Go NAVY

[saunderscc]

I've been in for just over 11 years, living in the Hampton Roads area, and work on the mighty E-2C Hawkeye.

[lcarreau]

Thank you for your service to our country sir. :patriot:

[saunderscc]

I love my job and what I do. While I enjoy being on shore duty, would be nice to be back at sea. :)

[kidcop]

Sanders.....I spent 3 years in VAW-115 stationed in Japan. It was some of the best times I had in the canoe club. Sometimes I wish I had stayed with the E-2's but dang I had fun in other places too. I was a AME, not to be assoc'ed with a certain Church.

It also looks like you wnet in after I retired. I don't know if I could hack it in today's Navy with chicks on the carriers.

[saunderscc]

Yeah it can get a little interesting. I am AT1 so yeah I know what an AME is. I always wanted to make it out to Japan, but never made it. I have bounced from VAW-120 to VAW-124 (for back to back sea duty) and now back to VAW-120. Currently serving with Shovel66 here in GP, he is also an AT1, both work in QA.

[kidcop]

You really should get away from the east coast. I went on 1 mid cruise and that was enough for me. If you want to have some kick ass shore duty, try China Lake. The base is a real hoot. The second time I was there. I was the LPO for targets QA. The office had 6 civ's and 4 sailors. I was a busy man! But there was a great deal of fun to be had. I was full systems QA qual'ed on 11 different aircraft, including a AV8B. I also had signed off safe for flight 17 NACES shots from a flying aircraft. Naces is now the standard navy ejection seat. And no we used dummies, not some drunk guy for the test. I also loaded the pilot's seat for the movie "Flight of the Intruder". 3 days of hard work for 3 seconds of film.

One time I came off a hunting trip and was calling in muster. I saw some strips of metal hanging the overhead and thought nothing more. One of the Civ's came up and asked if I knew what the strips were. I said no. About this time the Master Chief gets on the phone.....and I'm informed by the civ the strips of metal were Mazda jurky cause Tommy shot Chief Tye's truck while hunting. I start busting a gut and told the Master Chief I'll call right back.

I also learned how to shoot M-14's in competition at China Lake. I had permission to be 20 minutes late for work 3 days a week when we had early morning practice.

Those were the days my friend......

[saunderscc]

Yeah I have 3 med cruises under my belt, my first was supposed to take us on the eastern coast of Africa (leaving the Gulf during OSW) when 9/11 went down and we got turned around, then went back thru the ditch. My only chance to get shell back. We were two days away too. Nice to meet you bro. I love sea stories and it sounds like you have quite a few.

[layusn1]

I just finished 12 years as a Spanish linguist in the Navy...got medically retired because the last knee surgery I had left me with debilitating nerve damage...a condition called CRPS...renamed from RSD. I have gone through the canal and crossed the equator multiple times, I was working at Fort Meade MD on 9/11. If your interested here is a good article about CRPS you gotta read the whole thing...

http://www.rsdhope.org/Showpage.asp?PAGE_ID=3&PGCT_ID=4415

[kidcop]

When I was in VAW-115, we had a Skipper who loved to work and play hard. We would pull into P.I. pretty regular. Once or sometimes a little more often a year we would have a squardron party. One year we had the party on a little island in the bay, I don't remember the name but it was for R&R. The Squard rented the eintire Island from Special Services. This meant you could only be out there if you where in the Sqaudron. There was a nice looking gal who was checking everyone who got off the boat and asking us to prove we were part of the squadron. (you could only get there by boat becasue well, it was an Island) I thought pretty fast and the only thing I had with me which showed I was in VAW-115 was my yellow card. I remember laughing pretty hard because I overheard one of the Officers bitching he was almost turned away because he didn't have the yellow card.

For those who don't know, the yellow card was a yellow card which had your name, rank, and squadron on it and was used to keep record of the aircraft ground support equipment a guy was qualified to operate. Most Officers never had to operate ground support equipment.....thus no yellow card.

In 1980 the Sqaudron rented the go cart track at Subic for like 1/2 the day. Most were not 100% sober with plenty of cold beer around. The go cart didn't go real fast but while you were driving you thought they did. I ran the XO plum off the track and enjoyed it. Another gut ended up flipping his cart with no one around him. I ended up winning the 1980 Olongapo 500 with a plaque in the ready room.

VAW-115 was a great squadron and part of the reason I stayed Navy. The skipper was the best.

