U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander James Hoeft going ashore ... thanks for 20 years of service

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbs9palj5_Emt_xwjVvKdlwnDqYhZlrhGCPlukRdIIL4Vz38vVzGF78duuKiDKuRmIxB7rNlyolxVZNoX086JoJAWrwEdz3uyiPwWSELnDWZ7HdPxjqX593QI90Qg2RSOH4Bz5055NBs7/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbs9palj5_Emt_xwjVvKdlwnDqYhZlrhGCPlukRdIIL4Vz38vVzGF78duuKiDKuRmIxB7rNlyolxVZNoX086JoJAWrwEdz3uyiPwWSELnDWZ7HdPxjqX593QI90Qg2RSOH4Bz5055NBs7/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Watch</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Aye mates, for 20 years</div><div style="text-align: center;">This Sailor has stood the watch.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While some of us were in our bunks at night</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seaman Hoeft stood the watch</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />While some of us were in school learning our trade</div><div style="text-align: center;">Electronics Technician Third Class Hoeft stood the watch</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen<br />brewing on the horizon of history,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ensign Hoeft stood the watch</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many times he would cast an eye ashore</div><div style="text-align: center;">and see his family standing there</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needing his guidance and help</div><div style="text-align: center;">Needing that hand to hold during those hard times</div><div style="text-align: center;">But Lieutenant Junior Grade Hoeft stood the watch</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He stood the watch for twenty years</div><div style="text-align: center;">He stood the watch so that we, our families and</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our fellow countrymen, could sleep soundly in safety,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Each and every night,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Knowing that Lieutenant Hoeft stood the watch</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today, we are here to say</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shipmate ... the watch stands relieved</div><div style="text-align: center;">Relieved by those you have trained, guided, and led</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lieutenant Commander Hoeft, you stand relieved</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have the watch! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Boatswain, stand by to pipe the side, shipmate going ashore! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3AeDvioAfE_gL9fURGSjLNT-pHbGDtjctkBe1gVRycnHjPueeB_oSybqed-cu5KwpnNINJRyHBZOnapuGhF94xzmwx5PoTWvbtL45CEAdtiV9eTBgunOwg1dTzrLXVN6CsnrjCftB63c/s1600/_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3AeDvioAfE_gL9fURGSjLNT-pHbGDtjctkBe1gVRycnHjPueeB_oSybqed-cu5KwpnNINJRyHBZOnapuGhF94xzmwx5PoTWvbtL45CEAdtiV9eTBgunOwg1dTzrLXVN6CsnrjCftB63c/s400/_12.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jim Hoeft sits at the Governor's conference table in Richmond. </i><br /><i>Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling's <a href="http://swacgirl.blogspot.com/2011/02/part-2-bloggers-at-bill-bollings.html">4th Annual Bloggers Day</a> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>February 16, 2011</i></div><br />We know him as Jim or JR who was the founder of <a href="http://www.bearingdrift.com/">Bearing Drift</a> and now has founded <a href="http://www.vapolitics.us/">Virginia Politics On Demand,</a> recruiting top-notch bloggers to help provide news and information to the Virginia blogosphere. He has covered Republican Advances, Eric Cantor's Republican Roundup, candidate events, interviewed elected officials and those running for office, and fill in for radio personalities. That is the Jim I've known since 2006.<br /><br />Jim's other career was as an officer in the U.S. Navy and, in a ceremony in Virginia Beach on Friday, September 13, 2013, he retired after 20 years of service.<br /><br />His Naval career began in 1992 at the Recruit Training Center in Orlando, Florida. From 1992-93 he was at Nuclear Power Training Command in Orland, and in 1993-94 part of Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, SC. He ended up in Newport News, Va, from 1994-96 with the PCU Cheyenne (SSN 773). He spent 1996-99 at Old Dominion University NROTC, 2000 in Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, RI, and returned to the USS Mitscher (DDG 57) from 2000-02 and the USS Ponce (LPD 15) from 2002-03.<br /><br />Jim found his niche in public affairs:<br /><blockquote>2003-06: U.S. Fleet Forces Command<br />TAD: Hurricane Katrina<br />Navy Expedition Combat Command<br /><br />2006-07: Navy Personnel Development Command<br /><br />2007-08: Navy Public Affairs Support Element<br />TAD: Amphibious Squadron 8 embarked<br />USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3)<br /><br />2008-11: Joint Public Affairs Support Element<br />TAD: Operation Assured Delivery<br />Operation Odyssey Dawn embarked USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC 20)<br />Pakistan Flood Relief<br />Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill<br /><br />2011-13: Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command<br />IA: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti</blockquote>Congratulations to our friend and colleague with best wishes for the next chapter in his life and a sincere thank you for 20 years of service to our country.<br /><br />Cross-posted at <a href="http://vapolitics.us/2013/09/u-s-navy-lieutenant-commander-james-hoeft-going-ashore-thanks-for-20-years-of-service/">Virginia Politics On Demand </a><br /><br /><i>Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell</i>

Bearing Drift Bill Bolling Bloggers Day Jim Hoeft Lieutenant Commander James Hoeft Lynn R. Mitchell U.S. Navy Virginia Politics On Demand U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander James Hoeft going ashore ... thanks for 20 years of service

The Watch Aye mates, for 20 years This Sailor has stood the watch. While some of us were in our bunks at night Seaman Hoeft stood the watch ...

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