Shaping Up

I retired from the Navy six years ago after 22 years of active service. I used to embrace the saying “Drink and cuss like a sailor” with reckless abandon. The bulk of my drinking happened while I was on active duty. I always assumed my alcoholism was my personal problem and that it didn’t affect my ability to lead, mentor and train sailors. I assumed that if drinking were affecting my work someone would tell me, right? I mean, come on, they called us “drunken sailor” for a reason—and I was good at it.