coinshooter55 said:
US NAVY
DM1 21 yrs (retired in 1984)
That makes me almost retired before most of you started, Glad to see that Ya'll did. VietNam 65-66. 14 duty station in that time, started MD'ing 1973. I'm retired 2 more times since. LOL Just MD now in
Florida
Ya'll "Have a Great Day and Year"
OMG...another Illustrator Draftsman!!! You know how hard it is to find someone who was a DM in the Navy? And you know how many times people have asked me (Navy Personnel no less)..."What is a DM?" LOL
Entered the Navy 12 July 1974. Bootcamp in Orlando, Florida
Oct 1974, BUPERS: Worked in Pers 5151 (Canvasser Recruiter, Spec Ops Detailers, PEP Exchange Detailers, can't remember the others...LOL) and in Pers 5021 (YN and PN Detailers). I was a YN in training out of bootcamp. I loved working at the Annex, on top of the hill looking down on the Pentagon!
Summer of '75, swapped duty with a YN Striker in San Diego, California. I arrived at VF-124 and my swap was still there!!! She never replaced me! LOL .. but that was fine with me...had a blast in San Diego. I was a YN striker. I later became an Illustrator Draftsman thanks to a wonderful LPO I worked for who cared about those who worked for him!!! travelled all over California and visited Tijuana several times.
July 1977 - March 1978: Got out of the Navy in '77 and went reserves in Roanoke, Virginia and later at Ft Schuyler, New York. In March '78 I went back Active Duty and became a NAVET and went back to Orlando for NAVET training (it was great the second time around LOL .. LIBERTY!!!)
April 1978: Stationed at VF-101 NAS Oceana
1980-1981: COMNAVSURLANT, CINCLANTFLT Compound, Norfolk, Virginia
1981-1983: "roton" Groton (LOL) NSSF, Lower Base, New London Subase, Groton, CT. During the commissioning of a Sub at EB, I was selected to be a duty driver. I was honored to be the duty driver for the then, Sec of the Navy John Lehman. He was really nice and talked with me! I met Adm Rickover and the then Vice President Bush (Poppa Bush). And Adm Rickover, I had only heard stories about how this man could talk...they were all true! LOL. I was not only the "roaming" Draftsman, but also worked as a Command Career Counselor. Was going to change my rate, due to advancement not good for DM's..but never did...I loved my job and remained a DM!
1983 - 1984: My FIRST SHIP and I am a Plankowner!!! USS Shenandoah (AD-44). I now maintain a website for the TOUGH TENDER and for the guys who served on the 4th USS Shenandoah (AD-26). The first two Shenandoahs were in the Civil War, the third was an airship, the AD-26 was the fourth and the AD-44 was the fifth. The AD-44 now sits in the Fleet Reserve on the James River!!!
She only served 13.1 years of service...what a waste of money and she will NEVER be put back into service. According to the Fleet Reserve, she was scheduled as SCRAP!! She was NOT SCRAP!!!
). She was built at NASSCO Shipyard, San Diego, Calif and commissioned 17 August 1983. Our maiden voyage to Norfolk (our homeport) we stopped in Acapulco, Mexico - Curaco, The Netherlands (postcard city!) - went through the Panama Canal (that was totally awesome!!!!). The Captain could not get authorization to take us to the Equator. We were 50 miles from it, but because we had females onboard...NOPE!
...so I never had the pleasure of going through the ritals! I'm still a SCALLYWOG!! LOL (Forgot to mention...started on my ESWS Quals, but never finished
Just had my NBC Quals to complete.) I was on the Fire Party and the Divisional Career Counselor.
