Not meant to entertain you or educate you - sorry - more of a post "for the record".

Twenty long years ago I started my active duty service time in the US Navy. That means I could quit tomorrow and still get half my paycheck so going to work only gets me the other half.

20 years ago Ronald Reagan was building our nation's Navy into a 600 ship one. When I deployed to the North Arabian Sea my carrier's (USS Midway) battlegroup would have 20 or more war ships. I made four deployments to the gulf during the Iran/Iraq war in four and a half years stationed in Japan. I was accused of racism by a pair of guys who conspired against me because I had been holding them to task to complete their daily assignments. Totally untrue and the chain-of-command supported me after a very through investigation into my affairs.

I wanted to stay aboard the USS Midway and stay in Japan but the guys back in D.C. said "Son, I'd love to leave you there but you need to come back to the US to remember what you're serving for" so they sent me to the tiny island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory which is like 1000 miles due south of Bombay India in the middle of nowhere.

While stationed there I got married to a beautiful young woman in Thailand. I also was in The Philippines for a week when the NPA assassinated 8 Americans because our country sold 8 armored cars to the P.I. Army.

After 9 months separation from my bride we re-united and flew into San Diego. Due to a budget battle going on between President Reagan and congress I was paid but $50 a day which made it tough on us as we were living in a hotel after having to pay our own way from Manilla to Los Angeles after some screw up on the paper work.

In San Diego I taught hundreds of sailors advanced electronics. Living off base for the first time I was able to buy guns and purchased a Smith and Wesson .22 LR semi-auto pistol followed by a .22 LR Feather AT-22. After watching Louis Farakan on public access television a few weeks I bought a Mossberg 12 gauge. That is truly a hateful man.

Advanced to the rank of Chief Petty Officer here. The Persian Gulf war started and was finished - the services typically leave instructors in place to continue training. I call for volunteers came though the building but they weren't taking my technical speciality.

After four years of teaching it was time to get underway again this time from Alameda CA aboard the USS Carl Vinson, another aircraft carrier, this one nuclear powered. Made another visit to old Sadam's Gulf as part of the post war watches. Qualified as a Surface Warrior here. This was a hard time on my wife and we nearly divorced. Clinton took over and started destroying readiness as quickly as possible.

Having survived that two year challenge I was forced to leave the ship early and ordered to the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service Broadcast Center in Los Angeles CA. The commanding officer of the USS Carl Vinson signed a letter for me pleading that I not go to LA but D.C. took me. I was dragged off the ship and had gray paint under my finger nails for quite a time.

(more)

AFRTS-BC is the most technically challenging location for a person in my field. I was one of the first two military members to be moved to the BC's new location near Riverside CA. I spend many a day driving a forklift, pouring concrete and bending conduit and rebar. After the new facility was built I trained myself to become a CNE and MCP and took the role of engineering's IT expert.

After four years in the desert of California it was time to move again and go back to sea this time aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln stationed in Everett Washington. I advanced to my current rank of Senior Chief and qualified as an Aviation Warrior too. Made my sixth visit to the Persian gulf where we were one week out of our only port visit for five months when the USS Cole was bombed. All port visits were cancelled while we stayed in condition three steaming for 150 long days.


After three more years of sea service I return to AFRTS-BC which I hope to retire from in a few years after 23 years total service.

Twenty years has gone by fairly fast but keeping a positive attitude has not always been easy. I'm met hundreds of good people both within the service and around the world. Life's classroom has taught me plenty and my travels have exposed me to much of which 99% of my fellow Americans will never see. When I try to share my experiences I am always amazed that people do not except my observations. When they ask me how to sub-net a TCP/IP Backbone LAN they'll drink in every word but when I council others on life's lessons my words might as well be in some African dialect for all the good they do. I blame the society for much of this, in an era where the man holding the position of President of the United States can be morally bankrupt yet still gather 60% of the peoples favor I find it hard to continue service to these unprincipled people.

Military service is one of sacrifice for the good of this once and still great nation. Some call it patriotism. If you haven't noticed the pay and the hours aren't that great so service requires something from within that many don't have. I find that most of those here - military, law enforcement and even those not in public service have that "stuff" within them and that makes "living" here that much easier.

So join me today as I celebrate a milestone in my career. And more importantly celebrate each day of the freedom we all enjoy due to the hundreds of thousands of solders, sailors, airmen and marines out on watch tonight and those who made the sacrifices before them.

Thanks for your many years of service,and congrats on your retirement [beer]

critter,
When are you guys going to get it?

I don't do computers! [:)]...if I did I would screw up something!

GoatBoy will take care of your icon;I will take care of you if you misbehave [;)]

we wuv you! [:D]

Congrats to you and my deep thanks for your time in service.

Welcome to the hell we call civilian life!!!

]=)

-- GB

You sir are a PATRIOT.

My deepest thanks.

sgb

Congratulations and thank you for 20 yrs. of service to our nation. [beer]

If you ever get aboard ship again maybe you can be Neptunus Rex. [BD]

Hell, the others have said it all better than I can, so I'll just say THANK YOU.

Bravo Zulu, Senior Chief!

Semper Fi!

Ken Little

I'm getting here late with little left to be said.  Sr. Chief, you and those like you make the Navy run.  God bless you always, and thanks for the years.  Many of us do understand, and appreciate, what you do/have done.  Again, thanks to you, and the others who lurk here who serve, and have served.  I sleep well at night knowing you're "out there."  [beer]

Paul,

Too bad I didn't know you when you were up here in the Bay Area.  Hopefully we can meet sometime while you're in SoKal.  Congrats in this milestone, and like the others, I give you my deepest gratitude for your service to date.  Without men like you keeping things together, we'd be in serious trouble.

-Troy

Thanks for all for the good wishes but I still have three years of service left on my contract!

I really don't plan on staying here in the people's republic right now but within three years things might change - either me or the state. I doubt either.

The wild life on Diego Garcia was pretty diverse: cats, donkeys, crabs and squids. Had some wild times at the ex-Pat club and out at our jungle A frame near the runway. I worked in a five person shop - me and four women. Had some great times but then that was back before AIDS...

The retirement retainer will pay the mortgage, I can work at McD's the rest of my life and still survive. Would you like an apple pie with your order sir?