Flightdeck Friday – Neptunus Lex Edition

Unless you’ve been blogging under a rock of late, most around these parts know that Lex (aka Neptunus Lex) is headed ashore permanently this week as he retires from active duty.  Given the geographic disparity in our locations we, unfortunately, shall not be there in person to wish him the best as he begins his second career, ergo this (early) edition of Flightdeck Friday. – The Editorial Staff

Lex was one of the first of the established bloggers to welcome us as we hesitantly dropped a toe into the roilsome waters that make up the blogging world (truth be known Skippy’s really the one to blame for getting us started…).  It is said that character is something that one does when no one else is looking – we would submit that character also breaks forth, unbidden, in one’s writings as well, revealing a glimpse of the complex author behind the fig-leaf anonymity of a blogger’s nome d’guerre.  Reason, wit and wry humor mark the measure of the writer, his product – and by extension, the officer.  Now, with himself having been, it seems, a denizen of the Left Coast and Pacific environs and ourselves, similarly beholden to the East and Atlantic/Mediterranean AOR’s, our paths did not cross in our mutual sea-, air- and staff to’s and fro’s around this watery sphere.  Nevertheless, we have online and (finally) in person at the last Milbloggers conference.  To which we would add – you can take the man out of Virginia, but you can’t take Virginia out of the gentleman.

So Lex, we will offer the our hopes for a fruitful second career, the opportunity to savor the family life that has been sacrificed in our Nation’s Service and the enduring camaraderie of those who have gone to the sea in fast ships and challenged Fate and the Elements by flying off the same.

Besides — look on the bright side, no more last cycle/moonless night/Case III tanker flights – oh, wait that’s right, the old Hornets never did have to fly as tankers did they…  Hey, we don’t want you thinking that just because you’re moving to the other side of the fence that us Hummer guys are going to cut you any slack, eh? 

 

Congratulations Lex on an honorable career admirably served, best wishes to the family and if you happen to be out in Occupied Territory, give us a yell and we’ll execute a join-up overhead…

 

– SJS

 

Update

Others from around the ‘Verse weigh in too…

•  FbL
•  John over at Argghhh!
•  Eagle1
•  Chap