Alex is 2nd from the left in the back row.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
December 27
Picture is from the Burial at Sea in which Al participated.
You can't just straight up do an "any sailor" package. But the USO and
various churches do coordinate care package events and we get semi-anonymous
packages from people we don't know.
(In response to how frequent their port calls will be). The general consensus is one every month or so. We already know the first two and the middle ones are pretty definite by virtue of us being in the area. The back end is still up in the air as there's several ports we can go into in the vicinity on the way back. There's one most of the boat is crossing their finger for.
Will Ferell was just a rumor :-(. Now the rumor is was Michael Bay who was
shooting scenes for Bad Boys 3 or Transformers 3 depending on who you ask.
(I'm pretty sure that was BS since we most definitely weren't doing flight
ops and it would be far easier to do scenes on the interior on a carrier
that's IN port.)
Oh weird fact, our ship was the carrier in Behind Enemy Lines.
Alex
December 26
Daaaa Bears!! Its on armed forces network on the Sat tv. Bad quality and they
keep showing movie previews that I can't freaking see! Like the True Grit
remake!!!! GAH!
Tell the Miller family I said merry Christmas. I'm on Hawaii time now btw
too.Dangit.
Haven't found out about Will Ferrel. I think it was just a well thought out
rumor. Rumors spread like wildfire around here. Most of them just to see how
far it can go. Its kind of a game here to see how prolific a rumor you can
start
"the jp5 is contaminated! We're pulling into Hawaii to get new fuel"
"Did you hear? Clint Eastwood died yesterday"
"They're setting up a wifi network on the USS G. W. Bush, everyone can log
onto the internet with their laptops!"
"change in plans, we have a port visit to Australia now!"
"now we're going to new zeland"
(for the record we are going no where NEAR these places.)
(Alex has had no money for three weeks because his ATM account has to be set up on the ship. He is waiting for phone cards but got $10 in a Christmas Card).
See the problem is that 10 bucks actually has to go somewhere. I've been
showering with handsoap for a week. There's a list of stuff I need. MAYBE I
can pull a favor but most people don't have phone cards in my department. They're all mostly single and decided that email communication
works well enough for their family.
Quote of the day (QOTD)
"I wish were in a movie and the screen could just go "six months later," and
we're pulling into home. You know, like I have a random scar and a mustache
and my face is more weathered and I just LOOK like I matured"
"Maybe if we put on 80's montage music it'll work"
keep showing movie previews that I can't freaking see! Like the True Grit
remake!!!! GAH!
Tell the Miller family I said merry Christmas. I'm on Hawaii time now btw
too.Dangit.
Haven't found out about Will Ferrel. I think it was just a well thought out
rumor. Rumors spread like wildfire around here. Most of them just to see how
far it can go. Its kind of a game here to see how prolific a rumor you can
start
"the jp5 is contaminated! We're pulling into Hawaii to get new fuel"
"Did you hear? Clint Eastwood died yesterday"
"They're setting up a wifi network on the USS G. W. Bush, everyone can log
onto the internet with their laptops!"
"change in plans, we have a port visit to Australia now!"
"now we're going to new zeland"
(for the record we are going no where NEAR these places.)
(Alex has had no money for three weeks because his ATM account has to be set up on the ship. He is waiting for phone cards but got $10 in a Christmas Card).
See the problem is that 10 bucks actually has to go somewhere. I've been
showering with handsoap for a week. There's a list of stuff I need. MAYBE I
can pull a favor but most people don't have phone cards in my department. They're all mostly single and decided that email communication
works well enough for their family.
Quote of the day (QOTD)
"I wish were in a movie and the screen could just go "six months later," and
we're pulling into home. You know, like I have a random scar and a mustache
and my face is more weathered and I just LOOK like I matured"
"Maybe if we put on 80's montage music it'll work"
December 25
Aww man Meredith. It's A Wonderful Life is on the ship tv.
Neens: strangely the navy serves bacon everyday. And its not half bad. Weird
Lizzy: ouch that's cold lol (in response to not having Alex eat all the shrimp)
Sanj: I miss you too. Will avoid getting a tattoo (in response to "HOLD FAST")
UBM: I am staying safe. Its good to have the day off
Oh and WILLIAM FREAKING FERRELL IS ONBOARD. DRESSED AS ELF.
Yeah we've been having "celebrities" onboard the last few weeks. Nothing
huge. A few Padre's players. The midget from jackass. I think some Chargers
players. Pretty cool. But yeah will Ferrell is onboard. Will try to get a
picture with him. Oh and xmas dinner wasn't half bad.