[freakshow10mm]

I work with a guy that was a nuke in the Navy. Cool stuff.

[layusn1]

A Navy nuke..that is one off individual. Everyone I met is a little off...lol. A lot of the people that ended up not making it through nuke school ended up in my rating. When we were out to sea you would hardly ever see a nuke. I remember one deployment, 3 port calls into the cruise I saw a guy I had never seen before..asked who he was, he said he was a nuke 'nuff said. They are like Lazlo in Real Genius. They use those guys up though...I knew some that refused to reenlist...with a 60k bonus and automatic promotion...thats gotta tell you something. I almost went nuke, I passed the test and they were signing me up when they realized I graduated high school in Jakarta...said no graduates from overseas schools allowed. I told them it was their fault I graduated overseas since I am a Navy baby...3rd generation...and they sent my dad to work at the embassy there. He was a Commander there. We were also stationed in Bangkok. My dad had a pretty good career duty station wise. He was on the USS Midway during the Vietnam war. Grandpa was a Navy pilot. He tells stories about when his gun was timed to fire with the propeller so that it didn't shoot it off...lol. Good times. I have a picture of all three of us in uniform...I went back to San Diego a couple of years ago and my dad reenlisted me on the USS Midway...that was really cool, having my dad do the ceremony on his old ship. Lots of good times to be had in the Navy...just remember...what happens at sea stays at sea...lol...kinda like Vegas :rofl:

[freakshow10mm]

He's a pretty cool guy. Going through some rough **** with the DoD.

He got a signing bonus and a nuke bonus. After the first phase of the nuke program he got 2/3 of another bonus. He needed the money to move from KY to NY so he spent it on all that.

His mother got sick and he put in for leave. Some asshat mixed up the paperwork somewhere along the lines and he got discharged instead. Before the program was finished. Reason listed was "personality disorder". Turns out some schmuck from his unit got a "leave" approval to go visit is sick mother.

There was fine print in the nuke bonus contract that said if he didn't finish the program he had to repay the bonus money.

It was the Navy's fault the paperwork got screwed up, now this poor guy has to pay back all the bonus money he earned.

The current admin has lost pallets and pallets fillled of money, millions of dollars and they think nothing of it. Big deal. But the DoD is so goddamn concerned about my buddy's $10K he hasn't gotten a tax refund check in over 3 years. They keep taking it to pay off the bonus he earned that they took away when they ****ed up.

The government sucks and I hate the way they treat our vets. It makes me sick.

[kidcop]

Freak......The guys story smells. :icon_bs:He would have had a hard copy of his leave chit, approved or not. It would have been easy to follow back up on. The Navy isn't going to let a Nuke go without some sort of cause......to much money wrapped up in them. Those who just don't make the cut are sent someplace else. I was married and didn't spend the kind of cash nukes get for bonus's on a move. I don't know the guy but I would be willing to bet the real story is he had a + pee test, then discharged shortly after.

Also if some one lost a pallet of cash someone is going to Federal jail for a long, long time after NIS/Feds get done with them.

[freakshow10mm]

I've seen his paperwork. It includes his copy of the request for leave.

[kidcop]

He's still leaving something out of his story.

[2400]

He's still leaving something out of his story.

+1




MM1 here

[hugginsvilleH&A]

salute fella's, my only brush with the navy was working with the marines at san clemente island , the marines were underwater demolition guys, navy did mock runs on killing subs, any way on some down time we talked to the helicopter jocks( most of which were females, pretty ones too) into giving us a ride in the sea stallions(I beleive) . We had this smart ass sargeant that was always running his mouth asked the pilot if she "flew the way women drives cars " a real A-hole this guy, we had the suicide straps on hanging at the door , I have NEVER been so sick in my life, she gave us a ride we would never forget, and that was wid da clothes on, for real,,,,cool little bar there (only bar) " The Salty Crab" I beleive,,,,

[SCmasterblaster]

When I was in VAW-115, we had a Skipper who loved to work and play hard. We would pull into P.I. pretty regular. Once or sometimes a little more often a year we would have a squardron party. One year we had the party on a little island in the bay, I don't remember the name but it was for R&R. The Squard rented the eintire Island from Special Services. This meant you could only be out there if you where in the Sqaudron. There was a nice looking gal who was checking everyone who got off the boat and asking us to prove we were part of the squadron. (you could only get there by boat becasue well, it was an Island) I thought pretty fast and the only thing I had with me which showed I was in VAW-115 was my yellow card. I remember laughing pretty hard because I overheard one of the Officers bitching he was almost turned away because he didn't have the yellow card.

