User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 4 of 5 FirstFirst 12345 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 45

Thread: Old opinionated sailor checking in

  1. #31
    Points: 74,571, Level: 66
    Level completed: 62%, Points required for next Level: 879
    Overall activity: 40.0%
    Achievements:
    50000 Experience PointsSocialVeteran
    Standing Wolf's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    314970
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    25,612
    Points
    74,571
    Level
    66
    Thanks Given
    5,716
    Thanked 21,087x in 12,282 Posts
    Mentioned
    415 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Retirednsmilin308 View Post
    I was in from 73 to 90 with one year broken service. We may have served together at some point.
    73-mid 75 Training in Millington, TN
    75-78 HSL-34 in Norfolk, VA
    78-80 USS Constellation CV-64 (Shellback Apr 79 )
    80-81 Out
    81- 83 VAW-78 Norfolk, VA
    83 - 85?? USS America CV-66
    85 - cross rated to STG
    85 - 88 USS Curts FFG-38
    88 - 90 Naval Reserve Training Center, Houston, TX
    Apr 90- Out

    It was a strange twist of karma that I joined the USN from the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps in Houston Texas and was sworn in on Dec 73, and later as a station keeper in that same place, I hung up my hat 15 years, 4 months, and 27 days later. All things happen for a reason.

    As a Sea cadet I was a qualified helmsman on a destroyer before i had my driver's license.

    You can take the kid out of the fleet, but can't take the fleet out of the kid. Sometimes my posts reflect that attitude.
    I enlisted in '72, but did my first almost three years as a Photographer's Mate. Then Vietnam ended (I was on detachment to the Coral Sea then and got a front row seat to Operation Frequent Wind) and all the PH billets disappeared. We were CREO 'E' and it practically took an act of Congress to reenlist in that rating, so I cross-rated to AW.

    I was at Millington in '75, so it's possible we were there at the same time, briefly. I remember we had an Iranian Navy P.O. in my class, which seems kind of weird now, but we were into training all their aviation people at the time.

    From there I went to P3s and served on an aircrew as an acoustic sensor op. VP-30 (or maybe it was 31) for training, then four years with VP-47, deploying to Misawa (loved that place!), Kadena (Okinawa), and Adak, AK.

    Around the end of '79, I went back to Millington for duty as a Company Commander for a couple of years, then I got orders to VP-56 out of Jacksonville. We deployed to Rota, Spain and Iceland, and we were in Keflavik when I cross-rated to OT(A). The OT Detailer thought he'd save the Navy some money and just leave me in Iceland, assigned to the NavFac, but they told me I'd need to extend for 18 months to accept the assignment and I said "You've got to be kidding". That's how I got orders to Hawaii.

    In Hawaii, with NOPC on Ford Island HI from 84-87. I detached from that command for eighteen months toward the end of my tour to work with the Naval Base Master-at-Arms force, which was pretty interesting.

    Orders to the Brit A.F. base at Brawdy, Wales, where I was supposed to spend two years, but had to come back stateside after a few months - humanitarian reassignment. My oldest son, who was twelve at the time, needed a liver transplant and I went back to take care of him. Was assigned for a while to the Recruiting Office in Los Angeles, where I got to brush up on my rusty photographic skills, then got orders to fill an STGC billet at the weather office in Long Beach.

    From there, toward the end of '88, I went to the (now late) Centerville Beach NavSta near Ferndale, CA, out of which I retired (well, technically I transferred to the Fleet Reserve) with 20 years, 8 months and 5 days of active duty service (but who was counting?) Earned my IUSS badge there, and also met my soon-to-be wife, who I later found out had actually been assigned to Kef when I deployed there.

