JC’s Navy & Marine updates – USS Monterey Celebrates Mother’s Day

The First Class Petty Officer Association (FCPOA) aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey celebrated Mother’s Day with a special brunch and poetry, May 12.

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class David Paez, vice president of the FCPOA, kicked off the event by reading a special poem for his mother over the ship’s general announcing system.

“Some roses are red, they say violets are blue,” said Paez. “So I write a poem of love and of beauty; I write it for you. For it was you who chased away the nightmares, and taught me to be strong, to love, to live, to laugh. Who made me smile when I was down, and guided me when I was wrong…I may win some, I may lose some but forever I love you.”

Members of the FCPOA helped in preparing food, setting up tables, printing out menus and poems and serving meals for all the mothers aboard the ship.

“We show all the mothers that we appreciate them, especially, the ones who serve on the ship,” said Paez. “When I see them laughing, I know our efforts have paid off.”

The ship’s culinary specialists spent many hours preparing the special meal and deserts for mothers.

“The event gave culinary specialists a chance to cook a special meal for the crew, to show their skills, and to build morale on the ship,” said Ensign Kimberly Robillard, the ship’s food service officer.

Senior Chief Gas Turbine System Technician Paribia Reed felt blessed and emotional when she was honored by the FCPOA.

“My mom passed away and I was raised by my grandmother until she passed away,” said Reed. “My Aunt Michele took care of me after that. So for me, Mother’s Day brings back a lot of memories.”

Reed said if she was home today she would take her Aunt Michele to dinner, buy her flowers and write a poem for her. Since she was deployed aboard Monterey this year, she wrote a poem for all mothers aboard the ship instead.

“As a child we dreamed of being a mother, or pretended that we were. Now our dreams have come true, and those make believes are now a blur. Leaving our children behind is a challenge within itself, but God has made us strong…Leaving our children is the hardest part of what we do. However, it’s a little easier when you’re a part of the world’s finest armed forces and USS Monterey crew. To all the moms, happy Mother’s Day to you!”

Monterey is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Press Release, May 15, 2013; Image: Wikimedia