What Do Navy Corpsmen Do All Day?

This is what Navy Corpsmen do when they’re attached to Marine divisions.

How can you not be proud of them?!

Changed My Mind

I decided not to move my blog so just ignore the indecisive blogger waving her arms like a madwoman behind the curtain there. It wasn’t because it was too difficult … well, it might have been, but I didn’t get that far. I’m starting up a new enterprise which you’ll hear about in due course and I thought it would make sense to move this blog to practice with all the bells and whistles at the new place.

Not so much.

So I’ll just wait and start up the new one in the new place.

Curious about my traffic while I wasn’t posting, I checked my stats. Imagine my surprise that I get just as many readers when I post as when I don’t. About 100/day.

What might that mean?

One Moment, Please …

Just a heads up to all my loyal readers. And to you not-so-loyal ones, too.

I’m switching this blog over from wordpress.com to wordpress.org for a variety of reasons I won’t bore you with today. I have absolutely no clue as to how to accomplish this lofty goal, however, so I might be floating around the bloggy heavens for ten minutes or ten days.

I hope it’s closer to ten minutes, but that’s probably not quite realistic as I’m going to eat lunch now. I don’t work through my lunch. I sometimes lunch through my work, but never the reverse.

I guess all I can do is guarantee I’ll see ya’ll somewhere on the flip side. For those of you who subscribe or visit BeckyLand on an RSS feed, if there is anything you need to do to continue your daily fix of The Becky, I’ll be sure to let you know.

Wish me luck!

Okinawa Time

For a smart person, I’m kinda dumb about some things.

Like, for instance, the way time changes depending on where you are.

I blame it on my dad.

He lives in Arizona which sometimes uses the same clock I do here in Colorado. But the other half of the year, they follow Star Date Time, or something. When it’s 2 pm on a Saturday at my house, apparently at his it’s 317 years in the future. And Tuesday.

At one point my daughter lived in Oregon and my son in Illinois. Not a day went by when I knew which one was waking up and which one was tying his shoes.

When my son moved from Chicago to Japan, I simply gave up.

Then my husband came to my rescue. He told me if I add three hours to whatever time it is at my house, then flip the a.m. and p.m., that’s Okinawa time.

Even though I don’t hear from my son as much as I’d like, I find it quite comforting to check the time and know it’s 3 a.m. and he’s safely tucked in. (Shut up. I do too know that! Safely. Tucked. In.) Or that it’s 10:30 a.m. and he’s busily working.

But I still haven’t caught up with my dad. I don’t know where he is on Tuesdays in the future.

Okinawa Bound

My son leaves today for Okinawa. Two years he’ll be gone.

He doesn’t know exactly what he’ll be doing but he’ll be working at the Naval Hospital there. He’s heard a rumor that because he has his EMT certificate, he may get to work in the emergency room for his regular job and when he gets assigned duty he might be driving an ambulance. That would ROCK!

Regardless of what he does, though, I know he’ll be an entirely different person when I see him next.

I got all maudlin when he left for boot camp and needed Abba to help me through.

Honestly? It might happen again. But I feel more under control now, stronger, smarter.

Why, you ask?

Boot camp, for one thing. I learned so much about the Navy while he was there. Corps School for another. I learned so much about him during the three months he was learning to be a corpsman. (I suspect he did too.) And as you know, knowledge is power.

There’s also the fact that my youngest has already sworn in on the Delayed Entry Program and will be joining the Navy too just as soon as he graduates from pesky ‘ol high school.

So I feel very much the Navy Mom these days.

I think, too, that the unknowns are more known now and his real adventure is beginning. He gets to do a job he’s trained for and has been excited about for a long time. And he gets to do it here ….

It’s hard to feel sad when the baby bird flies away to do what he wants to do in an exotic, beautiful locale. As long as said baby bird remembers to email and Skype and help his mother plan her trip to Japan, that is.

