Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

USS Blog Boy's Deployment Diary--The Final Chapter

Not applicable
During the past year, Southwest Airlines Customer Francisco Delgado has been sharing his experiences while serving on the USS Nimitz.  (To read the previous entries, click on Francisco's name above.)  He is home now, and this is the final chapter in his deployment diary. FAREWELL USS NIMITZ!!!! After a long six month deployment, all 6,000 of us returned to San Diego. final-chapter-san.jpgWe had left our home port on April 2nd and headed straight for the Middle East where we launched air campaigns over Afghanistan and Iraq. It was a long summer, and it seemed like a long deployment, but we are all back safe and sound. Our ship fulfilled its mission, and she fulfilled her obligation to our country. I want to thank you each for your support,final-chapter-office.jpg your letters, your e-mails, and your care packages during the past six months. Kim, thanks for the macaroni and cheese. Brian, and  all of the Southwest Airlines Employees, thank you for the care package, for the card, and for supporting us. Thank you for supporting our troops on the ground who have sacrificed so much so that others may taste freedom. Now onto a more personal subject.... On October 15, I was honorably discharged from the Navy. It was very difficult decision to make. The Navy was challenging at times, yet it opened my eyes to the world; it brought me new friends; and it taught me very important life-long lessons. I am proud to have served our country during these very historic times. I am also deeply humbled by the support and love that was given to me by my family, my friends back home, and by the new friends that I have met through this blog. It has been an honor to serve, but now it is time to start the new chapter of my life. I have since moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, final-chapter-abq.jpgand yes I have had a green chile overdose. (Thanks Mom.) I am currently working at Wells Fargo Bank, and I will be finishing my degree in finance at the University Of New Mexico--go Lobos. I look forward to being a civilian again, and I look forward to continuing to be part of this blog. Hope to see you guys soon.final-chapter-neice.jpg (Francisco and his niece.)
15 Comments
Tamra
Explorer A
WELCOME HOME!!!!!!! USS BLOG BOY!!!! I have enjoyed your posts very much. Thank you for your service, and you insight to your work. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving....
Bob_in_CT
Explorer C
With you out of the Navy, I think SWA should offer you a nice position somewhere. You are our kind of people!!!
kikodelgado
Explorer A
Bob i did apply for reservations... had an interview but no luck!!! i will try again next year.. Happy Thanksgiving
Anne11
Explorer C
Hello and WELCOME HOME! I have so much enjoyed all of your blogs and pictures so THANK YOU for opening our eyes on the high seas and abroad with our military. Good luck on your newfound civilian life and we hope to hear again how things are going for you. Happy day and cheers!
Leah4
Frequent Flyer B
Welcome home, Francisco, & thanks for all you've done! 🙂 I know you'll have a wonderful Thanksgiving. God bless! I'm surprised & sorry you didn't have exciting news after your interview. 😞 I really thought you'd have been selected! Well, I'm glad you'll try again next year. Will it be for RSA again, something else, or both? Please keep us posted! SWA LUV! :) Thought for the day: I wonder what the "M" stands for in M & M's candy? 🙂
FriendofBlogBoy
Frequent Flyer B
Francisco, Hey buddy! It is so hard to believe that you are just one state away now after being on the other side of the world from me. I wonder if my e-mails arrive quicker in ABQ than in the Persian Gulf? LOL Your post reminds us of one of the things that we ALL have to give thanks for, and that is our incredible men and women of our Armed Services. So many people lay their lives on the line every day for millions of folks they'll never meet, just to help insure that we have the freedom to sit down together for a meal on Thanksgiving and the other 364 days of the year. Having you as a part of this blog has given it a humanness and heart that goes beyond airplanes and who gets to sit where. Reading your stories of cramped bunks, miserably hot and humid working conditions and the ever-present threat of being in harm's way puts things like getting an "A" boarding pass into a new perspective. It has been my personal pleasure to have gotten to know you better and to have made a new and great friend through this blog. One of these days, you're gonna make it to Big D, and when you do, don't forget the standing offer for a dinner that is my treat. Don't worry, I wont make you eat green chiles! I will join your family, along with my friends at SWA and on this blog, in welcoming you home in time for the holidays and in saying that one of the things we'll all be giving thanks for this year is your safe return! God bless you for your service and enjoy having a deck under you that doesn't sway! Your friend, Kim 🙂
FriendofBlogBoy
Frequent Flyer B
Leah, I'm not really sure -- I'm still trying to figure out what the W's mean in there with 'em! Kim Your Upside Down Texas friend 🙂
Scott5
Adventurer A
Going to BWI for the Army/Navy game? It's $167 from ABQ to BWI on the N/S It's $104 from BWI to ABQ on the12/4 n/s.
Scott5
Adventurer A
correction $167.90 on the 1st one and $109.40 on the 2nd one.
kikodelgado
Explorer A
Thanks Kim...... i will be in Dallas soon i promise... Scott thanks for the info.. shows once again that Southwest is cheaper.... Happy Thanksgiving everyone Leah... USS ????? BLOG BOY
Leah4
Frequent Flyer B
Hey, yeah, Kim! Maybe it would stand for "Wild & Wacky!" I don't know. 🙂 Francisco-am I missing something? I see my name on your comment. 🙂 Well, Happy Thanksgiving! :) I've a joke: What did the number one say to the number three? You're odd! Ah, ha, ha,ha. I made that up by my very own self! 🙂 SWA LUV! 🙂
Leah4
Frequent Flyer B
Francisco & Kim, the External Blog Boy, I wish you'd come to TUL sometime! Well, I obviously know you have, EBB, but you can come again! Well, I want all of my out-of-state SWA friends to come. That'd be cool if you could meet my friends in TUL who work for the Company. :) Francisco, I forgot to thank you for your posts! They, just like all of the other ones, are interesting! If I had something to post (more than just comments), I'd do it! I've another joke. What did the number 4 say to the number 6? Now we're even! Ha, ha, ha! I made that one up by my very own self, too! 🙂 SWA LUV! 🙂
chuchoteur
Adventurer B
Hi Francisco, Great to hear that you're back! Wow, what a change of lifestyle... will you not miss the sea too much, being in Albuquerque? Then again, just hop onto a SWA flight down to the coast... :o) Raphael
kikodelgado
Explorer A
I hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving.. yes i do miss the ocean but i rather have family than ocean anyday..... Francisco
Bruno_Melloni
Explorer C
Hello Francisco, My son Marco was in the ship with you but although we often talk to him, he does not go into much details of the life on ship. Reading your blog and seeing the photos gave me a great view of what his life must be like. Thank you. Bruno