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If you haven’t been down around the Fort Lauderdale beach this week, you should go. The fleet is very definitely in town. The Navy fleet, that is. Along with a fair number of sailors, Marines and Coast Guard personnel. Some 2,500 men and women in uniform are wandering around A1A for a little rest and relaxation during Fleet Week. No doubt their r&r is well-deserved. The military can be a stressful place these days to say the least. We all appreciate their efforts. So it’s nice to see so many clean, well-pressed white uniforms trickling through the crowds along the beach. I was there last night and noticed several Marines, but mostly lots of sailors in groups of twos and threes and fives. From what I saw, they seemed on their best behavior – just on the town for a good meal, some drinks and a little fun. I had the sense that the non-military locals and tourists enjoyed having the military folks around.
I’ve read in the newspaper that a lot of our guests in the armed services are doing more than just kicking back and relaxing while in Fort Lauderdale. Some of them are visiting Broward County schools and hospitals. Others are helping to build houses for low income people through Habitat for Humanity. There’s also a friendly competition to see which unit can donate the most blood.
I don’t know about you, but I’m proud of anyone who wants to give something back to the community. When you see the military using their time and skills to help their fellow human beings rather than destroy them – well, those are people I can admire. Plus, their ships are really cool. I’m still a kid at heart in a lot of ways and so part of me looks at these high-tech vessels in port and just kinda goes, “Wow.” Looking from the 17th Street bridge, you can spot them tied up in Port Everglades to the south. I’ve toured a number of Navy ships in the past and always found this an impressive experience. Though for the life of me I can’t imagine living underwater for weeks at a time in one of those subs, like the USS Pittsburgh that’s here now. Anyway, the Pittsburgh’s crew is topside this week, enjoying our incredibly beautiful South Florida weather. I hope they have a great time, along with all their brothers and sisters in uniform. They sure deserve it.
I’ve read in the newspaper that a lot of our guests in the armed services are doing more than just kicking back and relaxing while in Fort Lauderdale. Some of them are visiting Broward County schools and hospitals. Others are helping to build houses for low income people through Habitat for Humanity. There’s also a friendly competition to see which unit can donate the most blood.
I don’t know about you, but I’m proud of anyone who wants to give something back to the community. When you see the military using their time and skills to help their fellow human beings rather than destroy them – well, those are people I can admire. Plus, their ships are really cool. I’m still a kid at heart in a lot of ways and so part of me looks at these high-tech vessels in port and just kinda goes, “Wow.” Looking from the 17th Street bridge, you can spot them tied up in Port Everglades to the south. I’ve toured a number of Navy ships in the past and always found this an impressive experience. Though for the life of me I can’t imagine living underwater for weeks at a time in one of those subs, like the USS Pittsburgh that’s here now. Anyway, the Pittsburgh’s crew is topside this week, enjoying our incredibly beautiful South Florida weather. I hope they have a great time, along with all their brothers and sisters in uniform. They sure deserve it.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 8:59 AM
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