The exercise in Singapore officially started with an opening ceremony in summer white uniforms. It was an awesome sight to see everyone their whites. Granted it is by far the hardest uniform to keep clean but leaves quite an impression. A few Sailors, Chiefs and Officers were chosen to represent every department on the ship. A bus was chartered to pick us up from the pier and take us to the conference building. The ceremony highlighted last year's efforts during the previous exercise. It has become an honored tradition for the US Navy to work with the Singapore Navy.
A Singapore Admiral introduced himself and relayed his impressions of the US Navy through his experiences as a young Officer aboard a US warship. It made me wonder how I will reflect on my own experiences over the past few years in the Navy. The long history shared between many of our allies in Asia is a tremendous asset. The next person to speak was an American Admiral. He highlighted the success of our relationship with Singapore over the years and his hope for what the future will hold.
After the speeches were over, a brunch was conducted with some interesting Singapore dishes. The food was great but I was more concerned about not getting anything on my uniform. I socialized mostly with Officers from the other destroyer, including the Assistant Supply Officer who I had meet the day before during the problems establishing port services. Afterward the bus returned us to the ship to start the operation. The day ended up being oddly quiet otherwise, I was able to get caught up on some important projects.
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