Al
Neens: strangely the navy serves bacon everyday. And its not half bad. Weird
Lizzy: ouch that's cold lol (in response to not having Alex eat all the shrimp)
Sanj: I miss you too. Will avoid getting a tattoo (in response to "HOLD FAST")
UBM: I am staying safe. Its good to have the day off
Oh and WILLIAM FREAKING FERRELL IS ONBOARD. DRESSED AS ELF.
Yeah we've been having "celebrities" onboard the last few weeks. Nothing
huge. A few Padre's players. The midget from jackass. I think some Chargers
players. Pretty cool. But yeah will Ferrell is onboard. Will try to get a
picture with him. Oh and xmas dinner wasn't half bad.
Al
December 25
Merry Christmas
I got 3 packages yesterday. None had a phone card in it. The minute I got it I had to open them and throw them into my rack since we were prepping for an inspection (yeah someone did something stupid. Long story). So I don't exactly remember what was in what. I got the kindle and the noise canceling headphones and one with foot powder and insoles (one might have been a generic "any sailor" care package. I didn't really notice.
Either way thank you thank you thank you. I'll try to see if I can find wifi
in....um wherever we're going to put in. Bad idea putting Hunt for
Red October in there lol. There was QM (quartermaster-submarine) in my job choosing sheet along with a few others (like other things, volunteering for sub duty exempts
you from the normal waiting times for a-schools and such). Can't say I'm not
seeing the advantages; shorter deployments (3 months) that aren't much more
frequent than our current operations tempo, working with a tight group of
people (one issue with some in my group who would steal from their own mothers).
Luckily I already applied for the tests and haven't done anything stupid yet. I actually downloaded a bunch of books into my phone on the kindle app and I'm trying to figure out how to put them on the actual kindle. Headphones are a dream. NO PHONE CARDS AHHHH!HH!H!H!H!H. I got the Christmas card with 10 bucks in it, but phone cards are $20 minimum so....i don't know. I do know that I will have cash on the 1st
of Jan since that's when my cash card starts but till then....I'll try to pull
a few favors and see if I can call tonight.
I moved racks. Its hard to explain my berthing because its arranged in
horseshoe around our central lounge area, but its all connected, sort of. The
left and middle are basically one unit while a long hallway kind of segregates
the left from the rest of the berthing and is know as the "burbs" since most
of us are from Crypto, language and specwar drops that got deployed as UNDES'
(and we're all from suburban areas). We all kind of banded together since we
all ended up being friends pretty quick and had a collective desire to get
away from the noisier sections of the berthing. So it's a lot nicer than where
I was racked before.
What else....there's a Christmas party in the hanger bay tonight. Might hang
out for that. I had watch from 0000-0200 in the berthing; a new watch brought
about by the drama from yesterday (still a long story). Suffice to say some
people are idiots and don't think "Hey! Mouthing off the AFL (assistant
First LT our XO and mustang who was a Chief last year) isn't such a good idea
and continuing talking is only digging myself a deeper and deeper whole from
which I can't get out of." Some dude just let his frustrations boil over (and
they were stupid frustrations too like we couldn't go in the bathroom since we
just cleaned it for the aforementioned inspection and he didn't want to walk
20 FREAKING FEET to the one down the hall) and decided instead of properly
addressing it among the chain of command that he would directly bitch to a
superior officer. Dumbass.
Merry Christmas
I got 3 packages yesterday. None had a phone card in it. The minute I got it I had to open them and throw them into my rack since we were prepping for an inspection (yeah someone did something stupid. Long story). So I don't exactly remember what was in what. I got the kindle and the noise canceling headphones and one with foot powder and insoles (one might have been a generic "any sailor" care package. I didn't really notice.
Either way thank you thank you thank you. I'll try to see if I can find wifi
in....um wherever we're going to put in. Bad idea putting Hunt for
Red October in there lol. There was QM (quartermaster-submarine) in my job choosing sheet along with a few others (like other things, volunteering for sub duty exempts
you from the normal waiting times for a-schools and such). Can't say I'm not
seeing the advantages; shorter deployments (3 months) that aren't much more
frequent than our current operations tempo, working with a tight group of
people (one issue with some in my group who would steal from their own mothers).
