Best Job I’ve Ever Had

December 31, 2019
New Year’s Day 2020 Deck Log Entry)

by Quartermaster 3rd Class Sara Nevison,
Deployed at Sea on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)

NOTE: The New Year’s Day deck log is a longstanding U.S. Navy tradition, in which a Sailor on watch pens his or her reflections in verse, which the watch stander on duty at midnight then enters into the deck log. For more on this tradition, see this article from Naval History and Heritage Command.

As another year comes to an end,
Sailors reflect on the past
And how it all began.

COMPTUEX was the first chapter
Of our long extended adventure.
Countless Surprise GQs and neverending
EMCON conditions
Were the ship’s main ambition.

But together through it all
All the Sailors stood tall
With acceptance of the fate
The ship was soon going to face.

‘Twas the night before deployment,
And all through the base,
Every Lincoln Sailor packing
Their sea bags and suitcase.
Saying goodbye to families
Because it’s the last day.

6th Fleet was our first stop.
Palma De Mallorca, Spain,
Made our mouths drop.
Such a beautiful place to see—
We wondered what the next port would be.

Duqm 1, Duqm 2, Duqm 3,
Arabian Sea.
Swim call, swim call—
Happy birthday, USS Abraham Lincoln!
The water is welcome to all.

Six short blasts are sounded:
Man overboard man overboard!
The chem light bandit still isn’t found yet.
Extensions upon extensions—
The ship was very much needed.
Missing holidays with family
Everyone felt defeated.

Good morning, Lincoln Nation!
We finally got some information.
We are headed to 7th Fleet,
But first we to clean
Your filthy pollywog feet.

We crossed the equator
And to become a shellback was in favor.
Covered in green slime
And drenched in saltwater of course,
We were accepted into King Neptune’s Court.

As we start off a new year,
Lincoln Sailors are in joy and glee
To what we leave behind in 2019.
Lots of memories and lots of fun,
But what comes next in 2020 has begun.

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