I met some one today ...

[MORTARDUDE]

I had to take my mother to her yearly visit to the liver doctor. Her oxygen ran out in the car on the way over, and I though I was going to have to take her across the street to the hospital...her alkaline phosphatase has dropped from 240 to 198 ( that is good )...she has auto-immune cirrhosis of the liver...

Anyway, by the elevator was a servicewoman ( Navy ) with a chest full of ribbons. I thanked her for her service and she had a big smile. I couldn't figure out her rank ( she had on a brownish uniform ) and she said E- 8 , Chief Petty Officer ( 22 yrs. of service ) and showed me the silver star above the anchor on her collar. First time I had seen rank like that...She said she was a torpedoman, And I thought she was a submariner, but she said surface ships...

She also told me "Welcome Home" !!!

Larry