Captain Jim's Green Flash Sightings

As a Naval Academy Information Officer, I am a volunteer working for the Admissions Office at United States Naval Academy. Specifically, I am assigned to assist high school students with the application process for admission to the Academy. The process is far more involved than for normal college and university admissions. Not only does the candidate have to complete an admissions package for the Academy, he or she has to also seek a nomination from a congressmen or apply for a Presidential nomination if their parent(s) are veterans. So, so called Blue and Gold Officer volunteers, some 2000 plus in all states and overseas, assist the candidates and do personal interviews as part of the admissions process. I really enjoy doing this, the students are among the best in their classes and highly motivated and accomplished individuals willing to experience the service academy life and to serve their country as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps.  This July 18th, I will depart for a summ

http://www.usna63.org/ tradition/history/ MenofAnnapolis .html I decided to go to the Naval Academy when I was 7 years old, I remember the moment clearly. I was standing in our yard on 81st Street in Virginia Beach. It was 1954 and I was very conscious of my dad being in his uniform when he came home from work and this created a deep association and identity for me. It was when I first spent the night aboard a US Navy ship, USS Muliphen , an amphibious cargo ship, when my dad had duty. I remember how much fun and how thrilling it was to eat in the wardroom and tag along with my dad when he made his rounds and watching a movie at night after dinner. I loved ships, the smell and sounds of a ship settled into my consciousness and have never left. It was later that I saw the Men of Annapolis TV series and it made a very powerful impression on me about what a midshipman's life was, and what a special experience being at the Naval Academy represented. We were living in Washington DC

In my lifetime, I had the opportunity to go to sea with my dad on several occasions, the last time was in 1965 on board USS Little Rock CLG-4, Sixth Fleet Flagship, for a few days operating in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of France. It was while I was at sea with my dad that I got the notification that I had an appointment to the Naval Academy. Traditionally, only men and boys could participate in overnight cruises aboard U S Navy ships, however the Cape Cod was a mixed-gender crew, had been since commissioning, and we could take female guests to sea overnight. So, when we were coming back from Desert Storm deployment in 1994 we picked up friends and family members in Pearl Harbor for a seven day, 2100 nautical mile Tiger Cruise to San Diego. It was one of the very best experiences in my life to have Sarah and Jay make that trip with me and they were great sailors and good sports throughout the whole cruise. A true Green Flash moment for me.

This is the initial post of Captain Jim's Green Flash Sightings blog.