In the 1990s, videos of crossing the line ceremonies, and reports on the Tailhook scandal brought a lot of public attention to military initiation rituals. As a result, the Navy issued instructions to limit harassment and hazing in these ceremonies and change the public’s perception of the military (Bronner 2006, 50; Sims and Stephens 2011c, 128). Scandals surrounding the crossing the line initiation ceremonies in other countries have led to changes to their naval policies as well. The most recent Naval Instruction that provides guidance on the conduct of ceremonies, customs, and traditions, SECNAV Instruction 1610.2a, encourages the continuation of rituals and traditions, like the crossing the line ceremony, but discourages activities that could cause harm or offend the dignity of the sailors (U.S.Department of the Navy 2012, 1). While many aspects of the ceremony remain, the elements that could be considered humiliating or harmful, like eating out of the Royal Baby’s bellybutton or crawling on non-skid surfaces, have been toned down or replaced with exercise (Bronner 2006, 51). Participation in the crossing the line ceremony is now voluntary, and participants can quit at any time; however, they will not be awarded the coveted title of shellback and will not receive their certificate. Many of the sailors and veterans who complain that these changes disrespect the naval traditions forget that rituals change over time to meet the needs of the current members of the group (Sims and Stephens 2011b, 80). The hardships and danger of shipboard life have lessened somewhat since the days of sailing ships, but the need for teamwork and cooperation among a diverse crew continues. Although many older sailors are nostalgic for the rituals and traditions that they experienced, the changes to the crossing the line ceremony are more representative of the values of the modern Navy and reflect past traditions where participation in this ceremony was optional (Bronner 2006, 52).