Sunday, December 19, 2021

Update on Younger Daughter

Some time ago, a reader posted a comment as follows: "Any news you can give us about Younger daughter? Every time I hear Navy I think of her."

Younger Daughter, as most of you know, joined the Navy four years ago for a six-year enlistment. She spent a year going through boot camp, A School, and C School before being assigned to her overseas duty station. I've been gently nagging Younger Daughter to write a blog post updating everyone as to how she's doing, and she did! Here's her post.

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Hello, all! Mom's been reminding me with a decreasingly gentle nature for several weeks to give you an update on how I'm doing. I'm fine! Wasn't that easy?

Okay, now for the rest of it. I've been stationed in Japa – whoops, my unnamed overseas duty station – for around three years now. In fact, I hit three years this January. I'll be leaving some time in 2023. At this point, I'm leaning towards getting out of the Navy, but it depends on the orders they offer me next – I won't turn up my nose at a shore duty in Italy or Spain, for example. I've been to a few good port visits, been on a few deployments, and overall had a pretty good time.

The food out here is great and the toilets are phenomenal. I've seen a fair bit of Japan, and I hope to use this last year out here to see as much more as possible, and perhaps revisit some of the prettier locations.

At this point, the future is wide open, with a lot of unknowns. If the Navy coaxes me to stay in with those magical orders, then life will stay as it is for a while. If I get orders that I don't care for (I’ll go to Norfolk when hell freezes over), then I'll get out and make the transition to being allowed to wear comfortable shoes again.

The Navy has treated me pretty well, all things considered. I live in a nice apartment with an ocean view, I've put a substantial amount of money aside (both for retirement and towards buying a house someday), and I've seen a wide portion of the world. The downside is my knees hurt, my back hurts, and I just can't stop swearing.

I've still kept up with a few hobbies. I completed NaNoWriMo with Mom this year, which I haven't done since I was a teenager (it was a lot easier back when I didn't have a job). I also still do a lot of miscellaneous art – digital and traditional. I've mostly been on a watercolors kick recently. And outside that, it's just a quiet life. Busy, but mostly good.

– Younger Daughter

15 comments:

  1. Thank you for the update. I wondered how younger daughter was doing.

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  2. What a treat to hear from Younger Daughter herself!! Sounds like a good life, making the best of Blessings, and making good decisions for future. My Dad was a Navy lifer, and doncha know he cussed like a Sailer!! "pass the *blankity blank* salt!" I don't cuss unless I'm playing Pickleball with better players, and I blame my Dad for my inability to stop cussing whilst playing! LOL Merry Christmas and God Bless you and your fellow Sailers, all !!

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  3. See that wasn't hard, you made your mom happy. May God protect you and keep you safe.

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  4. Hi YD- stick to your guns on your possible next duty station. The Navy is hurting and you will probably get your first choice. I liked where you are also though it was expensive in the early 80's even on a Chief's pay. I liked that we could get Kobe beef in the club at a very reasonable price. And if you decide to get out and you like your current NEC the civilian world will pay highly for your knowledge and skills. HMCS (SW) USN Ret.

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  5. May God continue to bless you and thank you for your service and sacrifice.

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  6. What a great update. Sounds like she is doing so well. Laughed when she said she couldn't stop swearing :) and that that the toilets were great. God's blessing and leading with wisdom as she looks to the future and Merry Christmas to you all.

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  7. YD, good to hear from you, and that you're doing so well. Been perusing this blog for a long time now, and pray for you peeps.

    That being said, I'm going to offer up some unsolicited advice, that you ain't gonna like. Ready for it? Too bad cause here it is...

    Get out of the military as soon as it's an option. Go home to Idaho and hunker down good. I've been monitoring the world situation and its bleak, and getting bleaker. Sometime in the next 5 years, probably much sooner rather than later, all hell is going to break loose. A lot of people are going to die, billions, including a huge chunk of the US military. Peeps will claim I'm unpatriotic for saying it, that it can't happen here, that the US is unbeatable, etc, but that has become untrue these last few years, especially when most of the world is turning on us, and multiple problems are presenting themselves against us at the same time(political, economic, pandemic, famine, environmental, military, etc)

    Right now, it's time to seek the Lord, and get ready. It's not a matter of if. but when, and time is running out. Don't get stuck half way around the world when it all falls out.

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    Replies
    1. This anonymous seconds the above anonymous. With an addition.
      Down south here we mostly say "bless your heart " when other words want to pop out. But that said, words are one of the most important parts of your being. Don't forget Matt. 12:36 because we will be judged for every idle word that proceeds from our mouth. And Matt. 5:37 about letting your yes be yes and no be no because all else is from the evil one.
      The military has such a strong rep for bad language and I understand they want to desensitize our troop to really bad stuff. I've also seen a lot of people mess up their lives from picking up habits however innocently, that bear fruit forever.
      God spoke this world into being. Our own words go far in creating our own world. Be careful what you come into agreement with. The enemy of our soul delights in using our own words to destroy us if possible.
      I could preach on this an hour, but won't.
      I find a good concordance an excellent tool. Whatever the subject I'm struggling with, memorizing scripture helps defeat the problem. It is a two edged sword (Heb. 4:12) able to divide the thoughts and intents of the heart. God's Word does not return void but accomplishes that which is sent forth to do. You can look that one up.
      Now, Patrice, thank you for the beautiful editorial about coming in out of the cold over on WND.

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  8. Toilets are definitely important! My sister spent time in East Germany while working on her PhD and was not impressed with their facilities; she said she was constipated the entire time she was there.

    Glad to hear things are going well!

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  9. Thank you for relaying this update, Patrice. I have often wondered how YD is doing and am heartened to hear she is thriving.

    Incredibly jealous of her "unnamed location" station. I have only been able to go for a week to two weeks pre-Plague, and it is just wonderful.

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  10. My DH loved the Navy when he was in. Glad he got out though or 'we' would not have been.

    I don't know if he made it to Japan, but he was in South Korea. At 6' tall he thought he was on the smaller side. (You should see the neighbor boys he grew up with). He found he wasn't in the Navy. He always wore his cowboy hat when out and about. He would hear "John Wayne! John Wayne!" with a Koren accent. Funniest thing he commented on was hearing Hoss on Bonanza talk in a higher voice in Korean! (Something about that is just wrong!)

    Godspeed sailor!

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  11. As a female veteran im.unsure hiw much if my swearingskills are from the army and how much are just from driving the Capital Beltway daily. Either way they're still with me and I'm 70. Japan sounds lovely. My personal experience us than one tends to prefer either the far East or Europe in terms on cure and assi gnment.

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  12. YD, many thanks for taking the time to fill us in. Glad for the positive news. We are really all just one big family. Julia

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  13. That bad habit of swearing has served me well since my military days. LOL!

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  14. My Cousin Andy Wooden is in J;pa9 and is a teacher there. He is of Japanese decent on his grandmothers side. He is also a minister. I wish you two could meet up and visit some time. Enjoy the rest of your time in.

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