    Jeez, the memories thinking about all that has dredged up! Coincidentally, I now have to go down to the Army Reserve base and get my retired ID card renewed - I guess because I'm 65 now and I have to prove to them that I'm not dead. Wish me luck.
    Last edited by Standing Wolf; 06-21-2019 at 08:56 AM.
    Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” - Robert E. Howard

    "Only a rank degenerate would drive 1,500 miles across Texas and not eat a chicken fried steak." - Larry McMurtry

  2. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Standing Wolf For This Useful Post:

    DGUtley (06-21-2019),Retirednsmilin308 (06-21-2019)

  3. #32
    Points: 29,932, Level: 42
    Level completed: 21%, Points required for next Level: 1,118
    Overall activity: 0.1%
    Achievements:
    Social25000 Experience PointsVeteran
    Retirednsmilin308's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    5833
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    East Texas
    Posts
    6,568
    Points
    29,932
    Level
    42
    Thanks Given
    7,875
    Thanked 5,826x in 3,490 Posts
    Mentioned
    34 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter1469 View Post
    Cool, from the Tanker Wars right?


    That's right.

  4. #33
    Points: 29,932, Level: 42
    Level completed: 21%, Points required for next Level: 1,118
    Overall activity: 0.1%
    Achievements:
    Social25000 Experience PointsVeteran
    Retirednsmilin308's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    5833
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    East Texas
    Posts
    6,568
    Points
    29,932
    Level
    42
    Thanks Given
    7,875
    Thanked 5,826x in 3,490 Posts
    Mentioned
    34 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    I enlisted in '72, but did my first almost three years as a Photographer's Mate. Then Vietnam ended (I was on detachment to the Coral Sea then and got a front row seat to Operation Frequent Wind) and all the PH billets disappeared. We were CREO 'E' and it practically took an act of Congress to reenlist in that rating, so I cross-rated to AW.

    I was at Millington in '75, so it's possible we were there at the same time, briefly. I remember we had an Iranian Navy P.O. in my class, which seems kind of weird now, but we were into training all their aviation people at the time.

    From there I went to P3s and served on an aircrew as an acoustic sensor op. VP-30 (or maybe it was 31) for training, then four years with VP-47, deploying to Misawa (loved that place!), Kadena (Okinawa), and Adak, AK.

    Around the end of '79, I went back to Millington for duty as a Company Commander for a couple of years, then I got orders to VP-56 out of Jacksonville. We deployed to Rota, Spain and Iceland, and we were in Keflavik when I cross-rated to OT(A). The OT Detailer thought he'd save the Navy some money and just leave me in Iceland, assigned to the NavFac, but they told me I'd need to extend for 18 months to accept the assignment and I said "You've got to be kidding". That's how I got orders to Hawaii.

    In Hawaii, with NOPC on Ford Island HI from 84-87. I detached from that command for eighteen months toward the end of my tour to work with the Naval Base Master-at-Arms force, which was pretty interesting.

    Orders to the Brit A.F. base at Brawdy, Wales, where I was supposed to spend two years, but had to come back stateside after a few months - humanitarian reassignment. My oldest son, who was twelve at the time, needed a liver transplant and I went back to take care of him. Was assigned for a while to the Recruiting Office in Los Angeles, where I got to brush up on my rusty photographic skills, then got orders to fill an STGC billet at the weather office in Long Beach.

    From there, toward the end of '88, I went to the (now late) Centerville Beach NavSta near Ferndale, CA, out of which I retired (well, technically I transferred to the Fleet Reserve) with 20 years, 8 months and 5 days of active duty service (but who was counting?) Earned my IUSS badge there, and also met my soon-to-be wife, who I later found out had actually been assigned to Kef when I deployed there.

    Jeez, the memories thinking about all that has dredged up! Coincidentally, I now have to go down to the Army Reserve base and get my retired ID card renewed - I guess because I'm 65 now and I have to prove to them that I'm not dead. Wish me luck.
    I can see we did actually cross paths a few times.
    Also my oldest brother was a PH.
    The world just got smaller yet again.

