A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
A Day I Lost My Friend But Found My Purpose
English 121
Sara Hinton
August 5, 2013
In life, there are so many unforgettable moments that change your way of thinking and affect the way you live your life from that moment. Life is so precious and too often we take it for granted. As I discuss this day in detail, you will see how on August 4, 2012 my life changed. The day started off perfect because flight operations ended earlier the night before and the on deck time for my crew and I was later than normal. The day was special because one of my sailors, my adoptive brother, decided that he would give the Navy another three years. We mustered at 0900 on the flight deck and prepared for the reenlistment ceremony. As Airman took his oath for reenlistment I felt as that of a proud mentor. In his speech he thank me for helping him change his life and convincing him that the Navy was still his best option moving forward. Next was time for the Navy’s best reenlistment meal, pizza and hot wings, with ice cream and cake. After lunch and clean-up, it was just about time to get our day started with work. All of Air Department gathered on the bow to conduct FOD (Foreign Object Damage) walk down. The day was so beautiful. The weather was not too hot or too cold. We finished with FOD walk down and I went into Flight Deck Control for our daily flight plan brief. From there it was getting with my crew and briefing them on today’s schedule. After all safety checks were complete, the Air Boss came across the 3MC saying “On the Flight Deck, LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE. My blood started pumping as we launched on aircraft after another one. As the F-35 landed on the deck for the first time, the Air Boss said congratulations you guys just made history. It was the first time this aircraft has ever landed on any type of naval vessel. This historic moment had the crew pumped and flight operations were going smoothly. As we transitioned
English 121
Sara Hinton
August 5, 2013
In life, there are so many unforgettable moments that change your way of thinking and affect the way you live your life from that moment. Life is so precious and too often we take it for granted. As I discuss this day in detail, you will see how on August 4, 2012 my life changed. The day started off perfect because flight operations ended earlier the night before and the on deck time for my crew and I was later than normal. The day was special because one of my sailors, my adoptive brother, decided that he would give the Navy another three years. We mustered at 0900 on the flight deck and prepared for the reenlistment ceremony. As Airman took his oath for reenlistment I felt as that of a proud mentor. In his speech he thank me for helping him change his life and convincing him that the Navy was still his best option moving forward. Next was time for the Navy’s best reenlistment meal, pizza and hot wings, with ice cream and cake. After lunch and clean-up, it was just about time to get our day started with work. All of Air Department gathered on the bow to conduct FOD (Foreign Object Damage) walk down. The day was so beautiful. The weather was not too hot or too cold. We finished with FOD walk down and I went into Flight Deck Control for our daily flight plan brief. From there it was getting with my crew and briefing them on today’s schedule. After all safety checks were complete, the Air Boss came across the 3MC saying “On the Flight Deck, LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE. My blood started pumping as we launched on aircraft after another one. As the F-35 landed on the deck for the first time, the Air Boss said congratulations you guys just made history. It was the first time this aircraft has ever landed on any type of naval vessel. This historic moment had the crew pumped and flight operations were going smoothly. As we transitioned