For those who don't know, the yellow card was a yellow card which had your name, rank, and squadron on it and was used to keep record of the aircraft ground support equipment a guy was qualified to operate. Most Officers never had to operate ground support equipment.....thus no yellow card.

In 1980 the Sqaudron rented the go cart track at Subic for like 1/2 the day. Most were not 100% sober with plenty of cold beer around. The go cart didn't go real fast but while you were driving you thought they did. I ran the XO plum off the track and enjoyed it. Another gut ended up flipping his cart with no one around him. I ended up winning the 1980 Olongapo 500 with a plaque in the ready room.

VAW-115 was a great squadron and part of the reason I stayed Navy. The skipper was the best.

CV41 with DesRon 15?

[kidcop]

CV41 with DesRon 15?


It was CV 41. Don't remember the DesRon.

[jawjaboy]

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/h96887.jpg

Da real Navy. Brown water baby! :thumbsup:



:supergrin:

.

[Warhorse]

I've been in for just over 11 years, living in the Hampton Roads area, and work on the mighty E-2C Hawkeye.
Thank you for your service. :patriot:

[AlPackin]

Thank you for your service. :patriot:
+1 :patriot:

[Shovel66]

I've been in for just over 11 years, living in the Hampton Roads area, and work on the mighty E-2C Hawkeye.

I've been in for well over 19 years, also living in the Hampton Roads area, and also work on the mighty E-2C Hawkeye. What a coincidence!! The only thing is I work with a bunch of lazy slackers. :chainsaw: Wish I was on the night shift with the cool people.

Shovel

[saunderscc]

:rofl:
A bunch of lazy slackers...you are being too nice in your wording.

[Shovel66]

:rofl:
A bunch of lazy slackers...you are being too nice in your wording.


OH YEAH. You know who I work with each day. :subgun: :roast:

[zipper046]

11 yrs...thanks for the service. Myself...9 yrs in the reserves...with two 1yr mobilizations on active duty after 9/11.

Thought...hey...I'm still young at 31..why not get into the Reserves....one weekend a month, do some high-speed stuff...have some fun. Got my "butter bars" in 1999 and was offered Intelligence School. Thought...hey...cool stuff...get to play spook. So became an Intel guy. Then had to specialize and was told "Asymmetrical Warfare" was good. Thought...sounds different, let's give it a shot. Turns out it's counter-terrorism...still cool. In 2000 had a chance to be the N2 out at SEAL Team 1. Thought...outstanding...now I'm getting the high-speed stuff! Did workup's with them for a few month's out in the Chocolate Mountains near Niland, CA.

BAM!!! 9/11 hits....what do they need ASAP?? Intelligence Officers with Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations experience!!! :yikes: Yup...2 weeks later my butt was G-O-N-E! Did my first mobilization setting up the first Homeland Security Watch floor and was Battle Captain for awhile. Also did some things overseas. Got home and 3 month's later...BAM!!! Operation Iraqi Freedom hits....what do they need ASAP?? Intelligence Officers with Counter-terrorism, Counter-Intelligence (picked this one up along the way) and Special Op's experience!!!! :yikes: Yup...2 weeks after that...was sucking sand working for OGA ("Other Government Agency") and Task Force 20 (which became Task Force 121 after FOX News broke the story on who we were) running CI's and CT op's. Yes...you'll notice my avatar...that's me with the beard. We just got back from hittin' a house my CI said was a bomb-makers....he was right.

So...get home in 2004, did 1 yr at Ft. Devens, MA with a USCENTCOM unit there, then transferred to the NCIS and spent 2 years as a Reserve Agent up in Newport, RI. Not bad in the summer!! Wear your whites...free beer & women go nuts!

Made O-4/LCDR last year and went IRR....been chillin' ever since, although a few units I worked with in the past overseas are itchin' to get me back!

To all that serve or have served....THANK YOU and GOD BLESS.

LCDR Z-
aka - "Mother Goose"

[saunderscc]

:patriot:
Thank you for your service LCDR. Sounds like you have worked some interesting duty to say the least.

[jawjaboy]

Good ta see my Navy back on top here fer a change! :supergrin:

[zipper046]

Good ta see my Navy back on top here fer a change! :supergrin:

Hooyah JJB! :)

[fludy12]

He's still leaving something out of his story.

