Final deployment evening prayer

Every night we were underway, I wrote an evening prayer that related to something that happened that day.

Below is my final night's evening prayer.
I made them laugh, sniffle, nod their heads in agreement, and acknowledged significance of this moment.

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To the holy one, praised be your name, as you are known to each of us,

Tomorrow, we conclude our deployment of over 48000 miles traveled together, earning us 8 swallows.

We have experienced ups, like achieving our ESWS, AIR or SWO pins.

And welcoming 9 babies to the Lake Erie family, relaxing on the beach in Busan. 

We have experienced lows, like losing family members and missing home. 

And bonging off some of our closest friends.

We have gotten to know each other deeply.

We have broken bread together 630 times – from steel beaches to breakfast for dinner.

We have lived through shower hours,

shifted homeport to Sasebo

Toured Nagasaki, volunteered at an orphanage, played spades and poker until the wee hours of the morning. 

We can even recite the “flight quarters” announcement at the same speed as the BMOW.

We performed 25 sea and anchor details and even more UNREPs

We became the SMEs and were responsible for teaching the new sailors who joined us during deployment.

These metrics are not merely numbers.

They are a measure of time and commitment we gave to this deployment.

God, remind us not to let us blow past this moment, acknowledging it’s importance – whether it be the end of our first or fifth deployments.

We ask that you once again watch over us during tomorrow’s evolutions – the safe departures of Red Stinger 1-6 and 2-1, and our final sea and anchor.

As we left in peace, we are grateful to return in peace back home.

With thankful hearts as this deployment comes to end, we thank you.

Amen.

Rest Easy Lake Erie.