MILITARY MEMBERS active, reserve, retired, etc...

[Shinchu]

i did a search, didn't see anything, so...

i know we have some military here. feel free to come in here and tell sea stories, give advice, vent, or even if you aren't military come on in and show appreciation, ask about joining, etc...

so here it is. i guess i'll start?

joined the navy in 2000 from san diego.
first ship was in new jersey (right around the corner from where they filmed Clerks!) onboard USS Seattle. (it was also dry docked in philly for 8 months)
went to school to be an IT (comms) and got orders to the USS John C. Stennis in san diego
got married and went to japan for shore duty in Yokosuka.
came back home to san diego again this time another carrier USS Nimitz.
shore duty in point loma (san diego)
back to sea on the USS Peleliu in san diego, decommissioned her in 2015.
finished my sea tour on USS Lake Erie
now I'm on my final shore duty in san diego.
still trying to make chief.

but its been a hell of a ride. getting out at 20, even if i make it. time to take care of the family.

oh, and places I've been? pretty much everywhere in the pacific (minus korea?), Persian gulf, Puerto rico, st. martin, and Ireland.

now, as one of my favorite CO's used to say... "over to you..."

[svt923]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

first ship was in new jersey (right around the corner from where they filmed Clerks!) onboard USS Seattle. (it was also dry docked in philly for 8 months)

Earle Weapons Station?

[Ditchrat]

USCG 92-96
Boatswain mate.

Search and rescue, Law enforcement, fire fighting and all kinds of other fun stuff. Did four years at a small boat station with nothing to do in the winter but rescue the odd fisherman or blowboater. So I did a lot of temporary assigned duty.

Spent a few months with a bunch of fleet marines and squids on some big grey boat doing embargo inspection in the Gulf, got to do security for Bill Clinton(scum bag) Ha ha I'm out I can have a political opinion, did some other miscellaneous stuff in various parts of the world I'd rather just forget about.

And shit 17 years in, you would have made Senior if not Master by now and had your own command of a station or XO of a patrol boat.

"Work smart, not Harder"

"Any port in a storm" certainly applies to all night drunken benders.

[Pushjerk]

Thanks from the bottom of my heart to all you Dudes and Dudettes who serve and have served.

10 years as a Navy Cryptologist and Naval Aircrewman - got to fly over all sorts of shitty places on various P-3 platforms for many years.

I'm a civilian now going on 5 years. My wife remains Active Duty, so I guess that makes me a Navy Wife.

[Shinchu]

Originally Posted by svt923

Earle Weapons Station?

YUP! Naval Weapons Station Earle! and that crappy 3 mile pier we had to take a bus back and forth... reason for that length of pier is insane but makes sense.
i was in deck dept. on that ship (i wasn't rated yet so i wasn't officially a boatswains mate but i got a ton of love for deck and always hook them up) so my fellow deck apes and i would take a train up to NYC all the time, sometimes head to redbank or sandy hook to party. and yes, redbank... the home of jay and silent bob's secret stash! i still have a couple shirts i bought from there. my friend swears we got rung up by the guy who says "TELL EM, STEVE-DAVE!" haha love those movies.
then we went to philly for drydock. that was awesome. Its true, the only good place for a philly cheese steak... is in philly!

Ditchrat when you say at 17 years i could have been a senior or master chief... ouch. lol I've been stuck as an E-6 for almost 8 years now. my last ship i worked for a senior chief who was 1 year younger than me. that hurt a little too.
but yeah when i was in deck, that was some good times. simple, yet rewarding work. felt like you had accomplished something at the end of the day. low stress (unless you are on bridge watch!) and i love working outdoors with my hands.

Pushjerk, i work with a retired P3 guy. where have you been stationed maybe you know him? navy wife hahaha

its crazy all of us so far are nautical.
and i couldn't have said it better but i'll try...

THANK YOU ALL for your service!!!

