Nick Co

I finished watching the HBO series Band of Brothers, which tells the story of a group of men as they progress through the WW2 European campaign. The series brings up many topics, but their camaraderie with each other reminded me of my connection with my past sailors. This line hit me the hardest:

“I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, ‘Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?’ Grandpa said ‘No…but I served in a company of heroes’.”

A passage from a letter Maj Winters received from Sergeant Mike Ranney

The quote had me pause and reflect. I thought back to all the young sailors I served alongside and the impact we had on each other as we completed our missions. I still carry the struggle, joys, and emotions that bonded us together. In fact, I often think about how I should have done more for them. Regardless, I know we have a connection few will have, and even fewer will understand.

I proceeded to comb through my contact lists and send a text to as many as I could with this general template:

Hey [name]! I’m leaving the Navy in Sept but wanted to make sure you know it was a privilege serving alongside you. Let’s keep in touch!
Nick Co

The responses were overwhelmingly positive, personal, and held by the bonds I mentioned. For me, it felt cathartic. Recognizing the “goodbye” to my past life while maintaining connections to the people who took the journey with me. It was like a big step towards the mindset shift involved in separating from the Military.