Thoughts from a New York Sailor

by Anthony J. Romeo

When I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in early 2005, I was rather confused, at first, and a little nervous not knowing what to except from this new lifestyle.

Also, joining the military at the age of 24, it was a little harder to adjust, mainly because most of the great men and women of the United States Armed Forces either joined right out of high school at the young age of 18 or 19.

I had to deal with a lot of issues at first, and so, during my deployment, I took time to think long and hard about all the things people normally take for granted.

I would try to go to church as much as I could, and while the chaplain would attempt to deliver his mass over the enormous bangs of the flight deck catapults, I would hear that horrible bang as the mass would continue and I would think to myself how I would love to be back home at church listening to a baby’s constant cry and shushing by its mother instead.

Being away from my true Love, Lauren, was the hardest thing for me to cope with, but I feel it made our relationship so much stronger being away from one another for such a long period of time. Every night as I was reading my war time prayer book by author Father Fulton Sheen, I would use one of Lauren’s pictures as a bookmark, so that last thing I saw before I fell asleep was her beautiful face.

In the little free time I had, when I knew the ship was pulling into a port, I would inquire with my command’s religious department how I could help the people of whichever country we were visiting.

In Dubai, U.A.E., I volunteered twice to help handicapped children play different types of sports, including wheelchair basketball and soccer.

Another time I visited Dubai, I led a team to build a garden for a group of women who had been victims of human trafficking. They were recently rescued and needed a place of sanctuary, which we helped make into a more livable and beautiful home.

I did not do any of these things for a ribbon, medal or a plaque; I simply did them because they needed to be done.

There are so many great people overseas that just want the same thing we Americans want out of life, and that is good schools for our children to attend, as well as safe neighborhoods to live in and raise a family in.

The people over there are no different than you or I. They value family and their religion more than anything. I constantly tell people you should be happy for what you have, not be upset for what you don’t have, because when could a person ever be happy if you constantly wanted something bigger or more expensive? The answer is never.

A person should be grateful for the country we live in, the government we elect, and just for being alive. So many people take the most precious thing we have for granted too much, and that is life itself.

I remember as a young boy going to church, the priest once said, “Do not be upset you do not have a new pair of sneakers to play in, but be happy that you have feet and you are able to run and play with other children.”

I think people just need to take a second and look at the bigger picture, because, going away for so long, I learned not to complain, since no matter how much you complain, the situation does not change unless you do something about it yourself.

Anthony John Romeo, 27 of Brooklyn, New York, enlisted into the United States Navy on January 9, 2005.
During his service, he has been awarded the Blue Jacket Sailor of the Month twice in his department on the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Aviation Warfare Specialist, two Global War on Terrorism Medals, the Sea Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, and assisted his command to obtain the Battle of Excellence for 2006 during Operation Enduring Freedom & Iraqi Freedom from October of 2006 to May of 2007.
When he returns to New York, he plans to get more involved as a Young Republican.