Anchors Aweigh

In 1968, Joseph is concerned he will be selected in the draft lottery and sent to Army boot camp like his brother-in-law. He left home at the early age of fifteen years old to escape a troubled family life, drug addicted mother and an abusive alcoholic step-father.

Before his break away, Joseph and his mother lived for several years moving to different locations for safety. Joseph's living conditions contributed to his dislike of learning, thereby he dropped out of high school and decided to join the Navy to make a better life for himself during the Vietnam Era.

His first experiences in boot camp and training are unpleasant reminders of his abusive past but later during this decade of adventures in the Navy, Joseph becomes aware that his journey will be filled with new discoveries and loaded with life choices. He learns from many positive male role models during his travels, but John McCain remains his favorite.

He shares a brief romance with an old friend in Barcelona, Spain before he returns to the United States after three long cruises on the USS John F. Kennedy.

What life lessons will Joseph discover? Will he make the right decisions?

Nearing the end of his enlistment, Joseph decides to leave Jacksonville, Florida and the United States Navy with tremendously more than he started with a decade ago. Married, a college graduate, two daughters and almost a lifetime of choices and education packed into his naval career. Joseph will take his family and experience, move back to New Orleans begin his new civilian life. Joseph still has memories of his painful early years and even has new sorrows from this Navy adventure, but he has a reasonably optimistic view of his future. Many of Joseph's friends and others encouraged him not to leave military service, but he knows the time has come to move on to his many more adventures ahead.