a caring person, a dedicated mother, a faithful Christian, and loving wife.  The work you do with some of God’s most precious children and their families is truly inspiring.  I am in awe of your talents.  I love you and thank you for simply being you…and of course for putting up with me. 

 

THOSE I HONOR

You may have noticed what appears to be two empty chairs up here.  Much like the empty table setting at the Navy Ball to honor POWs and MIAs, these two chairs honor two men that laid the foundation of who I am today.  Both are in Heaven but I am certain their spirits are in those chairs enjoying this spectacle. 

 

Vester “Speed” Goff:  Grace’s husband was a man named Vester Goff, but everyone knew him as Speed.  To this day I do not know how or why he acquired that nickname.  When my parents bought their first house, Grace and Speed lived in the house next door.  How my Dad and he met is a story for later, but I will tell you they became great friends.  I am certain that Dad considered Speed his best friend.  He was the example of a person with a zest for life, a person who genuinely cared for others, a person who received great pleasure is seeing others smile, especially kids and especially me.  There are so many great stories to tell you about Speed, but I am only going to share one, but please ask me about him.  When I was a little boy, Speed took me often to sell “poppies” for the VFW.  We would stand outside the grocery store asking people to donate change and in exchange we would give them a fake little poppy they could wear in their lapel.  I was way too young to understand the meaning behind the poppies; I was just having fun with my friend.  It was the summer before I went into the 7^th grade when Speed died.  I had known Speed was sick, but I didn’t know that he was that sick.  He didn’t want me to know.  Not many people were allowed to see him in those final weeks, I definitely wasn’t.  I didn’t understand it so much then, but years later I came to understand and appreciate that he was protecting me and preserving what would be my memory of him.  Speed’s funeral was the first time in my life I had to face death, let alone the death of someone that I was close to.  Nobody wants to go to a funeral, but I knew I had to go.  Although I am sure they were reluctant for me to endure that pain, my parents took me to the funeral.  It was a surreal experience and I am not ashamed to say I wept.  Do you know to this day I have poppies hanging from the visors in my cars in honor of his memory?  I miss him.

 

My Dad:  I am not even sure how to begin to honor my Dad.  My Dad was typical of his generation.  Hard working, dedicated to family, not outwardly emotional…he never showed, at least to his children, when he was scared, hurt or in pain.  I can only remember him crying only two times, the first was at Speed’s funeral, the second time was when talking to me on the phone just before going into surgery in an attempt to remove the cancerous tumor that had invaded his brain.  I honor my Dad because he taught me how to fish, taught me how throw and catch a baseball.  He taught me how to wash a car, shovel snow, paint a wall, and mow the lawn.  He taught me personal responsibility and he held me accountable.  He taught me how to be a man.  He served our country too, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class in the Army.  There is a poppy hanging from the visor in his memory too.  I miss you Dad and really wish you were physically here today.      

 

REFLECTIONS:

 

When I sat down to reflect back on my 26 years in our Navy I could not help but smile with satisfaction.  Granted, it wasn't all peaches and cream.  As anyone who has worn the uniform can attest to, sometimes it just plain sucked.  Standing watch in the rain, cold, snow or during 30 foot seas at zero-dark-30 is fun, said no Sailor EVER.  However, honestly in comparison, those times were few and far between.  Throughout my career I have been blessed by the duty stations and the people I have worked with.  I have never thought that what I have done as being some lofty service to the United States or to her people.  It was just something different, a job that allowed me to go places, do things AND to meet all sorts of different people.  That alone is probably what has been the most satisfying, the people.  The only times that I felt conscious of the significance of being in the Navy had to be when meeting and interacting with people in other countries.  Especially knowing that my words and actions were directly influencing people's opinions of the United States.  That is probably our most significant contribution and responsibility as members of the Navy.   