Luckily I already applied for the tests and haven't done anything stupid yet. I actually downloaded a bunch of books into my phone on the kindle app and I'm trying to figure out how to put them on the actual kindle. Headphones are a dream. NO PHONE CARDS AHHHH!HH!H!H!H!H. I got the Christmas card with 10 bucks in it, but phone cards are $20 minimum so....i don't know. I do know that I will have cash on the 1st
of Jan since that's when my cash card starts but till then....I'll try to pull
a few favors and see if I can call tonight.
I moved racks. Its hard to explain my berthing because its arranged in
horseshoe around our central lounge area, but its all connected, sort of. The
left and middle are basically one unit while a long hallway kind of segregates
the left from the rest of the berthing and is know as the "burbs" since most
of us are from Crypto, language and specwar drops that got deployed as UNDES'
(and we're all from suburban areas). We all kind of banded together since we
all ended up being friends pretty quick and had a collective desire to get
away from the noisier sections of the berthing. So it's a lot nicer than where
I was racked before.
What else....there's a Christmas party in the hanger bay tonight. Might hang
out for that. I had watch from 0000-0200 in the berthing; a new watch brought
about by the drama from yesterday (still a long story). Suffice to say some
people are idiots and don't think "Hey! Mouthing off the AFL (assistant
First LT our XO and mustang who was a Chief last year) isn't such a good idea
and continuing talking is only digging myself a deeper and deeper whole from
which I can't get out of." Some dude just let his frustrations boil over (and
they were stupid frustrations too like we couldn't go in the bathroom since we
just cleaned it for the aforementioned inspection and he didn't want to walk
20 FREAKING FEET to the one down the hall) and decided instead of properly
addressing it among the chain of command that he would directly bitch to a
superior officer. Dumbass.
Merry Christmas
December 24
Mail came in the UNREP today. I'll see if anything came. You'll probably
know when I call you with the phone card lol.
December 23
Ok update since I JUST filled out the sheet to apply for my rating.
See the thing with A-school. It's a 2 year wait. But changing your rating
(which is actually MUCH easier paperwork wise) is also 2 years. So if I get
a rating in March (well actually may/junish, it takes that long to find out)
I'm really waiting about the same amount of time. Only with the former I'm
e-3 in deck. Whereas for the others, I can go for e-4 and above in another
department. Oh and its easier paperwork wise and you pretty much WILL get it
because you'll have 2 years in a rating with a performance record and
accolades and all that sumsuch.
So on the sheet I put down
1) Operations Specialist
2) Quartermaster
3) Yeoman
I would have put yeoman higher but the number of slots they're offering for
the ship is low so....
OS sounds like a cool rate. Its probably the most technically
challenging of the ratings.
I still didn't get an answer on diver and whether I can apply after we get
back even if I take the rating test. I have one person saying I'd have to
skip the rating exam if I wanted to do that and another saying the opposite.
Of course this could all go to hell and I don't get picked up to take ANY of
the 3 ratings (which could and has happened). If that's the case well then
DIVER here I come in June when we get back.
For STA-21 (officer college program), I can apply at any time and I'm going to
try to get more info for that. It's a huge package and is really hard to get
together at sea but....well its just like when I applied for marines. Just
getting letters of rec and a long essay on why you want to be a naval
officer and all that jazz. I'll slowly organize myself for that over the
deployment. Its probably best to wait until I have a few awards from this
deployment and a stellar record to hoist myself up on when I apply.
I'll keep you updated. We learn in a few weeks if we get to take the tests
we applied for. Then we can re-apply if we don't get anything if there's
time left.
Al
See the thing with A-school. It's a 2 year wait. But changing your rating
(which is actually MUCH easier paperwork wise) is also 2 years. So if I get
a rating in March (well actually may/junish, it takes that long to find out)
I'm really waiting about the same amount of time. Only with the former I'm
e-3 in deck. Whereas for the others, I can go for e-4 and above in another
department. Oh and its easier paperwork wise and you pretty much WILL get it
because you'll have 2 years in a rating with a performance record and
accolades and all that sumsuch.
So on the sheet I put down
1) Operations Specialist
2) Quartermaster
3) Yeoman
I would have put yeoman higher but the number of slots they're offering for
the ship is low so....
OS sounds like a cool rate. Its probably the most technically
challenging of the ratings.
I still didn't get an answer on diver and whether I can apply after we get
back even if I take the rating test. I have one person saying I'd have to
skip the rating exam if I wanted to do that and another saying the opposite.
Of course this could all go to hell and I don't get picked up to take ANY of
the 3 ratings (which could and has happened). If that's the case well then
DIVER here I come in June when we get back.
