Thanks

I’d like to take the opportunity to send a Veterans Day thank-you especially to those I had the pleasure of serving with. There is something tangibly different about people who love their country enough to put their life on the line for those they don’t even know. As I get older and farther removed from the eight years I spent in the Navy I appreciate that quality far more than I did when I was surrounded by it.

I visited with a customer today located adjacent to the main runway at Birmingham’s airport and as soon as I opened the door of my Jeep it hit me – the sweet kerosene smell of jet exhaust. I stood there for a minute, the flag waving above me in the breeze that was carrying the smell of memories. Faces and events popped in and out of my head and for a fleeting moment I was at sea again. To all those who I had the pleasure of serving with, particularly the guys that worked for me and made my life much easier – thank you for the memories. My family sends a big helping of gratitude to the ones who made sure that my log book stayed balanced (# of landings = # of launches).