Stop and Smell the Roses

Op ed by Haney Hong

It’s really easy for all of us to get a bit pessimistic about our future, but thankfully, I had occasion last month to stop and smell the roses.  

I was privileged to be in attendance at the low-key, but ever so important retirement ceremony of a two-star admiral in the Navy Reserve.  The setting was picturesque in the courtyard behind the famous I Bar at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. The sun was out, and though it was warm for SoCal standards in October, that’s probably why some roses were out.

With this pleasant backdrop, the guest speaker – interestingly and unusually someone junior to the retiree – helped me and all those in attendance to reflect and recognize that our retiring colleague and friend certainly demonstrated patriotism, valor, fidelity, and ability throughout his career.  Rightfully noted in the remarks, those four traits are discussed in the Armed Forces Officer Manual, and these words are on his commission and the commission of every other officer of the United States Armed Forces.  

You all should know that the retiree has a great American story, and if you think I’m being flowery, I’d ask you to smell the roses with me.  He retired as an admiral, but he started in the Navy as an enlisted man. That’s not the norm, as most officers start as officers and most enlisted retired as senior enlisted.  And he had a distinguished career as an officer. But just as the speaker didn’t have enough time to go through his career, I won’t do that either. Suffice it to say though that he served in combat – in fact, he commanded an aviation squadron in Iraq – and did that all while being a citizen-sailor in the Reserve and managing a career as a pilot for Delta Airlines.  He and his wife also adopted two lovely little girls from China and raised them to be the confident and poised young women I saw at the ceremony. Just splendid!

Now he retires in Coronado, and he ended the ceremony by stating how optimistic he is about the Navy and what it does for our country.  For me, his final words were a rosy contrast to the constant negative of what’s going on in the world or even our own backyard. 

At the reception, I had to be careful about my own negativity.  Though I was in attendance because I am a commander in the Navy Reserve, I am also in charge of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, your friendly and sometimes not-so-friendly local watchdog.  And when talking with the other guests after they learned what I do in the civilian world, I heard complaints about everything from gas taxes to poor school performance. Folks were asking me why we are struggling with homelessness.

The challenges we face as a community and society are profound.  To name a few, we can’t seem to build housing in California at the rate we need it.  Home ownership is beyond the reach for most – my friend who retired is lucky to have purchased a home when he did many decades ago.  California has one-third of all welfare recipients in the United States, and one in every five of our neighbors is living in poverty.  We had a Hepatitis outbreak right here in sunny San Diego.

Shift the gaze to Washington, and we’ve got drama in the Beltway.  Members of Congress are less interested in doing the hard work of governing than they are in grandstanding – whether on the dais or storming an access-controlled committee room.  And we have a president who describes monitoring the successful work of our special forces this weekend in killing al Baghdadi, the latest leader of the Islamic State terrorist group, as “watching a movie.”  How can any of us in uniform not be slightly offended by that remark?

Thankfully my retiring friend did not bring up the commander-in-chief as other retired flag officers have done in public.  Nor did he say that he was going to leave California because it’s too hard for a middle-class family to make it work in California.  

He made it clear: he is optimistic about the Navy and its future for our country. 

Underneath the specifics of the Navy, he is optimistic about our future in general.  And his optimism comes from a reflection on his career and all the challenges he overcame with his family and people he worked with day-in and day-out.

We could all learn a lesson from my friend and the backdrop of his retirement ceremony.  It’s easy to find rot in the garden, but don’t forget that you also have to stop and smell the roses.