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Military ways are quite enigmatic, resulting in an alien world where acronyms often replace words and where “1330” is a time of day. Add to that, the Navy is not only military, it is nautical, which means that centuries of sea-going terminology and practices are added to the confusion. While the young men and women who sign on to become Sailors in the United States Navy receive extensive indoctrination and training, their parents do not. As their sons and daughters are becoming uniformed, the parents soon find themselves rapidly becoming uninformed.<p>This book serves as the antidote to that debilitating disease of “uninformity.” In these pages parents will find many of the mysteries of the Navy explained. It is both a translation guide—helping parents to understand the many new terms they will be hearing—and also a cultural guide, an explanation of their son’s or daughter’s chosen new world that includes high standards and a level of dedication not found in most walks of life. Alongside chapters covering uniforms, ranks, ships, and aircraft, parents will find explanations and guidance as to what to expect when their child first joins the Navy, the many benefits their Sailor will enjoy, and what parents should bring and do when visiting their Sailors in their new and somewhat alien world.<p>Derived from another Naval Institute Press book by the same author, The Citizen’s Guide to the U.S. Navy, this informative book is a highly accessible guide that explains the strange ways of the Navy in terms that non-Sailors can understand. In nine short chapters, the author reveals such things as the many titles that military people have, the various alphanumeric designations that military personnel use to identify and distinguish themselves, the organization of the Navy and the Department of Defense, the origins and practices of such things as saluting, flag etiquette, side boys, and odd language (such as “aye-aye”), and an explanation of the many missions of the Navy. Also included is a primer on the various ships and aircraft that make up today’s fleet, a guide to “reading” a uniform, and the demystification of such things as the phonetic alphabet and military time.<p>Designed to be an easy read for those who want the whole story, The Parent’s Guide to the Navy is also a useful reference work, easily “navigated” to find needed information.<p>While parents need not be experts on the Navy, there is a middle ground that this book serves by providing a readable, edifying, and often entertaining explanation of this important but sometimes mysterious branch of the U.S. armed forces.

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Adopted by the U.S. Navy for issue to all new Sailors, A Sailor&#8217;s History of the U.S. Navy brings to life the events that have shaped and inspired the Navy of today while highlighting the roles of all Sailors&#151;from seaman to admiral. Rather than focus entirely upon such naval icons as Stephen Decatur and Chester Nimitz, as most histories do, author Thomas J. Cutler, a retired lieutenant commander and former second class petty officer, brings to the forefront the contributions of enlisted people. You&#8217;ll read about Quartermaster Peter Williams, who steered the ironclad Monitor into history, and Hospital Corpsman Tayinikia Campbell, who saved lives in USS Cole after she was struck by terrorists in Yemen.Unlike most histories, A Sailor&#8217;s History is arranged thematically rather than chronologically. Chapters are built around the Navy&#8217;s core values of honor, courage, and commitment, its traditions of «Don&#8217;t Tread on Me» and «Don&#8217;t Give Up the Ship,» and other significant aspects of the Navy.As Cutler states in his preface, the book is not a whitewash. He includes mistakes and defeats along with the achievements and victories as he draws a portrait of a Navy growing stronger and smarter while turning tragedy into triumph. The result is a unique account that captures the Navy&#8217;s heritage as much as its history and provides inspiration as well as information while emphasizing that most essential element of naval history: the Sailor.

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Just as Thomas Cutler's The Bluejacket's Manual serves as the standard introduction and continuing reference guide for American sailors, this new handbook provides a basic reference guide for civilians working for the U.S. Navy. It will acquaint them with the Navy's world of acronyms, n-codes, uniforms, and customs. The author explains that a big step toward fitting in has always been learning how to talk the talk and walk the walk, and this guide provides new employees and veteran workers alike with the words and steps needed to succeed in the Navy.

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Most Americans know little about their Navy and learning about it can be daunting. But this informative yet highly accessible guide explains the sometimes strange ways of the U.S. Navy in terms civilians can understand. It addresses such things as the many titles military people have, the alphanumeric designations used to identify military personnel, the organization of the Navy and its many missions, the origin and practice of such things as saluting, flag etiquette, and side boys. Also included are an overview of the Navy's colorful history, a primer on Navy ships and aircraft, a guide to «reading» a uniform, and the demystification of the phonetic alphabet and military time. Designed as a quick read for those who want the full story, this handbook can also be used as a handy reference full of essential facts.

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The last great naval battle of World War II, Leyte Gulf also is remembered as the biggest naval battle ever fought anywhere, and this book has been called the best account of it ever written. First published in hardcover on the battle's fiftieth anniversary in 1994 and drawing on materials not previously available, it blends history with human drama to give a real sense of what happened–despite the mammoth scope of the battle. Every facet of naval warfare was involved in the struggle that engaged some two hundred thousand men and 282 American, Japanese, and Australian ships over more than a hundred thousand square miles of sea. That Tom Cutler succeeded at such a difficult task is no surprise. The award-winning author saw combat service aboard many types of ships during his naval career, and as a historian and professor of strategy and policy at the Naval War College, he has studied the battle for many years.Cutler captures the milieu, analyzes the strategy and tactics employed, and re-creates the experiences of the participants–from seaman to admiral, both Japanese and American. It is a story replete with awe-inspiring heroism, failed intelligence, flawed strategy, brilliant deception, great controversies, and a cast of characters with names like Halsey, Nimitz, Ozawa, and MacArthur. Such an exciting and revealing account of the battle is unlikely to be equaled by future writers.

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The men of the U.S. Navy's brown-water force played a vital but often overlooked role in the Vietnam War. Known for their black berets and limitless courage, they maneuvered their aging, makeshift craft along shallow coastal waters and twisting inland waterways to search out the enemy. In this moving tribute to their contributions and sacrifices, Tom Cutler records their dramatic story as only a participant could. His own Vietnam experience enables him to add a striking human dimension to the account. The terror of firefights along the jungle-lined rivers, the rigors of camp life, and the sudden perils of guerrilla warfare are conveyed with authenticity. At the same time, the author's training as a historian allows him to objectively describe the scope of the navy's operations and evaluate their effectiveness.Winner of the Navy League's Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement in 1988 when the book was first published, Cutler is credited with having written the definitive history of the brown-water sailors, an effort that has helped readers better understand the nature of U.S. involvement in the war.

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