Comments

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  Raymond Littleton Highers, III June 26, 2010 at 1:59am

  I enlisted in the Naval Reserves under the Delayed Entry Program on 03/18/1975 and enlisted in the Navy active duty on 05/28/1975 and went to boot camp at RTC San Diego, CA until 08/01/1975. My next duty station was my first CTO "A" School at NTTC Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. My first duty station was at Commander, Patrol Wing Five (CPW-5), NAS Brunswick, ME from 11/1975 to 11/1977. My next duty station was NSGD Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) for a long year without any woman 01/1978 to 01/1979, My next duty station was NSGA Homestead, FL off of Card Sound Road. I then decided to get out because I couldn't cross-rate to CTM. I had my first son ten hours after I was discharged at the Homestead AFB Hospital. I then went back to my great volunteer home state of Tennessee and started school at Nashville State Technical Institute (Nashville Tech) in Computer Technology and earned my Associates of Science degree with a 3.936 GPA with highest honors in June 1983. I joined the Naval Reserves in April 1982, drilled at the NRC Nashville, TN at Shelby Park. I worked at a company, TMI Services, Goodlettsville, TN, where I worked third party maintenance, repair, and installation IBM Systems 32 and 34. That job did not work out and I found a more national third party maintenance company, Telos Corporation, which took me to Fort Monmouth, Eatontown, NJ. So I transferred my Naval Reserve unit to NRC Elizabeth/Clifton, NJ. I asked to get a job with Telos more south, and I was tranferred to Warner Robins AFB, GA. That didn't work out well either. So I requested to go back on active duty at a Navy recruiter's office just down the street from where I lived. Since I was in the Reserves, I was authorized to wear my uniform at the recruiter's office to see what it would be like to do a tour of recruiting, I finally got the call to go back in as a Fire Controlman (FC). In April 1981, I went to Naval Veteran (NAVET) training in RTC Orlando, FL and then Basic Electronics and Electricity (BE&E) school where it was self-paced. I challenged most of the tests and got out of there in eight days. My first daughter was born in May 1981 at Warner Robins General Hospital, I then was stationed at NTC Great Lakes, IL for my FC "A" School. I then was stationed in VA Beach, VA at Naval Guided Missiles School (NGMS) Dam Neck at the AN/SPS-48C(V) Maintenance School. My first duty station was the USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN-40) homeported out of Norfolk, VA. I was selected to FCC in September 1988, The ship deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in 1989. I was transferred to Commander, Norfolk Naval Base just before the ship was to leave for Desert Shield/Storm. I was then transferred back to Dam Neck to do a maintenance tour on the AN/SPS-48C(V) radar. I decided to terminate my shore duty and started another :C: school, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Seasparrow Surface Missile School (NSSMS) Maintenance School October 1992 to May 1993. I then went to another "C:in Mare Island, Valejo, CA, at the Combat Systems Training School on the AN/SWY-1(V) Self-Defense Surface Missile System (SDSMS). My next duty station was the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) from July 1993 to December 1996. The ship was deployed to the Mediterranean and Arabian/Persian Gulf. My next shore duty was at Afloat Training Group (ATG) Norfolk, VA. Although this shore duty was considered neutral duty, I rode a lot of Atlantic Fleet ships that had NSSMS and Target Acquisition System (TAS), Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile System, and Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), and a lot of sea time accruded. My next duty station was the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69) February 2000 to 2002. The ship deployed to the Mediterranean and Arabian/Persian Gulf in 2000 (Millenium Cruise). I was then transferred back to ATG Atlantic, Norfolk, VA from 2002 to 2005 doing what I did before. I was advanced finally to FCCS in 2002. My last duty station was the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) from 2005 to 2006. I had one look at FCCM but was not selected and the next year I went into High Year Tenure (HYT) as a .FCCS with 26 years of active duty. So I put in waiver request to stay in longer, but the Navy wanted me to go to Japan. Well, being on the GW would take me to Japan in 2008, but they wanted me to go onto the USS KITTY HAWK (CV-53) right then. So I put in my retirement request paperwork and officially retired March 31, 2006.
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  Jack E Butler June 16, 2010 at 2:22pm