Bravo Zulu, boy. Your life is really beginning. Be smart, be safe, bedazzle.

A Fitting Tribute

Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor

Mike Monsoor was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq. Mike gave his life to save a group of Navy SEALS. He was 25.

According to the Summary of Action published by the Navy:

“An enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof from an unseen location.  The grenade hit him in the chest and bounced onto the deck. He immediately leapt to his feet and yelled “grenade” to alert his teammates of impending danger, but they could not evacuate the sniper hide-sight in time to escape harm.  Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity.  The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him.

Petty Officer Monsoor’s actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional.  Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped.  Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life.  By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor.”

During Mike Monsoor’s funeral in San Diego, as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site, SEALs were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers’ route forming a column on either side, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike ’s coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down, embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin. The Trident is the pin awarded for successfully completing SEAL Qualification Training.

The forty-five slaps were audible across the cemetery. By the time the coffin arrived at the grave site, it gleamed from all the Tridents pinned to it.

This was a fitting send-off for a hero.

And there are a million more stories like this of selfless, courageous acts from our military personnel.

“Thank you” doesn’t begin to cover it.

I Am The Flag

I am the flag of the United States of America.
My name is Old Glory.
I fly atop the world’s tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America’s halls of justice.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.

I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.
When I am flown with my fellow banners,
My head is a little higher,
My colors a little truer.
I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am worshiped – I am saluted.
I am loved – I am revered.
I am respected – and I am feared.

I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years.
I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox.
I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France,
in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy.
Guam, Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon, Vietnam know me.
I’m presently in the mountains of Afghanistan and the hot and dusty deserts of Iraq and wherever freedom is needed.
I led my troops.
I was dirty, battle worn and tired,
But my soldiers cheered me and I was proud.
I have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free.
It does not hurt for I am invincible.
I have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled in the streets of my country.
And when it’s done by those whom I’ve served in battle – it hurts.
But I shall overcome – for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.
I have borne silent witness to all of America’s finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.
When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent
at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,

I am proud.

by Bob Thompson, Retired Military Veteran, Panama City, Florida

Happy Independence Day!

111th Birthday

My son is almost a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy. He’ll graduate from corps school soon and almost shares a birthday with the Hospital Corp so I thought it was fitting to celebrate both birthdays here in BeckyLand.

Especially when I got this press release and knew I didn’t have to write anything today. (So sue me. I have a lazy streak.) The history of the Hospital Corps is interesting. Do you know what a Loblolly Boy is?

Naval Surface Forces (SURFOR) staff and guests gathered at SURFOR headquarters June 12, 2009 to celebrate the Navy Hospital Corps’ birthday. The event commemorated 111 years of service since the corps establishment in 1898.

Command Master Chief, 1st Medical Battalion, Master Chief Hospital Corpsman E. D. Faulkner, guest of honor and speaker, commented on the bravery and sacrifice made by hospital corpsmen over the years and today.

“When we talk about honor, honesty, integrity and truthfulness, we are talking about the pledge of the hospital corpsmen that they will allow no harm to come to any Sailor, Airman or Marine trusted to their care. And if that means sacrificing and putting their lives on the line to do that, they are willing to do it,” he said. “There’s nothing more brave or valorous than a corpsman on the battlefield, in the surface fleet, with subs or with the Marines—we’re everywhere,” added Faulkner.

The event, which was coordinated by SURFOR’s Force Medical Team, also featured a display that included photos of 10 of the 20 ships named after heroic corpsmen, the names of 1,999 corpsmen killed in action and a letter dated 1868, written by a Sailor requesting acceptance into the hospital corps. The display was provided by Cmdr. Steven McGivern of the Force Medical Team.

“It was an honor to be part of a ceremony where the achievements and commitment of our hospital corps was the focal point,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st class Austin Ivy, event head coordinator and master of ceremony. “Today is a very special day, not just for hospital corpsmen, but for every Sailor to pause for a moment and commemorate those great Sailors who have gone before us and given the ultimate measure of sacrifice for their country,” he added.