So what comes to mind when I think back on my 26 years?  Allow me to share just a few.  As I already mentioned, the sweltering heat of Orlando upon arrival to Boot Camp.  The insight that my first Chief, QMC Clements, gave to me that I never truly understood until after I put on khakis.  Seeing my first ship, the USS CARL VINSON, which BTW was the first real Navy ship I had ever seen, while still more than two miles away and thinking my God is that thing big.  The excitement I felt getting underway for the first time and crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Learning about being a Sailor and a Signalman from the saltiest, crustiest and best Signalman Master Chief EVER, Master Chief Roderick Davis.  No Chief I have ever met or worked for taught me more about being a Chief than Master Chief Davis did.  Crossing the Line the traditional way.  Olongapo.  Going to Mast.  Getting my first tattoo and nearly puking.  Swim call.  SK1 Orange.  Hawaii.  The Arizona Memorial.  The Pier Bar.  Homecomings.  UNREPS, CONREPS, man overboard drills and when they were for real, MIO boardings, flying from ship to ship aboard a helicopter, flight operations aboard an aircraft carrier, a search and rescue operation after a commercial airline crash off the coast of California, sleeping in an inch of water and mud, actually taking the helm of a Destroyer, qualifying as an underway OOD and the pure joy and terror, at the same time I might add, of standing that first watch, firing off more than 30K rounds of .50 cal ammunition, transiting both the Panama and Suez Canals locked and loaded, more tattoos, flying in a C-130 for 9 hours…ugh!, Chief's Initiation - receiving and giving.  The people, the people, the people.   

 

PASSDOWN:  Ok, let's get this wrapped up.  My Passdown.

To the Officers:  My final advice to you is simple…lead.  Make intelligent decisions.  Base those decisions on as much information as you can get in the time available, but make the decision.  Do not be afraid to make those tough decisions, and do not ever choose not to make a decision as your decision.  You will always be judged more harshly for inaction than action.  You are the face and voice of your respective “command” whether it be a division, department, ship, directorate or a Fleet.  Represent your Sailors well.  They demand a competent and confident leader, and they deserve one too.  Be that kind of leader.

 

To my Brothers and Sisters of the Chief’s Mess:  Carry on the legacy that is uniquely ours.  Be the expert of your respective field and never stop learning, then turn right around and teach what you have learned.  Train your Sailors not only how to be a Sailor, but how to be a man, a woman, a Mother, a Father, a Friend.  In other words shape their character the way our Chiefs before us, shaped ours.  Hold them accountable, make them responsible.  Help each other, but also hold each other accountable.  Wear these anchors with pride, but with humility.  Every Enlisted Sailor at one point or another wants to be “the Chief”, and I am certain there are just as many Officers that wish they could be “the Chief”.  Be the kind of Chief they want to be.   

 

To the Sailors at large:  Be proud to serve in our Navy.  Know that what you do is important, no matter how mundane or boring it may seem at the time.  Learn your jobs, listen to your Chiefs.  Learn from everyone.  Develop your character and your leadership style.  Be yourself, but don’t be afraid to look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, “Am I being the best person, best leader, best Father, best Mother, best husband, best wife, best friend I can be?”  Don’t shy away from criticism given to help you develop.  Take on the challenge of change.

 

 

 FINAL THOUGHTS:

I have said my thank yous, paid my respects, reflected briefly on 26 years in the Navy and given my pass down.  All that is left to do is convey my final thoughts and hopes. 

For some of the Chiefs here, the following may sound familiar, because chances are if I signed your Charge Book I probably included this thought.  It bears repeating and understanding beyond the Mess.

 

There are only two kinds of people you will meet in this world, that’s right, just two.  Those that know MORE THAN YOU and those that know LESS THAN YOU, you duty is to LEARN from those that know more and TEACH those that know less.  Your challenge?  Figuring out who is who and recognizing that sometimes they are one in the same.

Work hard, play hard, chase your dreams, they can come true.

My final hope is that through the example of my words and deeds that I have taught you something.  How to do it, or how not to…Hopefully it is more of the former and less of the latter.

 

May God continue to Bless All of You, Thank you.