For STA-21 (officer college program), I can apply at any time and I'm going to
try to get more info for that. It's a huge package and is really hard to get
together at sea but....well its just like when I applied for marines. Just
getting letters of rec and a long essay on why you want to be a naval
officer and all that jazz. I'll slowly organize myself for that over the
deployment. Its probably best to wait until I have a few awards from this
deployment and a stellar record to hoist myself up on when I apply.
I'll keep you updated. We learn in a few weeks if we get to take the tests
we applied for. Then we can re-apply if we don't get anything if there's
time left.
Al
Monday, December 27, 2010
December 23
Check the Facebook and Navy.mill photo page. They were taking pics of the
burial at sea practice today. I will definitely be in them when we actually do
it. Those kind of photos tend to make it to the navy.mil page, not just the FB
one. The ceremony is Monday and we are honoring about 20 veterans who opted to have their ashes scattered. I'm in the honor platoon. My part is pretty simple. I walk out there. Then stand there looking good. Then walk back.
Quote of the Day
(while watching CNN)
Black sailor (sarcastically) "Oh so you change the channel because its Barrack
Obama huh? Racist."
Sailor 2 "hell no, you know I hate all the presidents"
Sailor 3 "yeah @#$% William Taft"
burial at sea practice today. I will definitely be in them when we actually do
it. Those kind of photos tend to make it to the navy.mil page, not just the FB
one. The ceremony is Monday and we are honoring about 20 veterans who opted to have their ashes scattered. I'm in the honor platoon. My part is pretty simple. I walk out there. Then stand there looking good. Then walk back.
Quote of the Day
(while watching CNN)
Black sailor (sarcastically) "Oh so you change the channel because its Barrack
Obama huh? Racist."
Sailor 2 "hell no, you know I hate all the presidents"
Sailor 3 "yeah @#$% William Taft"
December 22
I have a good group of 4 guys (Stevens, Rodriguez, Merren) all SWCC drops. Stevens is 25 and engaged, Rodriquez is 19 and sheltered and Merrens similar. We plan on sticking together and using the hell out of the tours and avoiding bars like the plague (there’s a lot of people who head for the bar closest to the dock and don’t leave it for 3 days, there’s others that go to even lower places of socializing and don’t leave for 3 days). Besides, half our department is still on liberty restriction from the LAST deployment (meaning they can’t go for the full time or even off the boat at all) so we could be by ourselves (not alone mind you but we’ll be with the group that actually sees the country as apposed to getting blacked out). I should mention Deck has a reputation for being in the latter group.
December 21
Okay now for the daily what's goings on. We just turned west and cranked the
speed up to cruising. So we are gone. What this means for packages and mail
I have no clue. Maybe when we go past Hawaii we'll get some CODs (Carrier On-Board Delivery)?
As for my next stop keep watching the news. I'll tell you all I can once I,
well, can. In any case we have a few good ports we got lined up.
Life here. Well we just hit some moderate seas for the first time. A carrier
can be weirder than most any ships. It doesn't list much (3-4 degrees in
heavy seas). The problem is that since its so big that 3-4 degrees is about
12 feet up and down on the edges of the flight deck. Plus the period of the
rolls is so slow it can be even weirder. It's easier to get into
the rhythm of the rolls. However, in high seas it can be easier to walk on
the walls than the floor. So it could be worse. What else about here would
anyone want to know? Um, flight quarters go on far more than you would
think.
Career wise I still don't know. Seabee rates are A school only sadly. If I
want to wait for an A school it will be about 2 years here as a UNDES. You need a year min to apply for it, 18 months until you can leave but most commands won't
let you until you hit 2 years. I might go for yeoman. You get a security
clearance and can do actual things that apply outside the navy.
Oh good news. I found out I can put in a diver package immediately. No
minimum time, no waiting for my departments approval to let you go when they
can fill your spot. Dropping SWCC only affected applying for SWCC again for
2 years (and possibly SEAL), but not diver, EOD or Airt Rescue. However you need a dive physical and a recent PST (both of mine from SWCC are about a month too old).
This means I can't do all that until once we pull back in. So 6 months then
dive school (hopefully). The couseler said I can and should still strike for
a rate, make PO3 in whatever rating, go for good evals. He basically said
they're still so undermanned that as long as you qualify you'll get to go.
Not too much xmas stuff planned. Only a small tree in the galley and a
Christmas Story played the other day. Surprisingly not too many people are
in the holiday spirit within a month of departing. Maybe holiday cheer will pick up on the 24th or 25th. Fingers crossed we will have a little time off then.
