In the Navy...

My friend Kenny had the second coolest professional experience of anyone from my hometown on LI. He was a flight surgeon in the Navy, and spent time of the carrier Saratoga during the Persian Gulf War. My friend John's experience was coolest: in the CIA when he helped capture and interrogate Saddam Hussein.

Still, Kenny stayed in the Navy Reserves, and retired a full captain, which is a big deal in the Navy --like a colonel in the Army or Air Force. He's kept in touch with some of his old friends, and invited one to Miami yesterday to give "Grand Rounds" (a lecture at a hospital) to his colleagues at Baptist.

The friend was Captain John Cutting, who is one of the highest ranking medical officers in the Navy. Captain/Doctor Cutting gave a talk about the history of the Navy, and its use of "soft power," which is essentially humanitarian aid versus "hard power," which is blowing stuff up.

Like most professionals I meet at the top of their game, like transplant surgeons and the like, John was extremely cool, nice, and down to earth. Here's a guy who commands major medical missions worldwide, and I watched him asking a couple of first year med students from FIU about their experiences.

There are exceptions, of course, but it seems the wannabees are the ones with the big egos and attitudes in life. When you truly make it to the top, like Captain Cutting has, your accomplishments speak for you -- you don't have to tell everyone how great you are.

Anyway, he explained all of the ships and planes and helocopters the Navy has, and how they're deployed. The 9 year old in me, still playing with my GI Joe dolls, was transfixed.

And then he told us about his experiences in Haiti, after the earthquake, and seeing injuries he'd not thought possible. Although the Navy treated a few thousand victims, out of more than 300,000, the symbolism was there : the US gives a damn, and was there to help.

After the lecture, I headed over to Crazy Steve the cop's house to watch the BCS game. Yawn. It was one of the most boring games I've ever watched. The lecture was far more interesting, and even, exciting.

Kenny asked my thoughts about the talk, as I was the only complete civilian (neither military nor medical professional) there. I told him that, at least for the night, I felt less bad about paying the huge income taxes I pay. With the funds going towards missions like the Navy's soft power, I was proud to be an American.