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Life as A Sailor.

A sailor is not only a person that spends a lot of time at sea, they are the most crafty, thieving, and scheming individuals that can get the job done. Aside from a few clichs like drink like a sailor or cussing like a sailor were actually more civilized than the general public thinks. Sailors have been portrayed in movies like Mr. Roberts as wild savages that rape, murder and pillage small towns while on liberty. Although this may have been the case in the past, several drastic changes have been made in recent years to change the image and the lifestyle of our current navy. Sailors in the past were, for the most part, kidnapped out bars and brothels to waking up on a ship out to sea against there will. Press gangs were commissioned, especially during war time, to force men to join ships. Naturally, men were not happy about being torn from their families. This made discipline and punishment harsh by using cat o nine tales, keel hauling, etc. Health and the overall quality of life was terrible. Living in such cramped spaces made it easy to spread disease. It still takes a unique individual to want to live on a naval war vessel. This is not a life for everyone. You spend your time bobbing around on the ocean for weeks or months at a time only counting the days until you come home and hope you see your family. This is similar to staying in a house for six months with 200 of your friends with the windows boarded up. When the time is up you can see your family through the window briefly only to find out you have duty and cant leave until the following day. There is nothing like living in a dangerous environment that is completely opposite of a home. Pipes, valves, and electrical wiring are on the outside of the wall. On a navy vessel its commonly referred to as a bulkhead. This really adds to the aesthetic of the interior dcor. Not to mention its inherently dangerous if theres an electrical fire in a breaker box. Living where you work can be unpleasant. Being woken up in the middle of the night to take care of some one elses emergency or go stand a watch and then trying to go back to sleep while some young fireman is in the space below you needle gunning rust is aggravating. The idea of the sleeping in a berthing with 60 other smelly individuals sharing 2 showers, 3 sinks, and 3 toilets is a blast. While the berthing area has most of the comforts of home it lacks space. To use this space effectively bunks or racks are installed three high. Sailors call them coffin racks because they open and close like a coffin, the only difference is you sleep on top of it. Also, the possibility exists that it could be your last resting place. Sleeping in one of these things is similar to

installing a florescent light under your coffee table, lay under it and read a book. Its tight, uncomfortable, and no privacy. Although the lifestyle on ships seems cramped, redundant, and sometimes demanding there are times when it is very rewarding. Ive been to some of the most exotic places in the world like Thailand, Singapore, and Australia. Ive been able to experience many different cultures, which is something I would never do if I never choose to be a sailor. Todays navy is filled with technically professional personnel that perform at the highest tempo and level of readiness that the military has been faced with. Unfortunately, budget cuts are forcing us to do more with less. The defense budget proposal is to cut $400 billion by 2014. This is making difficult to find areas to cut money without ruining the integrity of the navy. According to the Navy Times, some of the proposed cuts will affect the sailors quality of life dramatically. Topping the list is retirement reduction, tuition assistance cuts, and pay raise cuts. All of these will reduce any incentive to stay in the military, reducing retention and losing valuable experience. With stress constantly increasing along with the amount of time you spend at sea sailors need time to go out and blow off steam. But when its all said and done and you are going pier side with your family on the pier the underway didnt seem so bad. Even though, youre crammed in a ship with 200 other people. Deployments have there ups and downs. But the joy of reuniting with family is priceless.

Benefit Cuts. (2011, August 15) Navy Times pp 25, 26

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