John, the day you leave for the army is coming really soon. July 15, 2013 to be exact I remember our first years together the most. You were 13 and I was 11 and we started sea cadets the same day. Back in 2008 when we started we got picked to do color guard at the sandy hook base and we were both so nervous. Eating lunch by ourselves with your stalker best friend creepily near us. Fast forward to summer of 2008 league cadet orientation I was in bravo company you in Charlie. Even being in different companies we managed to get our daily good mornings and good nights in speed up to us playing just dance and me beating you. Having my mom call the cops on us thinking we were running away together! But in all reality we were watching VICTORIOUS on my couch! As we got older and things happened between us we started to separate more. Even though we are not as close as we used to be I don’t just consider you a shipmate I consider you an older brother to me and I wish you the best of luck in the army. You’ll make a great soldier. Keep your head down and follow all orders like I know you can I’m really cheering for you. I’m so proud that you are carrying out your dream of being in the military and I’m going to miss you more than you could understand. Keep your dedication with everything you do excuse that is one of the many reasons you got so far in the sea cadet program. Drill every month will not be the same with out you ging. Petty Officer Lendzian keep your head down low and your boots up high I expect to see you in the near future. Good luck to you shipmate and be careful we all will miss you.