Music & Motivation

I've started singing in the choir at church. It's been over 10 years since music was a constant part of life, and I didn't realize it, but I missed it. I sing in the car and to put the kids to sleep, but to be reading music, playing the piano, practicing chord progression... it's been a while. I'm rusty, but it's coming back pretty quickly. One of the aspects I've always appreciated about music is that you're always a student. It requires repetition. It's a forcing function that requires attention, skill and motivation.

Having forcing functions like that is a good thing.

Today I went on a run; what I call my Career Motivational Loop. I start off from the ship, run the length of the waterfront, loop back along the Admiral's houses, round off by the marina and finish along the water back to the ship. It ends up being about 5 miles and it's a great run. It's observing 45 years of life work from rising to Command of a ship to selection to Flag to retirement on a sailboat in 45 minutes during lunch.

Having forcing functions that cause us to be introspective, to consciously rededicate our efforts is a good thing.

Here's to more runs and more music.

- Matt

Anchors Aweigh!!

Luckily, the Navy vs. Air Force football game is still happening today. It's on CBS and gives me something to do while I'm on duty today onboard the GEORGE H. W. BUSH. With the government shutdown ongoing, it was one of those pawns being used to show the repercussions of Congressional indecision...

One of my favorite parts of any aired Navy game is seeing the opening segment of the Midshipmen pre-game march-on. We're all over the place. It's really cool to see the juxtaposition during the Army vs. Navy game. They take it much more seriously than we do. But, at the heart of it, I like seeing the Midshipmen's faces. After doing a tour as a Company Officer, I know that each one of those faces has an incredibly compelling story.

11 years ago, I was one of those stories as a Senior at USNA. At the time, I didn't know if I'd be allowed to graduate and earn a Commission due to breaking my back and the resulting ongoing condition because of it called degenerative disk disease. I was able to seen and treated by some great doctors at Bethesda that made it possible to graduate and move forward.

This week I was honored to be a part of a former shipmate's Commissioning ceremony onboard NICHOLAS. He asked me to send him a biography for the program, so I had to crank one out for the first time in a while:

"A native of Christiansburg, VA, LCDR Phillips graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 with a degree in Computer Science. After being selected to the Immediate Graduate Education Program (IGEP), he graduated with honors from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2004 with a Master’s in Computer Science.

His first assignment was as Communications Officer in CLEVELAND (LPD 7). While serving onboard he completed a deployment in support of IRAQI FREEDOM. Subsequently, he successfully completed the Navy’s nuclear training pipeline and served as Reactor Mechanical Division Officer in DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and completed a deployment in support of ENDURING FREEDOM.

Following his initial sea tours, he returned to serve as a Company Officer at the United States Naval Academy and taught Leadership and Seamanship & Navigation. After being selected as a distinguished graduate from Department Head School, LCDR Phillips served as Operations Officer in NICHOLAS (FFG 47), completing a Central American counter-narcotic deployment and interdicted over half a billion dollars of cocaine traffic.

Currently, LCDR Phillips is serving as the Chemistry and Radiological Assistant in GEORGE H. W. BUSH (CVN 77). His personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal (two) and the Navy Achievement Medal (two). He and his wife Amy have two children, Jack (4) and Emma (3) and are expecting their third child later this year."

After writing it, I couldn't believe it's me. 11 years ago, that Senior at USNA couldn't have guessed that's where he'd be today. 

I'm excited for that newly Commissioned Ensign to see where he'll be in 11 years; where we'll both be in another 11 years.

- Matt