Feeling at home on a carrier in the Atlantic Ocean

Earlier this month, I took the U.S. Navy up on their invitation to spend a weekend on board the carrier USS George Washington as part of my ongoing work as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. It was an unforgettable and informative experience, but the highlight was meeting sailors from Maine who serve on the ship.

I had dinner with a group of about 10 sailors from around Maine hailing from Bucksport, Durham, Fort Kent, Phippsburg, Brunswick, Portland, Waldoboro and points in between. Most of them had enlisted in the Navy right out of high school, and some planned to stay in the Navy, while others had plans to leave in the next few years. But no matter their plans for the future, they all shared an immense pride in what they are doing now aboard an amazing ship.

The next morning, I had breakfast with a few naval aviators who had spent time at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. And a lot of the talk was that closing the base in Brunswick was a strategic mistake (I couldn't agree more). Now, we're lucky that the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority and others are doing great work to replace the jobs lost from the base closure and build economic growth, but it's difficult to replace the spirit that the Navy brought to the area. That same spirit of community was on fine display on the deck of the carrier, and perhaps that was part of the reason I felt so at home.