Fair Winds and Following Seas

Suffolk, VA – This is for my close friend Navy Capt. Dave Wray who retired today after 29 years of service, including command for the past three years over the Joint Public Affairs Support Element (JPASE) based here.

After the retirement ceremony, I had the chance to talk to some of Dave’s troops from all four military branches, most of whom have done multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, some with grunt battalions, an impressive record for an outfit with just about 20 active duty personnel and a similar number of reserve and active guard troops.

Pentagon press secretary George Little officiated over the retirement ceremony – a tribute to both Dave’s service and the troops in his command. Little, like me, knows that showing up is 51 percent of most things in life – if you show up, then you find out what the other 49 percent is all about.

Dave – I leave you with the highest compliment that can be rendered to someone in the Naval service: Well done.