devenscience

I can now confirm that it is official. After 20 years of good service, the United States Navy Reserves has seen fit to grant me retirement, effective the 1st of June. I received my Certificate of Retirement from the Department of Navy (Personnel Command) today, and while I wished to retire, and have other plans to fill my time (hint: they're human powered, and usually have two wheels), I still had my stomach turn when I saw the letter. It brought reality home for me. I'm quite young to be a retiree, but I feel that I've done my bit for king and country, and now I pass the torch to others, who will stand the watch.

I have the wind at my back. My sails are unfurled. I'm gliding into the sunset... and while I love the imagery I'm painting, and though I have always loved the term "the days of sail" when discussing Naval history, the truth is, I'm a Seabee. Have been from day one, when I rogered up as an E1 dirtbag. Therefore, I think it more appropriate that I'm carried off into the sunset hanging on to the side of a D8 dozer. Maybe even the one I crafted homemade armor for while in Iraq, because it didn't have any. People following my bike builds never saw my finest work, with heavy plate steel welded on the cab, louvers cut into it, since I couldn't get any clean bulletproof glass, and looking like something straight out of Mad Max. That shit was mean. That dozer is now heading into the sun, and I'm there, wind on my face, torch in my hand, screaming with exhilaration at what the next adventure might be.