"I had no idea that we had a large naval base at Rota in the Andalucian province of Cádiz, from which the Navy kept track of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean. Suddenly, a Chief Petty Officer called my name, “Dawes, you lucky bastard, you are going to Rota, Spain.”
Gerry, Last time I was trawling for interesting stuff around Jerez I recall asking someone if there were ever red grapes in the region. The response was the the main vineyards were taken over by the US Naval base near Cadiz. And that several grapes were made extinct by that American colonization of Spain. Do you know anything about this?
Your departure from Rota suggests there is justice in the universe and hope for the future. It is ironic that, after the destruction of Rota's vineyards (if I have my story straight) and the bigger, more destructive colonization of Spanish regional wine styles by market demand for high spoofulated, identikit New World driven 'international' wine styles, you have probably done more to champion Spain's great wine traditions and helped preserve these from serious polution, if not outright extinction.
BTW, Thinking about Veterans Day your biography goes a long way toward celebrating how many, unsung American vets like yourself have gone about quietly repairing America's reputation abroad. There are many ways to serve one's country well and you've done more than your fair share.