  5. The Following User Says Thank You to Retirednsmilin308 For This Useful Post:

    Standing Wolf (06-21-2019)

  6. #34
    Points: 56,731, Level: 58
    Level completed: 20%, Points required for next Level: 1,619
    Overall activity: 0.3%
    Achievements:
    SocialVeteran50000 Experience Points
    bulletbob's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    4648
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    florida
    Posts
    12,372
    Points
    56,731
    Level
    58
    Thanks Given
    13,999
    Thanked 4,639x in 3,469 Posts
    Mentioned
    56 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Retirednsmilin308 View Post
    Hello, new friends. I have been on various sportsman forums before and one political forum. I am only getting back on-line in any way after being off for a few years learning how to not take bait from on-line trolls and also know nothing that happens in a forum has any affect on my life in any way. Not knowing this had made me fresh meat and low hanging fruit for the oh so many on-line trolls that prey on people like I used to be. Especially on political forums. I am now happy to log on and keep things in perspective, as they should be.

    I hope to make many new friends here, regardless of political lean. If you are willing to be friendly and respectful to me, you will find I will more than meet you half way. For some that like to " poke the bear " you will find those tactics are wasted on this member. I made a promise to myself many years ago to only raise my precious blood pressure over things that really matter in my personal life and not anything that happens on-line.

    So let's fuss and cuss and enjoy our discussions of things political and otherwise. I look forward to meeting everyone.

    RnS
    Welcome sir and thanks for your service

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to bulletbob For This Useful Post:

    Retirednsmilin308 (08-05-2019)

  8. #35
    Points: 9,465, Level: 23
    Level completed: 27%, Points required for next Level: 585
    Overall activity: 0.1%
    Achievements:
    25000 Experience PointsVeteran
    HoneyBadger's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    29264
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    1,240
    Points
    9,465
    Level
    23
    Thanks Given
    193
    Thanked 1,001x in 574 Posts
    Mentioned
    5 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    Welcome aboard the Love Boat! Or as it's known most days, the Ship of Fools!

    Your rating badge has me puzzled. So much has changed since I retired in '93 - uniforms, rating designations, etc. Some of the ratings I knew have disappeared and others have cropped up that I'm not familiar with.

    This is the one I wore for a number of years.

    Although when I wore it, the rating was called Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator. I understand it's now called "Naval Aircrewman", which back in the day was not a rating but a qualification status, but they kept the "AW" abbreviation.

    Then for my last six or so years of active service, I cross-rated to this one.



    OT(A)...which I understand got merged into the Sonar Tech rating in '98.
    His moved into AT in '91.

    Mine was merged with DP in '97 for the new IT rating.
    RM2.jpg

    The communications ratings were always kind of screwed up because the tech side of the house on shore stations was completely different from the message side of the house. I never typed up a message in 5 years and couldn't read tape. I could, however, troubleshoot and restore the hell out of a dead circuit.
    It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.

  9. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to HoneyBadger For This Useful Post:

    Retirednsmilin308 (08-11-2019),Standing Wolf (08-11-2019)

  10. #36
    Points: 74,571, Level: 66
    Level completed: 62%, Points required for next Level: 879
    Overall activity: 40.0%
    Achievements:
    50000 Experience PointsSocialVeteran
    Standing Wolf's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    314970
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    25,612
    Points
    74,571
    Level
    66
    Thanks Given
    5,716
    Thanked 21,087x in 12,282 Posts
    Mentioned
    415 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by HoneyBadger View Post
    His moved into AT in '91.

    Mine was merged with DP in '97 for the new IT rating.
    Attachment 26493

    The communications ratings were always kind of screwed up because the tech side of the house on shore stations was completely different from the message side of the house. I never typed up a message in 5 years and couldn't read tape. I could, however, troubleshoot and restore the hell out of a dead circuit.
    I've been pretty much out of the loop, in terms of what's happening in the Navy, since '93. I get most of my updates on uniform changes from watching NCIS.
    Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” - Robert E. Howard

    "Only a rank degenerate would drive 1,500 miles across Texas and not eat a chicken fried steak." - Larry McMurtry