Alex
speed up to cruising. So we are gone. What this means for packages and mail
I have no clue. Maybe when we go past Hawaii we'll get some CODs (Carrier On-Board Delivery)?
As for my next stop keep watching the news. I'll tell you all I can once I,
well, can. In any case we have a few good ports we got lined up.
Life here. Well we just hit some moderate seas for the first time. A carrier
can be weirder than most any ships. It doesn't list much (3-4 degrees in
heavy seas). The problem is that since its so big that 3-4 degrees is about
12 feet up and down on the edges of the flight deck. Plus the period of the
rolls is so slow it can be even weirder. It's easier to get into
the rhythm of the rolls. However, in high seas it can be easier to walk on
the walls than the floor. So it could be worse. What else about here would
anyone want to know? Um, flight quarters go on far more than you would
think.
Career wise I still don't know. Seabee rates are A school only sadly. If I
want to wait for an A school it will be about 2 years here as a UNDES. You need a year min to apply for it, 18 months until you can leave but most commands won't
let you until you hit 2 years. I might go for yeoman. You get a security
clearance and can do actual things that apply outside the navy.
Oh good news. I found out I can put in a diver package immediately. No
minimum time, no waiting for my departments approval to let you go when they
can fill your spot. Dropping SWCC only affected applying for SWCC again for
2 years (and possibly SEAL), but not diver, EOD or Airt Rescue. However you need a dive physical and a recent PST (both of mine from SWCC are about a month too old).
This means I can't do all that until once we pull back in. So 6 months then
dive school (hopefully). The couseler said I can and should still strike for
a rate, make PO3 in whatever rating, go for good evals. He basically said
they're still so undermanned that as long as you qualify you'll get to go.
Not too much xmas stuff planned. Only a small tree in the galley and a
Christmas Story played the other day. Surprisingly not too many people are
in the holiday spirit within a month of departing. Maybe holiday cheer will pick up on the 24th or 25th. Fingers crossed we will have a little time off then.
Alex
December 21
I just got Aunt Tracy's and Uncle Steve's xmas gift. Can you get me their
emails so I can thank them? Family Guy DVD. VERY NIIIICE.
I don't think this is a secret, but we just turned West and picked it up to cruising
speed. So off we are! I'll email you more when I can, I guess.
emails so I can thank them? Family Guy DVD. VERY NIIIICE.
I don't think this is a secret, but we just turned West and picked it up to cruising
speed. So off we are! I'll email you more when I can, I guess.
December 20
I just got neens' other package. BRUCE!! AND AWESOMELY BAD KUNG FU
MOVIES!!!!! Very nice! Thank you sooooo much! Me and the other new guys are
the only ones getting gifts since most everyone on the ship had a
"Thanksgiving Christmas" (a common navy invented holiday in which one
combines the two holidays on either Christmas, Thanksgiving or some other
random day in October when deployment gets in the way.)
Whats wrong with arresting gear dept? Then again I never deal with those
people lol. The photogs (MC's mass communications specialists in navspeak)
aren't around too much lol. They do take pics of our unreps most times
though.
Ps the profanity censoring is thanks to a certain girlfriend. She bugs me
lol.
Pssss. I can chug coffee and then fall asleep now lol. 7 cups in 30 min on
the bridge. Fall asleep on bridge is something I don't want to find out
about.
HOPEFULLY I'll get your package at 2100 tonight so sorry in advance if
there's a late phone call.
Got anthrax shots today. Not too bad....OH MY GOD WHAT IS UNDER THE
SKIN OF MY ARM! Rumor is that smallpox can be much worse.
In class all week so I don't have to work!! WOO HOO! Just sit in sex ed,
hazmat, maintenance and such all day from 6-1400 so not bad, me thinks.
Oh went to GQ for 6 hours yesterday. FUN!!! Actually I'm a fireteam
investigator (AKA I look for fires) but 6 hours with little ventilation in a
small room with 100 people....not fun.
Tell Meredith happy birthday and that I'm sorry for a lack of gifts. Whole
deploying on short notice thing. I hope she understands.
Merry Christmas!
MOVIES!!!!! Very nice! Thank you sooooo much! Me and the other new guys are
the only ones getting gifts since most everyone on the ship had a
"Thanksgiving Christmas" (a common navy invented holiday in which one
combines the two holidays on either Christmas, Thanksgiving or some other
random day in October when deployment gets in the way.)
Whats wrong with arresting gear dept? Then again I never deal with those
people lol. The photogs (MC's mass communications specialists in navspeak)
aren't around too much lol. They do take pics of our unreps most times
though.
