Living the Creed
Navy celebrates 241 years of service
13 October 2016
The "Sailor's Creed" was written by a "Blue Ribbon Recruit Training Panel" in 1993 at the direction of Adm. Frank Kelso, former Chief of Naval Operations. Since then it has become a staple in Navy culture, often recited like a pledge of allegiance, reminding all service members of whom they are, and why they serve.
As the Navy celebrates 241 years of service to this nation, we take a look back to past All Hands Magazine Stories and the Sailors that exemplify each line of the "Sailor's Creed."
I am a United States Sailor.
"To represent your country in any magnitude is a blessing," said Seaman Rodney Martin, a former Olympic sprinter. "To give back to your country through your service is a blessing for any man." -
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I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me.
Former prisoner of war, retired Cmdr. Everett Alvarez, Jr., said while in captivity it was men like Adm. Stockdale and Adm. Lawrence who kept them from giving up hope. "As the senior naval officer he [Stockdale] accepted full responsibility and never wavered. They never forgot us, and they were always there to help." -
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I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.
"I'd known for a while that I was going to join the Navy because my father was in the Navy," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Quill. "It's something I had always been interested in and I wanted to serve my country. I also figured it would be a good way to grow up." -
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I proudly serve my country's Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment.
"I was up at the front clearing the way for the team," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor Morris. "And they called me to the back to clear a path into the building. The idea was to strongpoint that building and fight back from there. As I was doing that, my detector went right over top of something, but it never went off so I stepped on that. It was a pressure plate buried under the ground which set off an IED." -
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I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.
"I vividly remember an elderly woman who I encountered frequently while I was stationed in Italy," said Chief Petty Officer Yuly Mejia. "She was closed-minded about the U.S. presence there, but through me being respectful, greeting her in Italian and simply smiling, I could see that her attitude toward us had changed. She realized that we were there to do our job: to support not only our country, but also our allies and to keep the world safe from threats. That's when I fully understood the role I played as an ambassador of our nation. A role I fulfill proudly every day." -
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