I saw fine military hardware on my tour of the Kitty Hawk last weekend, and also caught a glimpse of what life is like for the average sailor. From what I saw and heard, life runs in two modes: boredom and exhaustion. I saw sailors either catching naps when and wherever they could…
…or playing X-Box and watching pirated DVDs while complaining about how there was nothing to do on board except play X-Box and watch DVDs. Note this fat folder of DVDs recently “liberated” from shore leave in Bangkok.
For many, boredom is the norm. Life has become more restricted after incidents the murder of a woman by a sailor earlier this year. Relations between US sailors and soldiers and the Japanese population at large is generally very good, especially when considering similar environments in the Philippines and Korea. But that good will takes a lot of time and effort, and can be ruined by just one irresponsible sailor. So it’s no surprise that there’s a big poster of Uncle Sam at the main gate reminding sailors of their individual duty as diplomats for their country and their military. But it’s also a crying shame that one bad apple murders a person, throws a wrench in the works of military-civilian relations, and ruins life for everyone on board.
I’ve uploaded many more pictures at flickr which you can see in the “Tiger Cruise” set.
Get the RSS
Comments to this entry
Joe
September 24, 2006
10:26 pm
Eddie
September 27, 2006
9:17 am
Perhaps he was still drunk when the crime was committed? This has not been established (at least with personnel on the ship) so I am not certain of it. Now that the liberty curfew is no longer in effect, I have noticed the old tragicomedy of still drunken sailors staggering around at 6 and 7 in the morning.
Thank you for posting this Curzon. Glad the force protection pukes at the quarterdeck/main gate entrance were too busy bsing to bitch about you taking the picture of Uncle Sam.
Curzon
September 28, 2006
12:11 am
Explainer: I tried to take this picture as we entered but was shouted at for taking pictures. Apparently the Japanese government said that terrorists had previously taken video footage at the same location. On the way out, the guys (on duty?) were too busy chatting with tail than to notice me.