Ps the profanity censoring is thanks to a certain girlfriend. She bugs me
lol.
Pssss. I can chug coffee and then fall asleep now lol. 7 cups in 30 min on
the bridge. Fall asleep on bridge is something I don't want to find out
about.
HOPEFULLY I'll get your package at 2100 tonight so sorry in advance if
there's a late phone call.
Got anthrax shots today. Not too bad....OH MY GOD WHAT IS UNDER THE
SKIN OF MY ARM! Rumor is that smallpox can be much worse.
In class all week so I don't have to work!! WOO HOO! Just sit in sex ed,
hazmat, maintenance and such all day from 6-1400 so not bad, me thinks.
Oh went to GQ for 6 hours yesterday. FUN!!! Actually I'm a fireteam
investigator (AKA I look for fires) but 6 hours with little ventilation in a
small room with 100 people....not fun.
Tell Meredith happy birthday and that I'm sorry for a lack of gifts. Whole
deploying on short notice thing. I hope she understands.
Merry Christmas!
December 18
To Aunt Denise and Uncle Michael,
HOLY COW THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE CARE PACKAGE. Came at the perfect time by the way. Love the brownies and the chapstick. And the OOOOH FUUUUUDGE (but I didn’t say fudge). They had that movie on in the galley the other day, made me homesick. If they serve fried chicken and play It’s A Wonderful Life on Xmas Eve I might just lose it lol. All is well. Keep checking the old blog since my Dad should be posting the daily emails there.
Alexander
HOLY COW THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE CARE PACKAGE. Came at the perfect time by the way. Love the brownies and the chapstick. And the OOOOH FUUUUUDGE (but I didn’t say fudge). They had that movie on in the galley the other day, made me homesick. If they serve fried chicken and play It’s A Wonderful Life on Xmas Eve I might just lose it lol. All is well. Keep checking the old blog since my Dad should be posting the daily emails there.
Alexander
December 17
There’s some idiots here lol. A good number. I’d say the navy is the 30% best people you can count on trying to control the 30% worst and the middle who are just shooting for the date till they get out.
Funny quote of the day
“Bridge, Aft lookout. I got an air contact bearing one-eight-zero. Target angle 1. 1000 yards and closing”
“Aft, are you calling in the LANDING aircraft now?”
“uh…..would you believe me if I said no?”
“Aft, bridge. I need you to check an air contact for me bearing one four three. Small and white, should have tail number Charlie-dash-Golf-Uniform- One – One”
“Bridge, I don’t see it? You said it was C-GU11?”
“Yep”
“All I see is a flock of bir….wait a minute.”
“So Stevens, you liking being in deck so far?”
“Love it petty officer. My life is accelerating SO FREAKING HARD. Someone wants to read a book about my life. Somewhere some poor soul is buying a minivan (hums metal song from recruiting commercial)
“Okay Joe Navy, don’t get too motivated lol”
Funny quote of the day
“Bridge, Aft lookout. I got an air contact bearing one-eight-zero. Target angle 1. 1000 yards and closing”
“Aft, are you calling in the LANDING aircraft now?”
“uh…..would you believe me if I said no?”
“Aft, bridge. I need you to check an air contact for me bearing one four three. Small and white, should have tail number Charlie-dash-Golf-Uniform- One – One”
“Bridge, I don’t see it? You said it was C-GU11?”
“Yep”
“All I see is a flock of bir….wait a minute.”
“So Stevens, you liking being in deck so far?”
“Love it petty officer. My life is accelerating SO FREAKING HARD. Someone wants to read a book about my life. Somewhere some poor soul is buying a minivan (hums metal song from recruiting commercial)
“Okay Joe Navy, don’t get too motivated lol”
December 16
It's a maze here. The 2nd deck (galley) is the most "open" in terms
of wider(ish) hallways and it spans the entire ship. But stuff still dead
ends and brings you in a direction different from where you wanted to go.
You can go in the hanger always and I use that to get around most of the
time. Most deck department spaces are directly off the hanger bay such as
the mooring stations and the stuff we use for UNREPs. The only other level
is the 03 level (hanger deck is deck 1, below that is deck 2,3, etc. above
that is level 01, 02, 03 etc.) but that's officer country where all the
operations and intel offices are and officer berthing and pilot ready rooms
and its pretty easy to get lost. There's 10 "levels" above the hanger (04
and above is the tower) and 7 or 8 decks. I really don't know since I don't
ever really have to go below the waterline for anything since that's where
the reactor and ordnance magazines are and its automatic meeting with the
captain if you go there. Its also a maze anyway.