  Hello shipmates. Retired January 1974 as a YN1 at the Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi in charge of the Discipline Office arriving back from Viet Nam after one year. I felt that this was the place for an old Iowa kid. I enlisted June 52. Spent two years aboard a LST in Korea at the 38th parallel one of the coldest places in the world, we also transfered POW. From a AKA, CVA,NAVAL SUPPLY DEPOT, BAYONNE,NJ and played softball for 2years the back to sea aboard a APA, then onto Naval Justice School, then on to NATTC, MFS Tn, then to the Fleet Training Group, FTG,GTMO,CUBA and then on to Danang and then NAS Corpus. Enjoyed every bit of it except my next last duty station. If it was for the Navy and my retirement is would have not gotten such a good job with the SBA in 1978. Retired from their in 1994.
  Now enjoying the retirement life by working part-time keep you healthly.]
  Jack Butler
  YN1 USN RET
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  gilbert m. lopez April 1, 2010 at 3:02pm

  hi guys, joined in 1955, retired 1979, 24 years aviation metalsmith hydraulics chief, sailed both ponds, swam in the center of the atlantic between mayport and the med. saw hawaii, japan, pi, hong kong viet nam, & korea, genoa, barcelona, naples, rota, athens, suda bay, mayport, key west memphis, san dog, kodiak, adak, moffett and was an ADCOP grad from DeAnza college. whew!!!!! lots of places, lots of travel....
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  John Love March 26, 2010 at 12:49am

  '62 to '86 circumnavigated the globe twice , golden shellback , bluenose , both blue and brown water navy
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  Paul Lancaster February 22, 2010 at 7:32pm

  Hey all you salty old sea dogs, great little web site going on here. Nice forum we can all use.
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  Darrell A. Nelson ENC Retired February 18, 2010 at 2:38pm

  I served from Oct 1958 to Jan, 14, 1977. Was in both Blue water and Brown water Navy.Had shore duty from GITMO to Dubuque, I served on 8 ships and never looked back. Been on an around the world cruise and am a Shellback. Life's been good.
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  Christine Hague Anglin February 14, 2010 at 8:13am

  I served from May 1981 to May 2005. Was high-year tenure for Chief and was told to retire off of sea duty??? I would have done 30 years as well, but, alas, everything happens for a reason and sometimes we don't see the reason until later. Happy to be connected with all my sisters and brothers who have "been there and done that!!"
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  Lee M. Anderson, PNC, USN(Ret) December 26, 2009 at 2:36pm

  I served from July 1966 to May 1989. As others have said, it is hard to believe it has been 20 since my wife and I were piped over the side on the Spruance. And to have all my fellow chiefs in their “chokers” as side buoys was impressive. At first I was second guessing my decision to go back to sea duty instead of retiring from shore duty BUT I am sooooo glad I did now.
  
  I had 2 WestPacs out of Pearl on the Davidson (80 & 82) and a Med/IO/North Atlantic on the Spru (88). Between the 80 and the 88 cruises I can say that I’ve been around the world. The memories are fantastic.
  
  I just wish this disease I’m stricken with had held out for a few more years as my wife & I had hoped to explore more of the US at this stage of our lives. Oh well, I’m fortunate to be able to sit here at the kitchen table with my laptop & internet and “talk” to fellow “shipmates” & reminisce. Along with looking out the window at the fields & woods, watching the goats playing and the wildlife. Yes, I’m quite happy & content. Sorry this is so long…..
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  Marvin R. Lucas December 17, 2009 at 4:16pm

  THIS IS TO ALL HANDS
  EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE NEW YEAR
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  Gary F. Moeller December 17, 2009 at 3:50pm

  June 1968 - September 1993. I wanted to stay for thirty, but they played with High Year Tenure and I was forced out AFTER I went back to sea with 23 years! They always tell you to plan your career, and when I did, I got screwed. However, that was the politicians in DC, not my shipmates. I enjoyed my time in the Navy and just wished I could have at least retired off shore duty.