[BigSki]

Congrats for making it to 20 years and thanks for your committed service !

I was a Jar head, 1986- 1991 stationed at Camp Pendleton. Amtracs, (1833) so I did 2 WestPacs on the USS Bristol County. (LST Gator class) The Peleliu was our LHA for both deployments. That big number '5' up in the sky showed us the way home more than twice while trying to stumble back to the docks. I got out after the first Gulf War.

Lots of wisdoms to pass on, this one always stays fresh in me head. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst".

[Ditchrat]

The guard is small so it's alot different then the other services. Cheifs are routinely OINC's and units are spread out so their are a lot of opportunities for advancement.

The OINC at my station could have been a Chief, Senior or Master. But normally they put the Seniors and Masters on patrol boats to keep the 2nd LT's from running their commands aground.

[Mike Flea]

I enlisted in the Army on the Delayed Entry Program in April '77, while I was still a senior in high school, went active duty at the end of August '77.

Did Basic and Advance Training at Ft Sill, Ok., Field Artillery. Rank: Pvt.

First Duty assignment was 3 yrs in Hawaii at Schofield Barracks, 2/11th Field Artillery Battalion, M102, 105mm gun. Rank: Spec 4.

Rotated to Yuma Proving Grounds in December '80, tested munitions, weapons, and weapon carriers, everything from a .22 to a 16 inch Navy gun. Rank: Sgt

In June of '82, they sent me to Greece (NATO), to work with and train the Greek Army on M115 8 inch Towed Howitzers.

June of '83, they sent me back to the states, to the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Ft Bliss, Texas, in El Paso. M109, 155mm self propelled gun battery attached to a tank battalion.

Honorably Discharged March '84.

[cmbscx10]

Just saying thanks to all Serviceman, Servicewomen and their families. Thank you from myself, my family to you and yours. While i was the only male in my family to unfortunately not serve, i with all deepest thanks and admiration appreciate your service that allow me to be able to even write this.

I am 45yo so you can do some math to figure the first 2 out. My Moms parents were born in 1898.
Great Grandfather (Mom Side) - IRB
Grandfather (Mom Side) - IRB
Grandfather (Dad Side) - Royal Navy WW1
Uncle (Mom Side) - Navy Sonar Operator WW2
Dad - Army 1964-69
Nephew 1 - Navy 2010-15
Nephew 2 - Navy 2011-16
* Countless friends and extended family

[CM9000]

91B in the ARMY. early 2012- late 2015.

2 years in South Korea. 1 year at FT Campbell.

had good times. worked mostly.

now im at DDC and get 30% from the VA.

[Peaker]

I was not allowed to serve my country, and mind you this was in the 80ties when it was my time.

And its not like i was a known criminal or anything back then,,, or ever for that matter, but i was just told " NOPE- not even a reason for you to draw a number you have been declared not needed"
I then proceeded to ask if i could enlist on my own as i would like to be educated a weapon mechanic in the army, but i was told no when you cant carry a weapon you cant fix them.

If only they knew what i had done and was doing at the time with firearms and other milliary paraphernalia
I would have made a most excellent weapons mechanic, and a damn good soldier too i am sure.
But as they / i say,,,, Their loss not mine.

I do think the prime reason was my father where and still are i think a prime member of the Danish communist party, or at best me being pretty skinny back then but the doctors i saw before standing tall before the man dident say anything in regard to that.
For sure i would have been able to lug around a M2 for 12 months as the draft was back there in those days, its only now decades later my back are somewhat problematic.

