Now this, I think, kicks ass.  This is actually a photo from the New York Times website, of some of the munitions crew on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in the Indian Ocean during the U.S. retaliation after 9/11.  My cousin Victor is in the upper row, in the red shirt behind the bomb (basically right in the middle).  From what I hear, these guys are working 18 hour days loading bombs and missiles on the very jets that at the time of this writing, are whacking al Qaeda's Tora Bora hideout like a pinata.  And I swear, the guy to Victor's right (in the navy blue uniform) looks just like Derek.
 
 

Strangely enough, my friend Philip (center, receiving something from captain), who I haven't seen since first grade, is also in the Navy, the ROTC at the University of Illinois, to be precise.  This is incredible.  Actually, both Philip and Victor entered the service at perhaps a less-than-great time: just a bit before September 11.

Philip and his father, at the swearing-in ceremony.

That's Phil in the middle with the, uh, rocket launcher.  (I actually can't identify any of those weapons at all, which is kinda unusual.)  I don't think they're going squirrel hunting . . .
 
 

And's that's all for now . . . I've got plenty more pictures in the other albums, take a look!
 

Other Albums:
(Hawaii)
Convention Summer 2000
Paintball outing/Birthdays, Sometime in August, 2001
A Visit To The Capital, December, 2001
Kayaking and Home in Hawaii, Winter 2001
Back to UVA, Spring Semester 2002