Kinda related to occupation topic...former military?

[fig]

I noticed in the occupation thread that there are some former sailors onboard here. I retired from the Navy in 1996, 20 years being a nice round number. Had killer duty stations and over all, a buttload of fun. Got to see 21 countries, and the work never got boring. Even got to play in the preliminary Gulf War stuff (Desert Sheild, just before Storm). Ibescotty, I was an AE also. Love ya, man! Addix, love ya too, even though you were a blackshoe.. Those were some great times (except going to sea, which sucked butt as far as family separation).

 

Anyway, just wonderin' how many other members here have served our country, either former or retired military.

[ibescotty]

I never went to sea. I was in P-3's. VQ specifically. Saw 15 countries in 5 years though. I was at the end of storm and several operations after that. Vigilent something or other. Can't remember. Got a star on my south west asia for the change in operation name. Nice!! Got on CNN for a wild party. Moto after that was NO VIDEO!!

 

I sensed from your discription that you were an AE as well. We are now bass playing AE breatheren!

 

I taught myself to play bass while in the Navy. It was a really good sideline. Saved me lots of money whenever I was in Japan. I'd stick to the room and work on my chops!! Picked up jam sessions where I could. I traveled a lot so there wasn't anything to steady.

 

Fly Navy

[Addix Metzatricity]

Well, I was an ET. I was on a ship once. I took a tour of an FFG that had come into Baltimore harbor. I can't believe people LIVE on those tiny things!!!

 

I worked on the ASR-8 (AN/GPN-27) Air Survaillance Radar. Same one they have at every airport. I only got to see 3 cities. Chicago, Pensacola, and Patuxent River, MD... No good stories for me.

[OpaBobby]

Spent 11 years in the Navy as a Communications Tech from 71-81. First five years in the MED the rest of the time in Hawaii and West Pac/Indian Ocean. Most of the time deployed. Spent 1 Christmas in 11 years at home, stateside. Couldn't begin to count the number of countries I was in. Let's just say most of them.

Wouldn't trade it for the world. And, wouldn't go back for two worlds.

B

[fantasticsound]

Please accept my sincere respect for those of you who served our country in the Navy.

 

Although I never served, I was fortunate to help entertain seamen on the U.S.S J.F.K. and U.S.S. Vicksburg last year, in support of the war in Afghanistan. I was also lucky to become a tailhooker in the process! (Aboard a COD.)

 

I'd say you have to be really committed to serve months at a time at sea. The carrier, huge as it is, doesn't offer a whole lot of choices when you have some down time. I'll bet it doesn't seem so big after a few weeks work at sea. Need I say how small a 580+ ft. cruiser seems after a short time.

 

Everyone we encountered was very enthusiastic and kind. I only hope someone was able to come entertain you guys during your time in the service.

[fig]

Fantasticsound, I saw two USO shows while at sea, and let me tell you, it was great. What a wonderful change from the routine at sea. Thanks for contributing your time. I know those guys really enjoyed it.

 

By the way, damn you for being a tailhooker! All those years of fixin' the planes, I never had a catapult shot or arrested landing. You're one up on me, and I did it for twenty years. Way cool.

[bruiser_dup2]

USN, 1968 to 1972. I was an IM (a what?? an Instrumentman) and worked in calibration labs. I served on three different sub tenders, the USS Simon Lake (AS-33), Canopus (AS-34) and Dixon (AS-37).

 

My first duty station was Holy Loch, Scotland, (the coldest, wettest place I've ever been) then San Diego (ahh, beautiful San Diego).

 

The most exciting place on about Holy Loch-- with all the Polaris-launching subs along side, there was more firepower nestled in that little bay than had been expended in all the wars in the history of the world.

 

I have two nephews in the navy now; one's an Air Ordinanceman and the other is a lieutenant.

 

Bruiser

[Addix Metzatricity]

Originally posted by Bruiser:

I was an IM (a what?? an Instrumentman)

I'd only met 1 IM during my Naval career. And he was cross-rating to ET.. He must have been one of the last, I think they're all ETs or EMs now.

[Addix Metzatricity]

Hey, I've got an on-topic question.

 

How many of you still have your Bluejackets Manuals?

 

I don't have mine... All I kept was my Dress Blues (I forgot to keep the neckercheif, though) and coveralls.

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by fig:

Fantasticsound, I saw two USO shows while at sea, and let me tell you, it was great. What a wonderful change from the routine at sea. Thanks for contributing your time. I know those guys really enjoyed it.

 

By the way, damn you for being a tailhooker! All those years of fixin' the planes, I never had a catapult shot or arrested landing. You're one up on me, and I did it for twenty years. Way cool.

Believe me, it was our pleasure to serve in our own, small way.