[kgb424]

I was talked into joining the Navy while still in high school, went to boot camp between my junior and senior years, went to Navy See Bee A school to be a EO equipment operator 2 months after I graduated High school in 88, and before my A school was over

I switched from active duty to reserves, they were looking for volunteers, I was one of the first ones to sign up, Active duty was not my thing, I did my reserve time and got out, didn't see any action or go any where except for boot camp in San Diego and

A school in Gulfport Miss, and 2 weeks a year we drilled, the rest of the time I slept

[svt923]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

YUP! Naval Weapons Station Earle! and that crappy 3 mile pier we had to take a bus back and forth... reason for that length of pier is insane but makes sense.
i was in deck dept. on that ship (i wasn't rated yet so i wasn't officially a boatswains mate but i got a ton of love for deck and always hook them up) so my fellow deck apes and i would take a train up to NYC all the time, sometimes head to redbank or sandy hook to party. and yes, redbank... the home of jay and silent bob's secret stash! i still have a couple shirts i bought from there. my friend swears we got rung up by the guy who says "TELL EM, STEVE-DAVE!" haha love those movies.
then we went to philly for drydock. that was awesome. Its true, the only good place for a philly cheese steak... is in philly!

Funny you mentioned Sandy Hook, my grandfather was in the Coast Guard and stationed there in the 40s. He actually turned off the Sandy Hook lighthouse at the beginning of WWII and turned it back on at the end.

[Shinchu]

Originally Posted by BigSki

Congrats for making it to 20 years and thanks for your committed service !

I was a Jar head, 1986- 1991 stationed at Camp Pendleton. Amtracs, (1833) so I did 2 WestPacs on the USS Bristol County. (LST Gator class) The Peleliu was our LHA for both deployments. That big number '5' up in the sky showed us the way home more than twice while trying to stumble back to the docks. I got out after the first Gulf War.

Lots of wisdoms to pass on, this one always stays fresh in me head. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst".

Hoo yah iron nickle!!!
She was my favorite ship and it was an honor to take her on her final deployment and lay her to rest.
Even though the stern dock door fell down (30 ton steel sliding door) during amphib ops around 0200. Was such a big impact it shook me awake in my rack all the way up forward. I jumped out of my rack and got ready for general quarters on instict. Thought it was a mine or something.
Still my favorite ship. She had a whole "never give up, keep pushing even if you are falling apart" kind of vibe. I miss that old gal.
Also, i grew up next to pendalton in oceanside, just went to del mar beach on base a couple months ago, right accross from the amtrack school.

Hey thank you all for serving, even those who couldnt... the fact you are posting in here shows me your heart is in the right place. Thank you for your support!

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

Hoo yah iron nickle!!!
She was my favorite ship and it was an honor to take her on her final deployment and lay her to rest.
Even though the stern dock door fell down (30 ton steel sliding door) during amphib ops around 0200. Was such a big impact it shook me awake in my rack all the way up forward. I jumped out of my rack and got ready for general quarters on instict. Thought it was a mine or something.
Still my favorite ship. She had a whole "never give up, keep pushing even if you are falling apart" kind of vibe. I miss that old gal.
Also, i grew up next to pendalton in oceanside, just went to del mar beach on base a couple months ago, right accross from the amtrack school.

Hey thank you all for serving, even those who couldnt... the fact you are posting in here shows me your heart is in the right place. Thank you for your support!

Good old Oceanside ! The Sand Bar near Carlsbad.. Just last year I was looking at Pendleton and DelMar, 21 area (where I was located) on Gargle Earth.. It has changed considerably although I could still locate my old BEQ building and certain land marks. The AAV ramp appears to have been moved away from the edge of the Jetty to a location farther down the beach. What a great time in my life, even if I didn't realize it at that moment.

I saw a video of #5 being turned into a natural reef, that actually sent a chill down my spine because I remember walking across her decks and somehow finding the well deck. Such a unique experience to just float into the stern of her as opposed to thread a tiny needle and landing on the ramp of the LST and trying to avoid being washed off of it during heavy seas.

I believe that the 'Bristol Chicken' and the 'Fast Freddy" are also diver destinations now. So much time has passed but somehow my mind thinks that it was only a few years ago.

Best wishes for you in retirement and wherever the journey takes you next.