May - July 1984: I was the first NAVY DRAFTSMAN to attend the Air Force school for Graphics Specialist. It was brought to my attention by a buddy of mine in the Air Force. I brought it up to my detailer. I was on the AD-44 at the time and was not due for a transfer. He (Detailer) told me he would work on it and see about getting billets for Navy Personnel. Well, time came to re-enlist and I requested as part of my re-enlistment to attend this school offered by the US Air Force. I would not re-enlist unless I was able to attend. My detailer made it happen!!!! I left the AD-44 4 months after re-enlisting for 6 years. I had a blast in school!!! I was the ONLY Naval Personnel in this class and their FIRST, according to the instructors! There were a few Army personnel, but overall Air Force. It was in Denver, Colorado at Lowry Air Force Base!
July 1984 - Oct 1984: Short lived tour on the USS Emory S. Land (AS-36). I checked on board pregnant, I did not know at the time. I had 7 tests done and still did not believe it! My hubby was surprised too, as we were discussing adoption, as I was told I could NEVER have kids (but I have 3 now!) and I was 27 at the time...
Oct 1984- Nov 1985: FASOTRAGRULANT, Norfolk Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA. Where I spent my "maternity" duty.
Nov 1985 - May 1988: USS Puget Sound (AD-38). Fantastic duty! I absolutely loved it. Made one med cruise. Went to the armpit of the world: Alexandria, Eypgt!! LOL ... Cairo, Eypgt - Rota, Spain - Haifa, Israel - Toulon, France - Nice, France - Ville Franche, France (loved that place) - Rome, Italy - Gaeta, Italy - Palma De Malorca (Awesome). On thesship, I was able to visit St Thomas, Virgin Islands - Freeport, Bahama - Ocho Rios, Jamaica - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Kings Bay, Jamaica and two wonderful, glorious visits to GITMO. LMAO!!! ((Forgot to mention: Got my ESWS!!!! WHOO HOOO!! ESWS? Oh, it means Enlisted Surface Warfare! I was also the Damage Control PO for the entire 3.5 yrs as well as on the Fire Party as well as Departmental Career Counselor)
June 1988 - July 1991: Requested duty to Naples, Italy as part of my re-enlistment package! I loved every minute there. I love the country, the people, the traditions...everything!!! I was assigned to AFSOUTH, NATO. I worked for one heck of an Army Colonel (Colonel Jock C. Lindsey). I was assigned to SRSSR (Southern Regional Signal Support Regiment). During this tour, I was able to visit Athens, Greece - Ischia, Italy - Capri, Italy - Venice, Italy - Pisa, Italy - Florence, Italy - The French Rivera, France - and drove all over Italy...loved going into the country, meeting the real folks. Those small little towns. Everyone was so helpful in teaching me to speak their language, but at the same time, trying to learn mine! I wanted to take my daughter to Russia on a ITT Tour, but due to my clearance at the time, I was denied!
It was just my dau and I in Italy as her Dad and I were separated (later divorced)....his loss!!
August 1991 - March 1995: I couldn't even tell you the name of this command. What was on my orders is not the name of the command when I checked on board. They just had a re-organization and the name changed. On top of that, the command went through two more re-organizations before my retirement!!! LOL. But I see my former Commanding Officer a few times a week. He comes into the store regularly and the nicest part, he remembered me!!!
So ... that's my duty run down and I had a blast. I miss being in the Navy and my uniform is securely put away, but my closet shrunk it!
.... LOL! (but not for long ... my closet is in for a rude awakening!!!)... but my dau is currently serving in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman - Surgical Tech and I relive it through her eyes! I just can't believe how much it's changed in what - 13 years?
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Annmarie
PS: I should say that my second and third child came later on. My second was born 4 months before I retired from the Navy and my third 2 yrs after I retired! My first came 11 yrs after I joined the Navy...so joining the Navy was NOT to find a husband and getting pregnant was NOT to get out of duty. Just had to let that be know...that NOT all women went in for a FREE RIDE or to take away my male counterparts shore billet
I wanted to go to sea, but women were NOT authorized until ... let me think, I believe it was 79/80 time frame and we were only allowed on NON-Combatant ships. We sure have come a LONG WAY BABY!!!
Guess that's what I get for being attached to NATO and the UN. Loads of fun though. Got to work with all the U.S. branches as well as loads of other countries services.