Yup, I'm a former MM3 who finished prototype, went to the USNA and turned into a pilot hunting submarines (SH-60B). :patriot:

[fludy12]

Made O-5/LCDR last year


So...which is it? :patriot:

[Tree Rat]

I just went to an initiation this week after 13 years......

Man....has that gig changed.



TR

[Shovel66]

I just went to an initiation this week after 13 years......

Man....has that gig changed.



TR

You're right Tree Rat. The "Olive Race" has most certainly been banned along with a bunch of other things. Very mild now.

Shovel

[fludy12]

My "crossing the line" day in 2003 was pretty tame from the stories I've heard. And I glad it was! No sucking the cherry out of the fattest Chief on the boat's belly!

[jawjaboy]

I just went to an initiation this week after 13 years......

Man....has that gig changed.



TR

That what I keep a hearin. Too bad really. :( It was'nt funny worth a damn back then, it hurt. But looking back nowadays, I would'nt take nothin for it. Here is some of our exposure from 1969, en route ta Singapore for some Christmas R&R.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0094.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0093.jpg

"Where's Waldo?"

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g194/jawjaboy/IMG_0095.jpg

[captyg76]

29.2 years of active service here with the remaining 10 months in the reserves while I was in college. Started out in a fast attack out of Pearl and then two AFS tours. Nope, didn't get bilged out of any nuke program, I was a chop. Loved the AFS tours - even got 20 minutes of stick time on a CH-46 and have the picture to prove it! What a hoot! Did a lot of things most chops never get to do - 4 command tours including a joint NASA Space Shuutle tour working the program out of New Orleans; senior naval officer in Bosnia working with GEN Shinseki - great guy; one of the AFS tours was as MILDET OIC. Sadly they sank my last ship a year or so ago. Saw that footage on the reunion website. Been retired for 3.5 years.

Stumbled on this forum by accident when cruising through ARFCOM yesterday. See many familiar users from GlockTalk - SteveKoski, BigSlick, etc.

[jawjaboy]

Welcome to GP, Cap.

I Thank You for your service to Country sir. Where approximately are you in NE FL?

.

[fludy12]

My guess would be Jax/Mayport.

[zipper046]

So...which is it? :patriot:
:) LOL...good catch, seems my fingers were faster than my brain! O-4/LCDR. I had to put the O-4 in there for the slower Army types! :)

[zipper046]

29.2 years of active service here with the remaining 10 months in the reserves while I was in college. Started out in a fast attack out of Pearl and then two AFS tours. Nope, didn't get bilged out of any nuke program, I was a chop. Loved the AFS tours - even got 20 minutes of stick time on a CH-46 and have the picture to prove it! What a hoot! Did a lot of things most chops never get to do - 4 command tours including a joint NASA Space Shuutle tour working the program out of New Orleans; senior naval officer in Bosnia working with GEN Shinseki - great guy; one of the AFS tours was as MILDET OIC. Sadly they sank my last ship a year or so ago. Saw that footage on the reunion website. Been retired for 3.5 years.

Stumbled on this forum by accident when cruising through ARFCOM yesterday. See many familiar users from GlockTalk - SteveKoski, BigSlick, etc.

Welcome Cap'n! Good to see more Navy folks on the forum!

LCDR Z-

[rball]

Lived in Hampton Roads for 4 years while in VAW-121, 1994-1998. Went on two 6 month deployments. One on CVN-73 and the other on CVN-74. Plenty of dets to Key West, Puerto Rico, and of all places Fallon, Nevada. I did my four years and got out. I was highly rewarded and made rank the first time every time. Entered an E1 left as an E5. I got out simply because, "when it's your time, its your time." Once out, I spent about 3 months in a Navy reserve unit. I resigned from the reserve unit becaue working full time and going to college full time, then going to a command that lacked any sort of discipline once a month didn't seem to fit together. I received my honorable discharge (certificate and lapel pin) 3 years and 3 months later. No one gets an HD certificate (enlisted that is) until their 8 year contract is fulfilled. My 8 year contract was fulfilled on, and this is no joke: Sept 10, 2001. Guess what happened the next day?

My heart goes out, and my hat comes off to those who have served and continue to serve, regardless of rate (MOS) or rank or branch. The group of people I served with were great (some still are) and the comradarie can never be duplicated.

If the Navy called me today and asked if I would come back, all I can say is they better have a whole s***load of tax free cash with perks and a quality of life, while in, that would rival that of an admiral. Then I would say Yes with a capital F.