My berthing is right at the waterline on the bow on the 3rd deck. But you can't reach it from the third deck, you have to go to the second deck and take the ONLY ladderwell that leads into it. A lot of berthings can be like this since it gives some measure of privacy...sometimes. About 100 people in a room that's ABOUT the
size of our ground floor. Probably smaller. I've been hanging with a few people.
Most SWCC and SEAL drops. Maybe about 2-3 hours a day to my self if lucky
but I have laundry and a bunch of other stuff to do.
Al
December 14
Hey,
Work is very long. We did another unrep today and I had
watch back aft from 0000-0400. Then immediately after another UNREP. I'm
hopefully done after this next watch from 16-1800 (watches are 4 hours
except the two that straddle dinner so everyone can eat).
Food is meh. Its actually better NOW than the galley at the base (which
doesn't say much). Everyone says the entrees get worse. However, chicken
wings basically last the entire deployment, everything can be improved with
tobasco AND being on a carrier has its perks like a full bake shop that
other ships don't have. Near the end, everyone says you basically eat cake,
rice or boxed mashed potatoes flavored with tobasco/ketchup and peanut
butter.
Also let Lt. Cmdr Summa know I'm jealous. They get some pretty good cookies
and hot pastries up on the bridge, which I of course get to deliver as
Messenger of the watch (thankfully the bakers downstairs always leave a few
extra in the box to disturbed amongst the rest of us).
Ok job wise. I have been told many different things about this since there is
a department career counseler and a ships counseler. The rumor is that Deck
is notorious for holding onto people for dear life. We have a few people who
struck for a rating like OSSN or QMSN and are still in the department for a
few months after picking it up. Deck is always semi under manned and 1st Lt
is in a situation where he has to keep people who aren't idiots in the department or else nothing would get done. I am told I will definitely be taking the ratings test in March this is by the ships counseler). I may not pick up RANK (make 3rd class Petty Officer) but I will pick up a rate, so I'd be Gunner's Mate seaman or something to that effect. You basically have to qualify for all my stuff and then STOP and don't do anything extra before you qualify for a watch that only 3 people on the boat have and you have to stay in your department. There's something called master helmsman and they man the helm during GQ, heavy seas, and get to do the whipperdills (basically power sliding the ship while going 35 knots.) One guy got qualed and can't leave the department because he's one of the only people who has
that qual. Oh and if I wanted to go to A school you have to be on the ship
at least a year before they let you even apply.
Right now I am REALLY looking towards the Seabee rates. One because I think
I'd genuinely enjoy it. All the work I did on hold after SWCC was for
various seabee commands at the base and I love their command atmosphere. And
I get to shoot guns and do cool stuff like that. Few undes's strike into
Seabees since theres a lot of requirements. No legal/disciplinary problems
(that cuts out about 1/2 undes's) and high PT scores (which cuts out most of
the rest) and various medical requirements. All of which I know I already
qualify for since I qualified for it in specwar.
There is another more self serving motive for the Seabees. One since it's a
non sea rating the ship HAS to let me go once if I pick up the rate. I kinda
sort of forgot to mention but we're doing back to back deployments (6 months
out, 6 months in, 6 months out again NEXT December). While the ship is pretty
cool in its own way and I'm happy for the experience right now, I'm almost
positive I'm going to hate that next deployment. So getting off the ship
before then is sort of a priority. Cross your fingers I get it.
Love
Al
PS. I can sort of get on facebook when people don't do stupid stuff like tell
where we are going.
No laptop access to internet. No zip drives on the gov computers
PSS. And we are still off California. That's not really a state secret yet. Where
we are going, well, Grandpa Alex would be proud.
PSSS. Oh other fun stuff. I saw a whale trailing the ship on watch the other
night. Dolphins were jumping off our wake this morning. And I saw a really
freaky shooting start the other night while on lookout watch (looking for
sea and air contacts).
Funny quote of the day
Heard this exchange over the comm net while I was aft
"Bridge, forward lookout. I have an air contact bearing 000. Moving forward
at 100 yards now 200 yards now 300 yards..."
"Forward, Bridge. Are you calling out our planes as they launch?"
"Uh yeah"
"WHY?!"
"I am really, really bored"
Work is very long. We did another unrep today and I had
watch back aft from 0000-0400. Then immediately after another UNREP. I'm
hopefully done after this next watch from 16-1800 (watches are 4 hours
except the two that straddle dinner so everyone can eat).