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Standing Wolf For This Useful Post:

    Retirednsmilin308 (08-20-2019)

  12. #37
    Points: 41,437, Level: 49
    Level completed: 76%, Points required for next Level: 413
    Overall activity: 0.2%
    Achievements:
    Recommendation Second ClassSocial25000 Experience PointsVeteran
    Lummy's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    6307
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    12,618
    Points
    41,437
    Level
    49
    Thanks Given
    4,948
    Thanked 6,307x in 4,359 Posts
    Mentioned
    60 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Standing Wolf View Post
    I've been pretty much out of the loop, in terms of what's happening in the Navy, since '93. I get most of my updates on uniform changes from watching NCIS.
    Why would you care? You served. You protected the United States from some $#@!ing eminent peril. And you returned home with thanks for your service.

    Are you suggesting there's more to it than that?


    Would a new BMW be a reasonably good guess?

  13. #38
    Points: 74,571, Level: 66
    Level completed: 62%, Points required for next Level: 879
    Overall activity: 40.0%
    Achievements:
    50000 Experience PointsSocialVeteran
    Standing Wolf's Avatar Senior Member
    Karma
    314970
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    25,612
    Points
    74,571
    Level
    66
    Thanks Given
    5,716
    Thanked 21,087x in 12,282 Posts
    Mentioned
    415 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Lummy View Post
    Why would you care? You served. You protected the United States from some $#@!ing eminent peril. And you returned home with thanks for your service.

    Are you suggesting there's more to it than that?


    Would a new BMW be a reasonably good guess?
    I know I'm wasting my time asking, but - what the Hell is that supposed to mean?
    Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” - Robert E. Howard

    "Only a rank degenerate would drive 1,500 miles across Texas and not eat a chicken fried steak." - Larry McMurtry

  14. #39
    Points: 52,081, Level: 55
    Level completed: 76%, Points required for next Level: 469
    Overall activity: 0.2%
    Achievements:
    SocialVeteran50000 Experience Points
    jet57's Avatar Banned
    Karma
    2378
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    19,121
    Points
    52,081
    Level
    55
    Thanks Given
    1,698
    Thanked 2,368x in 2,004 Posts
    Mentioned
    284 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Retirednsmilin308 View Post
    Hello, new friends. I have been on various sportsman forums before and one political forum. I am only getting back on-line in any way after being off for a few years learning how to not take bait from on-line trolls and also know nothing that happens in a forum has any affect on my life in any way. Not knowing this had made me fresh meat and low hanging fruit for the oh so many on-line trolls that prey on people like I used to be. Especially on political forums. I am now happy to log on and keep things in perspective, as they should be.

    I hope to make many new friends here, regardless of political lean. If you are willing to be friendly and respectful to me, you will find I will more than meet you half way. For some that like to " poke the bear " you will find those tactics are wasted on this member. I made a promise to myself many years ago to only raise my precious blood pressure over things that really matter in my personal life and not anything that happens on-line.

    So let's fuss and cuss and enjoy our discussions of things political and otherwise. I look forward to meeting everyone.

    RnS
    An old salt; welcome. Friends of mine were roof walkers on the E.

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to jet57 For This Useful Post:

    Peter1469 (08-11-2019),Retirednsmilin308 (08-20-2019)

  16. #40
    Original Ranter
    Points: 858,837, Level: 100
    Level completed: 0%, Points required for next Level: 0
    Overall activity: 92.0%
    Achievements:
    SocialCreated Album picturesOverdrive50000 Experience PointsVeteran
    Awards:
    Posting Award
    Peter1469's Avatar Advisor
    Karma
    496507
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    NOVA
    Posts
    241,624
    Points
    858,837
    Level
    100
    Thanks Given
    153,194
    Thanked 147,517x in 94,378 Posts
    Mentioned
    2552 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by jet57 View Post
    An old salt; welcome. Friends of mine were roof walkers on the E.
    Enterprise?
    ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ


+ Reply to Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts