by John Petersen

One has never known the quiet solitude of a sunrise at sea until one has had the opportunity to actually experience this spectacle.

A lone warship, silently gliding in calm waters, there to uphold the freedom and safety of all that we so cherish.

Bear in mind, please, that for those who continuously man these mighty vessels 24/7, 365 days a year, that the innumerable days at sea on deployments to oceans far from home come with a price.

There is no McDonalds, no Walmart, no 7-11 for a Slurpee.

There are watches to be stood, training to be accomplished while off watch, surprise fire drills and General Quarters, life aboard a Navy ship never stops. There is, when underway, no such thing as a day off.

For the personnel of all of our branches of the Armed Forces who, on a daily basis, live their lives in in a comparable schedule for the sake of their loved ones and and that of all Americans, I do believe a salute and a good ol’ high five is definitely in order.

As trite as it sometime sounds, “Thank you for serving!”