Jan. 6, 2015

Honoring the Legacy of Navy Nurses Worldwide

Navy Nurse Corps POWs posing with Vice Adm. Thomas C. Kincaid, Commander of the 7th Fleet and Southwest Pacific Force, after their rescue from Los Banos, Feb. 23, 1945. They were imprisoned Jan. 6, 1942 where they were stationed in the Philippines.Rear Adm. Rebecca J. McCormick-Boyle Commander, Navy Medicine Education and Training CommandOn January

Dec. 13, 2014

Frigates, Brigs, Sloops, Schooners, and the Early Continental Navy's Struggle for Success

In 1775, Americans were no strangers to the ways of the sea, either in peace or in war. In the years immediately before the outbreak of the rebellion, Americans demonstrated their growing disenchantment with British rule by taking action against ships collecting revenue or delivering tea in Boston Harbor. Once the revolution began, Americans

Nov. 18, 2014

Tending the Side: A Navy Tradition

Welcoming dignitaries and visitors of special attention aboard ships carries with it the ancient nautical custom of tending the side. In modern age, the physical process of coming aboard a ship is as simple as walking up a ladder gangway, but in the age of sail the process proved to be a complex and tedious occasion.In the age of sail ships were

Nov. 18, 2014

History and Display of Military Awards and Ribbons

The practice of using military decorations to honor individuals or fighting organizations dates back to antiquity.Early awards were usually used to recognize leaders in the nobility and military class of society. According to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, the Egyptians had the Order of the Golden Fly, a golden necklace that they decorated with

Oct. 6, 2014

The POW/MIA Table: A Place Setting for One, A Table for All

If you've ever been to a military ball, stepped inside a chow hall, or attended an event at a military veterans association in your local community, you've likely noticed the small, round table that is always set but never occupied - the prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) table. The tradition of setting a separate table in honor of our

Sept. 12, 2014

The Colors of a Navy and Nation

Flags, standards, and banners have been used for thousands of years as visual symbols of those who bear them. "The broad stripes and bright stars" of the American flag represent an indivisible nation "with liberty and justice for all" and symbolize sacrifices made by many for the sake of the nation and the freedom they hold dear. For many years,

March 27, 2014

#PlatformsMatter -- The Rebirth of the U.S. Navy: A Fleet of Frigates to Equal None

Yesterday, we outlined how piracy was the catalyst in getting the leadership of the young United States on board with creating a national naval force. As the Barbary Coast pirates continued to either break or try to renegotiate their treaties with the U.S., Congress finally authorized the construction of six frigates at the cost of $688,888.82,

March 19, 2014

Salutations with a Bang! The Military Gun Salute

If you've ever attended a significant military ceremony, you may not have seen it, but you certainly heard it: the booming report of a military gun salute. Gun salutes have been around for centuries and, as they've evolved, shared a common purpose with the hand salute. Although those origins are not entirely clear, it is believed that both honors

Dec. 9, 2013

Honoring Shipmates Past and Present: Laying a Wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns on Pearl Harbor Day

Dec. 7, 2013 was a bitingly cold day in Northern Virginia, made all the more so by having unseasonable warm days the few days before it. But as two Seaman made their way along the pathways of Arlington National Cemetery to the Tomb of the Unknowns, their attention was less on their cold hands and feet and more on the ceremony less than an hour