 

I was wondering if I'd get that reaction to our tailhook experience. I didn't realize until we were aboard that of the 4000+ sailors, virtually none of them would ever get the chance to be hooked or launched. It was quite an experience. Our contact aboard the JFK walked us up to the flight deck when we left. The Captain had just coined us, given us embroidered caps, and explained the unique opportunity of being a Tailhooker. They gave us certificates identifying us as Tailhookers. Except the contact forgot to give the box to the flight deck crew! I only received mine 2 months ago. (Although the band might have been sitting on them for a while. ) I still find it hard to believe I was actually on a ship in the Arabian Sea. Doesn't seem possible.

[musicalhair]

I was and OS, served from 1984 to 1988 and most of that time was on an LST. We had one USO band play on our ship during a med cruise. It was really nice. I still use the flamenco guitar I picked up in Valencia Spain on that cruise. I had another one from a previous med cruise but it got a misterious foot smashed through it during a sea and anchor detail. (I did two in my four years, not bad, plus a North 'Lantic, and little trips to the Carrabean (and Gitmo )

 

I still have my Blue Jacket's manual, I gave away my pea coat to a friend that lost his (those are so expensive). I had my wallet stolen in college after I got out, and I lost a little money but worst of all I lost my "blue nose" card (still have the certificate).

 

I glad to see there are other 4-0 squared-away squids here.

[bruiser_dup2]

Originally posted by Addix Metzatricity:

Hey, I've got an on-topic question.

 

How many of you still have your Bluejackets Manuals?

 

I don't have mine... All I kept was my Dress Blues (I forgot to keep the neckercheif, though) and coveralls.

I don't have my Bluejackets Manual anymore (actually lost it while I was still in) but I have my father-in-law's from 1943. Pretty interesting to read, actually. There was a lot more "seamanship," as in actual sailing with sails, and there was no UCMJ. Obviously, all the weapons were WWII vintage.

 

I still have my dress blues and peacoat, although they seem to have shrunk significantly.

 

Bruiser

[Addix Metzatricity]

Originally posted by Bruiser:

[QB]I still have my dress blues and peacoat, although they seem to have shrunk significantly./QB]

I forgot, I kept my peacoat and all-weather coat (rain jacket).

 

I actually tried to squeeze into my cracker jacks a little while ago... If it hadn't been for the stencil, I'd have sworn I grabbed someone else's as I was gettin' the hell away from that base!

 

Those 13 buttons are more evil now than ever.

[musicalhair]

I forgot about the rain coat! I gave that away too. When I was typing the other day I was trying to remember about the uniform and sea bag stuff I gave away as I went on terminal leave. The only thing I remembered was the pea coat, but I seem to remember the whole thing as a big deal-- like I gave away a lot of stuff, can't hardly remember (it was 1988). Peacoat, rain coat, I think I gave away my "coraframs" (Is that how they were spelt?)

 

Anyway, I got out because all the BS and politics and wacked out priorities-- like polishing the stairs with never-dull when actual things that mattered to getting underway needed to be done-- would NEVER NEVER happen in the "REAL" world , right? For all the BS, there is nothing as peaceful as being in the middle of the ocean, or as humbling as swells that are big that the ship in a rain storm (I was on an LST, I guess guys on carriers wouldn't exerpience that).

[fantasticsound]

Originally posted by musicalhair:

...For all the BS, there is nothing as peaceful as being in the middle of the ocean, or as humbling as swells that are big that the ship in a rain storm (I was on an LST, I guess guys on carriers wouldn't exerpience that).

Well, it's certainly not the same, but you can feel the movement of the ship, large as it is. Haven't been onboard in nasty weather, though.

[Addix Metzatricity]

Water? We got some of that on shore duty...

[earljam]

The navy definetly eats better than the Army. Our mess sargeants sold all the good stuff downtown. Back then all the nco's had a bumper sticker that read "Have you hugged your privates today?" Anyone here who wasn't a squid?

[musicalhair]

Originally posted by earljam:

The navy definetly eats better than the Army ... Back then all the nco's had a bumper sticker that read "Have you hugged your privates today?"

That is too funny! That joke wouldn't work in the navy: have you hugged your seamen today is pretty vulgar . I'll grant that generally Navy ate better than Army, but it also varied a lot from ship to ship or base to base. When the Senior Chief "Mess Specialist" on my ship retired, the food went down hill really fast. Supposedly he blew the ships budget for mot of the year right before he left-- feeding us well in the process, till his replacment took over.

[fig]

I've never heard that about 'hugging your privates'. Too good!

 

Like musicalhair said, alot of jokes could be made about us 'seamen'. What's long, round, hard, and full of seamen? A submarine. Of course, said out loud it works a bit better.

 

Yeah, the two people I made friends with on the boat were the disbursing clerks and the mess cooks. One cruise, I was aboard a guided missle cruiser (USS Monterey) as night shift supervisor for my helicopter detachment (2 SH-60B anti-sub helicopters). Work hours from 7pm to 7am, 7 days a week, and the last regular meals were served at 11pm. Struck a deal with the mess cooks to let me and my guys make some food for ourselves in the wee morning hours, and it was cool as long as we left the kitchen spotless when we were done.

