From the Outside Looking In

I don't know anything about the guy, but I found myself over on Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt's blog today and came across an interesting Navy related story from January. Apparently Sec. Leavitt had recently visited the USS Roosevelt (CVN 71) during one of her recent carrier qualification cruises. I found it to be an excellent read.

As a civilian I have been on 3 different carriers while they were underway, and my first experience was very similar to his. I have a very strong stomach, and the last time I lost my lunch was one day my father took me fishing the day before a Hurricane hit when I was 7 years old. Sorry, but those swells throwing around that 40' boat got me good, but I remember the fishing was great that day.

I only did it once, but taking off and landing backward on a C-2 was an adventure I'll never forget. I didn't lose my lunch, but it took everything I had to keep it down.