I joined USSVI 20 years ago. A first class Quartermaster Jerry Tighe brought me down to 40 School Street and introduced me to Joe Negri.

My first impression was pretty negative. I felt that it was an expansion of the Chief's club. It was just a bunch of "Old Farts". Why would I want to be part of this group. I saw no reason why a 22 year old, on Active Duty would want to be part of this.

Joe, saw in my eyes what I was thinking. He told me in his gruff voice "feel out of place kid?" "Feel like you don't belong here"? "Would rather be some where's else chasing some skirt wouldn't you"?. I answered that he was correct in all of his assumptions. Joe then said "that there were 3,800 other sailors at the bottom of the ocean who served on Submarines that also felt out of place. Felt that they didn't belong there, and like me would rather be some where's else chasing some skirt".

He then went on "that Being a member of SUBVETS was all about remembering those guys at the bottom of the ocean, who had paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. He said sure they could have done something else, but they chose Submarines, just like I had". He said being a SUBVET was about pride in our dolphins, and making sure that those around us, knew what Submariners had accomplished, not just in WWII, but since the inception of Submarines, and commissioning of HOLLAND, and the sacrifices that we had paid".

Joe then went on to tell me that being a SUBVET was about dolphin wearing shipmates. Guys who had all had the same or similar experiences. He said I could join some other group like the VFW, or the FRA, but none of them have the uniqueness of all being Submariners. He said "When you go out, who do you go out with?" I said I go out with guys on my boat"? Guys that have served on Submarines." He said exactly. And in 20 or 30 or 40 years from now after you've long left the navy and look back on your life these days when you were having good times with Shipmates will be remembered as the best days of your life.

He said that being a member of SUBVETS served two purposes. Remembering our Shipmates, and maintaining comradery with those who have done the same unique things as I have on Submarines are the two fundamental reasons why one should be a member of SUBVETS".

Papa Joe also cautioned me that the USSVI organization had it's share of Bullshit, and arguing, but to look through that crap, and keep the two fundamental reasons for this organization in mind.

I was convinced. I coughed up the $15.00 bucks, and became a proud card carrying member of USSVI.

Over the years, Joe Negri and I would have many conversations, and I could see inside his head, where he was coming from. When people would say "Why do I want to be a member, I don't drink" Joe would go off and tell them being a member of SUBVETS was not about this club house at 40 School Street. The club house was just a nice thing that Groton had." "That drinking had nothing to do with being a member". That instead it was about remembering guys who died on Submarines with names like Scorpion, Thresher, Wahoo, and Growler and 50 other Submarines that weren't able to drink because they were lost serving their country.

Another favorite line was the guys who would say I'm getting out of the Navy, and moving across the country so I won't be able to attend meetings, or be involved. He would then talk about the many shipmates who lived all over the country who couldn't come to meetings, but would stay involved with the organization just by their membership. That their membership alone showed their support in our creed, and what we believed in.

Well those are my many reasons for joining and staying as a member of USSVI.

I guess that the bottom line reason was Joe Negri, but his philosophies were in the right place as far as I was concerned, and his visions were always 20 years down the road. Joe was liked by many, and disliked by many more because he was outspoken, and because he believed in what USSVI was all about. To me he was a friend, and a Shipmate that I had an awful lot of respect for, and I adopted many of his philosophies.

Gumba