TomC

The second item I wanted to post was The Watch this is a traditional poem given at the end of Navy Retirements. THE WATCH http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/set/6711/ldo4a.jpg Aye mates, For many years, this Sailor stood the watch ... While some of us lay about our bunks at night, This Sailor stood the watch. While others of us were attending schools, This Sailor stood the watch. And yes, even before many of us were born, This Sailor stood the watch. As our families watched the storm clouds of war, brewing on the horizons of history, He stood the watch. This Sailor looked ashore and saw his family ... Often needing his guidance but he knew he must stay, Because he had the watch. For many years he has stood the watch, So that we and our countrymen could sleep soundly, in safety, knowing that a Sailor would stand the watch. Today, we are here to say "Shipmate, the watch stands relieved. Relieved by those you have led, trained and guided. Shipmate, you now stand relieved, We have the watch." Bos'n, standby to pipe to side, shipmate going ashore.

I was looking for a few things since we have this fine shipmate with us that has retired. The first is a poem I found author unknown. I AM THE AMERICAN SAILOR Hear my voice, America! Though I speak through the mists of 200 years, my shout for freedom will echo through liberty's halls for many centuries to come. Hear me speak, for my words are of Truth and Justice, and the Rights of Man. For those ideals, I have spilled my blood upon the world's troubled waters. Listen well, for my time is eternal - yours is but a moment. I am the spirit of heroes past and future. I am the American Sailor. I was born upon the icy shores at Plymouth, rocked upon the waves of the Atlantic, and nursed in the wilderness of Virginia. I cut my teeth on New England codfish, and I was clothed in southern cotton. I built muscle at the halyards of New Bedford whalers, and I gained my sea legs high atop the mizzens of Yankee clipper ships. Yes, I am the American Sailor, one of the greatest seamen the world has ever known. The sea is my home and my words are tempered by the sound of paddle wheels on the Mississippi, and the song of whales off Greenland's barren shore. My eyes have grown dim from the glare of sunshine on blue water, and my heart is full of star-strewn nights under the Southern Cross. My hands are raw from winter storms while sailing down round the Horn, and they are blistered from the heat of cannon broadside while defending our nation. I am the American Sailor, and I have seen the sunset of a thousand distant, lonely lands. I am the American Sailor. It was I who stood tall beside John Paul Jones as he shouted, "I have not yet begun to fight!" I fought upon the Lake Erie with Perry, and I rode with Stephen Decatur into Tripoli harbor to burn the Philadelphia. I met Guerroere aboard Constitution, and I was lashed to the mast with Admiral Farragut at Mobile Bay. I have heard the clang of Confederate shot against the sides of Monitor. I have suffered the cold with Peary at the North Pole, and I responded when Dewey said, "You may fire when ready Gridley," at Manila Bay. It was I who transported supplies through submarine infested waters when our soldier's were called "over there." I was there as Admiral Byrd crossed the South Pole. It was I who went down with the Arizona at Pearl Harbor, and I who supported our troops at Inchon, and patrolled dark deadly waters of the Mekong Delta. I am the American Sailor and I wear many faces. I am a pilot soaring across God's blue canopy, and I am a Seabee atop a dusty bulldozer in the South Pacific. I am a Corpsman nursing the wounded in the jungle, and I am a Torpedoman in the Nautilus deep beneath the North Pole. I am hard and I am strong. But it was my eyes that filled with tears when my brother went down with the Thresher, and it was my heart that rejoiced when Commander Shepherd rocketed into orbit above the Earth. It was I who languished in a Viet Cong prison camp, and it was I who walked upon the Moon. It was I who saved the Stark and the Samuel B. Roberts in the mine infested waters of the Persian Gulf. It was I who pulled my brothers from the smoke filled compartments of the Bonefish and wept when my shipmates died on the Iowa and White Plains. When called again, I was there, at the tip of the spear for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I am the American Sailor. I am woman; I am man; I am white and black, yellow, red and brown. I am ***, Muslim, Christian and Buddhist. I am Irish, Filipino, African, French, Chinese, and Indian. My standard is the outstretched hand of Liberty. Today, I serve around the world, on land, in air, on and under the sea. I serve proudly, in war and peace alike. Tell your children of me. Tell them of my sacrifice, and how my spirit soars above their country. I have spread the mantle of my nation over the ocean and I will guard her forever. I am her heritage and yours. I AM THE AMERICAN SAILOR!

cool time to dust off the discs.

Congrats HB I'll be following shortly in March of 2008. I guess you can say its like life light, less stress more fullfilling. Don't get me wrong my time in the canoe club has been pretty good but its time for a rest. I'm glad to see you are now able to able to get that rest, for now we have the watch shipmate you can stand down

for free its pretty good. When doing the training portion the better you are unlocks different things. Such as if you score high at the rifle range you can get sniper school allowing you the use of the sniper rifle. Not sure if that has changed been a while since I played. One thing that I didnt like was that when you were killed you were out of the round similar to counter Strike except the rounds seemed to be a lot longer so there was a lot of waiting as far as I was concerned. Again all of this could have changed.

sounds grueling I tried volkslauf in MS which is just a mud run for about five miles and that beat the crap outta me hehe

I've been waiting for this since 2003 when i read about it while sitting in the sand. Looks promising its a typical fps but the game play looks fun.

interesting use of horror movie music, for a minute there I thought the dude was going to get all mike myers and start killing off the mean kids :thumbsup:

I'll have a look see sounds interesting!

Heres a link to the Author of a book I read. I also have his pocket guide. Kinda pricey but you might convince you command to get a copy of the book and share it around. http://www.kinesic.com/

you can also check out kinesic interviewing which is very cool. KInd of wraps up body language and spoken word into clusters that will tell you if some one is being deceptive.

project reality is tight from what I've seen. I've only tried it in single player mode.

All I can say is AWESOME!!!! Saw this afternoon and would gladly pay to see it again.Talk about troops locked on to the mission :thumbsup:

get well and get back in the game

hey welcome look forward to fraggin ya later

Well this sucks, among comic heroes he was one of my favorites:( http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/03/07/captain.america/index.html

so whos going to be hitting the servers in the AM???

Yeah I have that problem myself Seems the rate is full of long knives, I'll be glad to retire. 12 Months and counting WOOT!!

Ouch bet that drives ya crazy hehehe

You Are Gonzo the Great http://images.blogthings.com/themuppetpersonalitytest/gonzo.jpg "Is something burning in here? Oh, it's just me." You're a total nutball who will do anything for attention. The first to take a dare, you'll pull almost any stunt. You're one weird looking creature, but your chickens don't mind! The Muppet Personality Test http://www.blogthings.com/themuppetpersonalitytest/

MA1(SCW)Cannan stationed NAS New Orleans Security Dept and you?

Hola Amigo welcome and congrats on getting close to retirement from the DOD. I'm about to do the same in Uncle Sams Canoe club.

Arggg same here what Kinda of cheap ploy is that.

Arggg same here what Kinda of cheap ploy is that.

I just preordered it today. Not that I have everything unlocked for 2142 vanilla yet.