 

I heard the sumariners ate really, really well. Man, that much time underwater, ya gotta have something good goin' on. Still glad I was aviation, instead of a rate for possible sub duty. Those guys have my respect.

 

I lost my Blue Jackets manual when I was still active duty. And my dress blues seem to have shrunk...considerably Damn it, and my girlfriend likes guys in uniform. Would be fun for those....special nights.

[JonPackard]

Originally posted by earljam:

Anyone here who wasn't a squid?

I wasn't! Although I went to the US Navy School of Music @ Little Creek for 6 months! I spent 14 years in the Army as a bass player, and now I'm currently a bassist for the US Air Force.

 

What a great job!

[tnb]

I was in the Army Band and also did time at Little Creek. When I went through the school the Army didn't have a MOS for bass, so I got through on trombone. I got my C1 for bass as soon as it came available, but got out before I could get assigned to one of the special bands. This was around '85.

[fig]

Way cool, JonPackard and tnb! I had thought about becoming a Navy Musician on bass. However, the requirements, and recruiter, said you had to already be able to read music, or play your instrument really, really well. I couldn't do either.

 

Damn it, Beavis....

 

I went into the aviation side of the Navy because a bassplayer friend of mine had been an avionics tech in the Navy. If it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me.

[Ayatollah Watts]

I was a RM (they're IT's now I think)

 

I made E-4 in like 2 years... but i guess certain people didn't like the idea of me having any rank... so they helped me make E-3 again, then E-2... then decided I should just go home

 

*shrugs*

[Addix Metzatricity]

Ha! Not too far from me! (Yes, all RMs are ITs now). I was an E-4 in under two years, but didn't like it and went back to E-3...

 

I actually had an audition with the local Navy band guy. I was thinking of switching rates. However, the audition didn't come around 'till after I got out.

[musicalhair]

Wow, RM's are now IT's. What is that like Information Tech or something? I guess that makes sense, OS's did as much talking on actual radios as RM's.

 

When I was eligible to take the e-4 exam, I was pissed off at me OS1 and a couple of OS2's, and my div officer. When the Ensign found out I could type I had to type all of his presentations he had to persent infront of the other officers-- when I wasn't on port-n-starboard watch undeway. I had a couple of OS2's that had gotten out and came back in like years later not remember or careing how to do their job, so I'd plot avoiding courses and all that fun stuff, keep track of radios, and they'd get all the credit. What set me off was talking to a deck ensign when he said he was going to sit down with one of these OS2's to learn "Avoiding Course" ploting-- I taught the guy how to do it. He pretended he wanted to finally learn his job, but really he was just using it to brown nose the officers. Rather than take the test to be OS3, I put in a chit to be switched to deck. DENIED, every time.

 

I probably could have done things a little different. My biggest advesary OS2 started crying when we were sent back into the Med while two days into our trip home because of problems in the eastern med. While he was crying I took the time to yell at him for being a pussy and reminded him that "THIS" is what what we signed on for, and the cheap millitary housing his wife and kid were in were strictly so we can go and do what we might have gone to do. He got to write my evals a few months later . (Nothing came of that little excursion back into the med btw).

[earljam]

I thought being a chopper tech was the best gig in the Army but I didn't know that there was an MOS for bass player. And you Navy guys- quit complaining, I had temporary duty at Corpus Christi and it beat Ft. Polk in every way- except there were no marines at Polk.

What do you call a GI with his brains beat out? A marine. nyuk nyuk

[ibescotty]

I lost my Blue Jackets manual while I was in too. Things I have?

 

My Pea Coat's still around

All my uniforms are in a box somewhere.

I was stationed on Guam so I only had one set of blues and Johnny Cash's up to date anyway. All my whites were in good shape though. I wouldn't want to try them on again though.

 

I was aircrew so I still have my flight suits and helmet bag. Infact I use my helmet bag as my gig bag currently.

 

I've still got my medals and ribons hanging around somewhere. Oh yeah and I have a huge collection of patches from all the 'dets' I've been on. From flags for every country to crew and detachment name and the like. I ended up with over 3,000 hours in the back of an EP-3E in 4 years of duty. I was a flying fool!!

 

I went to E-4 in 3 years, then I was offered E-5 in my 5th year, but I would have had to re-up. I said no thanks. I got shit for that. It was a good time but not the life for me.

 

My little Steinberger has gone around the world with me twice!! It was easy to sneak on the plane for det and a great escape at the time.

 

I would do it again if I had to go back in time.

[JonPackard]

Originally posted by tnb:

I got my C1 for bass as soon as it came available, but got out before I could get assigned to one of the special bands. This was around '85.

I got mine a year and a half after getting out of the SOM (2.85 to 3.05 in 18 months!), and spent 7 years at Fort McPherson years later.

 

Then I got better and joined the Air Force.

[tnb]

Way cool JonPackard! That's where I was supposed to go after the audition, but all of a sudden they were going to send me to Heidleburg. I was not having it (young and very arrogant) so I got out. Very few regrets.

[earljam]

Heidleberg good duty. especially in Air Force.