Sometime before his retirement ,John was to perform a Navy retirement at the lake for a couple of our senior Seabees. Nobody did the “Watch” better than the Master Chief. The families of the retirees would have tears in their eyes as he performed the Watch. He connected them so well.
On that afternoon the families were arriving for the ceremony. John came to me and said he had a problem and needed my help. We went in the house and he explained the issue, he was not able to be in front of the families and troops to do the Watch, because of a health issue he couldn’t control that day. He told me I had seen the Watch enough times that with a little coaching I could pull it off, he asked me to do the Watch for him. Shocked and honored that he trusted me to carry the ceremony we started to practice the Watch. The Master Chief joked what was I worried about, we had. 15 minutes to practice!
I have no idea how I did that day, I think I did ok. The retirees and their families all thanked me.
I can tell you though that in my career I had the honor of performing the Watch at numerous retirements. Each time I did one I felt Master Chief Lyons was up there up there with me covering my back. I knew that because I saw the tears in families eyes.
I’ll never forget the faith he put in me.
CECS SCW Chuck Black (ret.)