Served my country for 21 years,
worked thru all the heartaches,
fought back all the tears.
Cruised the world, climbed the ranks,
defended our country
and didn’t receive much thanks.
Was blessed a Chief, joined the mess,
was told I was the man
and don’t settle for anything less.
Full of Honor, Courage and Pride,
being part of the world’s finest Chief’s Mess,
my true feelings I did not hide.
How soon we have forgotten that night like no other,
the night we struggled thru together
and you became my brother.
We drank from the same glass,
ate from the same plate, rowed that same boat,
man it must have been fate.
Now that I’m retired, I look back at that day;
I wonder “how can I get back?”
I truly wish there was a way.
My brothers and sisters have transferred now,
moved on to bigger things, left behind is one of their own,
and that telephone just never rings.
It’s been three years since that day my brothers piped me ashore,
my hair is long, I have a goatee
and my anchors are no more.
To my fellow brethren who forgot that I exist,
“Once a Chief, always a Chief”,
to that I must insist.