Retired admiral Elmo Zumwalt died Sunday at the age of 79. I served after he was gone but his influences were still felt. He relaxed many annoying regulations and allowed beards to be worn. In the early eighties they were rolling back a lot of his reforms and the beard regulation was revoked five months before I got out. Beards where phased out starting with junior enlisted, officers and CPOs but on Jan 1, 85 petty officers who make up the bulk of the navy all had to shave.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release January 2, 2000
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Admiral
Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., today.
In both wartime and peacetime, Admiral Zumwalt exemplified the
ideal of service to our Nation. He was a genuine patriot with an
astonishing life story. A distinguished veteran of World War II,
Korea and Vietnam, he rose to become the Chief of Naval Operations, the
Navy’s top post. As CNO, he worked vigorously to improve our
sailors’ quality of life and devoted himself to eliminating
discrimination in the Navy.
But more than most Americans who have served our country with
distinction, Admiral Zumwalt paid a deeply personal price for his
dedication when his son died of an ailment related to service in
Vietnam. Admiral Zumwalt became a great champion of veterans with
war-related health problems. He established the veterans with
war-related health problems. He established the first national bone
marrow donor program to help cancer patients in need. He never
stopped fighting for the interests, the rights and the dignity of
soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and their families.
Admiral Zumwalt was one of the greatest models of integrity,
leadership and genuine humanity our nation has ever produced. I was
proud to award him the Medal of Freedom in 1998 for his lifetime of
dedicated public service.
At this time of sorrow, our prayers and sympathies go out to his
family and friends.
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Easy one-step assembly instructions.
Pour Beer A in Uncle B.
Almost as tragic as Jeremy Boorda’s death.
Zoomie was a true sailor’s sailor.
That’s an interesting take ChiefScott. I would not call Z’s death tragic at all. He lived a long and full life. Jeremy Boorda’s death was a tragedy though. He had a sense of honor that the current C in C will never understand.
They don’t call me the colonel because I’m some dumb ass army guy.