The celebration concluded with the time-honored naval custom of presenting pieces of birthday cake to the guest of honor and to the oldest and the youngest corpsman present, symbolizing the celebration of experience and youth. Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/AW) Stephen Richardson, Force Medical Team represented the oldest corpsman and Hospital Corpsman 3rd class Amanda Vasquez, USS Higgins DDG 76, the youngest.

In his closing remarks, Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis, Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet said, “All of us can look back on our pasts, and think about being out on that ship, and the injuries we’ve had or the medical issues we had and have confidence in knowing that a corpsman, who might have been a third class or a chief, was there to help us out, along the way.”

The Hospital Corps celebrates a long, rich history, which can be traced back to the Continental Navy and early U.S. Navy. The first medical assistants assigned to Navy ships were referred to as “Loblolly Boys,” a term borrowed from the British Royal Navy and a reference to the daily ration of porridge fed to the sick. Later, the title of the enlisted medical assistant changed from “Loblolly Boy,” to “Nurse” and finally to “Bayman.” In 1841 a senior enlisted medical rate called “Surgeon’s Steward” was introduced and remained through the Civil War. Following the war, “Surgeon’s Steward” became “Apothecary,” a position requiring completion of a course in pharmacology.

Just prior to the Spanish-American War, Congress passed a bill that authorized establishment of the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps. The bill was signed into law by President William McKinley on June 17, 1898.

During World War I, corpsmen earned 684 personal awards, including 22 Medals of Honor, 55 Navy Crosses and 237 Silver Stars.

In World War II, hospital corpsmen worked side-by-side with their Marine brothers, hitting the beach with them in every battle in the Pacific. They also served on thousands of ships and submarines.

Hospital corpsmen continued to serve at sea and ashore during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, corpsmen have been on the front lines in the Global War on Terrorism. Today, they make up the largest rating in the Navy, with approximately 24,000 corpsmen serving around the globe, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, they have responded to natural disasters and other emergencies during peacetime.

So, to all the Navy corpsmen, on land, on sea, today and yesterday — and especially mine — let’s lift a forkful of cake to celebrate them and their achievements.

I wonder what the standard Navy cake flavor might be? Any ideas? I hope it’s not made with saltwater and kelp.

Sweet Navy Moves

Sailors have all the fun!

Navy Numa Numa …

Love these funny military photos …

Hey Ya …

Brings new meaning to “computer keyboard.” And why do they have a lifesize Elvis and a pink floppy hat on a carrier?

Pump It …

Move Along …

Not Navy, but this is why they’re hot …

Memorial Day

Monday is Memorial Day.

To tell you the truth, I never thought much about the meaning behind it. I don’t have any war heroes in my family to honor. To me, it was always a day off school or work to be filled with swimming pool openings, barbeques and other related activity kicking off the beginning of summer.

But now that I’m an Official Navy Mom, this year I’m thinking about it. And I realized I didn’t know much. So I found this history of Memorial Day,  which I’m posting here because maybe some of you find yourself with the same lack of information. And I’m wondering what I think about the question posed at the end, which is why I want to know what you think. Mulling ….

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead.”

While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms. Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children’s League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their “Buddy” Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50’s on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of Remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps.”

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: “Changing the date merely to create a three-day weekend has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public’s nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.”

On January 19, 1999 Senator Inouye introduced a bill to the Senate which proposes to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th instead of “the last Monday in May.” On April 19, 1999 Representative Gibbons introduced the bill to the House. The bills were referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Reform.

To date, there have been no further developments on the bill.

So what do you think? Does taking a three-day weekend detract from the true meaning and spirit of Memorial Day? Should we observe Memorial Day on the original date of May 30th instead of the last Monday in May?

If you want to urge your Representatives or Senators to support these bills, there are links at Memorial Day History as well as a petition you can sign.