Never Let Go
Dark eyes surveyed the room, every chair filled, men and women. He took in their faces as he stood, silently. All of them blank, just an edge of cockiness. One or two very serious faces, all of them respectful enough, as the Captain finished his short introduction.
"Usually, Captain makes this speech, and it is usually pretty good, lighthearted, but with real meaning. Last year, we quoted it a lot. 'When God rips houses off the ground, we go out...' " he trailed off, as the new class laughed a little. "But as an alumni from last years class, I was asked to come and speak. Since my graduation, and must subsequent assignment to Kodiak, I have one number to tell you.
"That Number is Two. This is not my number of saves. This is the number I have lost. The only number that I keep track of; the only number that matters. It shouldn't be me standing up here, talking. It should be another man, a better man. His number out of an illustrious thirty-year career with the U.S. Cost Guard was twenty-two.
'His name was Ben Randall. He was my teacher, my mentor, a friend and a father to me. So these words that I chose to say now, these are his words.
'Can you lay your life down, so a stranger might live? Could you close every day, without the glory and fame? Could you hold your head high, when no one knows your name? Can you lose everything, you ever had planned? Could you risk everything, for the chance of being alone? Under pressure find the grace, or would you come undone?
'We say goodbye, but never let go. We live, we die, cause you can't save every soul. Gotta take every chance to, show that you're the kinda man who; Will never look back, never look down, and never let go.
The faces before him swam as a sea of images merged into his field of vision. They were indistinguishable.
"Ben Randall was, and is, the best person I've ever met. He is my number two. I couldn't save him, but he was able to save me. His last save. The only reason that I'm here right now is that Ben Randal came out of retirement because I reached bingo and stayed on the capsizing ship. The only reason I'm here, today, is because when our cable was close to snapping, Ben Randall unclipped himself. The only reason that I'm alive is because when I caught him by the hand, her tore off his glove. The only reason... he gave his life, for mine.
'My name is Jake Fischer. I am proud to honor Senior Chief Randall's name with as many successful saves as I can. He is what you all aspire to be. The level that he reached - that is my goal. He is the epitome of a United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer. Here, you will all strive to be him. Each and every one of you here wants to be a Ben Randall, and can be.
"You see that plaque on the wall, with my name all over it? Last year, Randall's name held each of those positions. But I still haven't beaten all of his records. I don't think anyone can beat him. For twenty minutes, resulting in the tearing of every tendon in his hand and the dislocation of his shoulder, Ben Randall held the last living man by his fingertips from the helicopter until they reached base, because the cable on the cage snapped.
'That's why I don't deserve to be up here speaking to all of you. I couldn't save him. But you will learn to save others. It is what you are here to learn, it is what we do.
'There is a legend of a man, who lives beneath the sea. He's a fisher of men. A last hope for all those who have been left behind. He is known as The Guardian. Senior Chief Ben Randall.
Welcome to 'A' School, people.
OORAH
To Kevin, again, With much love and tears.