Food is meh. Its actually better NOW than the galley at the base (which
doesn't say much). Everyone says the entrees get worse. However, chicken
wings basically last the entire deployment, everything can be improved with
tobasco AND being on a carrier has its perks like a full bake shop that
other ships don't have. Near the end, everyone says you basically eat cake,
rice or boxed mashed potatoes flavored with tobasco/ketchup and peanut
butter.
Also let Lt. Cmdr Summa know I'm jealous. They get some pretty good cookies
and hot pastries up on the bridge, which I of course get to deliver as
Messenger of the watch (thankfully the bakers downstairs always leave a few
extra in the box to disturbed amongst the rest of us).
Ok job wise. I have been told many different things about this since there is
a department career counseler and a ships counseler. The rumor is that Deck
is notorious for holding onto people for dear life. We have a few people who
struck for a rating like OSSN or QMSN and are still in the department for a
few months after picking it up. Deck is always semi under manned and 1st Lt
is in a situation where he has to keep people who aren't idiots in the department or else nothing would get done. I am told I will definitely be taking the ratings test in March this is by the ships counseler). I may not pick up RANK (make 3rd class Petty Officer) but I will pick up a rate, so I'd be Gunner's Mate seaman or something to that effect. You basically have to qualify for all my stuff and then STOP and don't do anything extra before you qualify for a watch that only 3 people on the boat have and you have to stay in your department. There's something called master helmsman and they man the helm during GQ, heavy seas, and get to do the whipperdills (basically power sliding the ship while going 35 knots.) One guy got qualed and can't leave the department because he's one of the only people who has
that qual. Oh and if I wanted to go to A school you have to be on the ship
at least a year before they let you even apply.
Right now I am REALLY looking towards the Seabee rates. One because I think
I'd genuinely enjoy it. All the work I did on hold after SWCC was for
various seabee commands at the base and I love their command atmosphere. And
I get to shoot guns and do cool stuff like that. Few undes's strike into
Seabees since theres a lot of requirements. No legal/disciplinary problems
(that cuts out about 1/2 undes's) and high PT scores (which cuts out most of
the rest) and various medical requirements. All of which I know I already
qualify for since I qualified for it in specwar.
There is another more self serving motive for the Seabees. One since it's a
non sea rating the ship HAS to let me go once if I pick up the rate. I kinda
sort of forgot to mention but we're doing back to back deployments (6 months
out, 6 months in, 6 months out again NEXT December). While the ship is pretty
cool in its own way and I'm happy for the experience right now, I'm almost
positive I'm going to hate that next deployment. So getting off the ship
before then is sort of a priority. Cross your fingers I get it.
Love
Al
PS. I can sort of get on facebook when people don't do stupid stuff like tell
where we are going.
No laptop access to internet. No zip drives on the gov computers
PSS. And we are still off California. That's not really a state secret yet. Where
we are going, well, Grandpa Alex would be proud.
PSSS. Oh other fun stuff. I saw a whale trailing the ship on watch the other
night. Dolphins were jumping off our wake this morning. And I saw a really
freaky shooting start the other night while on lookout watch (looking for
sea and air contacts).
Funny quote of the day
Heard this exchange over the comm net while I was aft
"Bridge, forward lookout. I have an air contact bearing 000. Moving forward
at 100 yards now 200 yards now 300 yards..."
"Forward, Bridge. Are you calling out our planes as they launch?"
"Uh yeah"
"WHY?!"
"I am really, really bored"
December 13, 2010
Hey all!
Its been a busy week, working 20 hours a day, hauling lines, singing sea chanteys, drinking grog and doing other sailorish activities. Speaking of which I get 2, count em, TWO whole lite beers after 45 days at sea. (To my Leading Petty Officer (LPO) “That’s BS, the Royal Navy still gets a rum ration daily.” He laughed.) It's in some ways not as bad as I thought It would be.
Ok important info to follow. I cannot tell you where the ship is going. It's seriously top secret "stuff" (STSS) so I can only reveal where I’ve been. From what I can tell I MIGHT be able to hint at in generalities (like “hey guys, send winter gloves and ski masks in the next care package” I’m obviously not going to pull into Dubai.”). My emails get screened and if I should do so, the entire ship loses their outgoing internet and email privileges (you can still receive stuff too). If it's really bad we can lose outgoing letter writing privledges and miss a port of call all together.
On that note, from time to time we go to heightened alert status if the evil country of Redistan invades the noble National Republic of White or Mr. President says “GO HERE” and go we shall. In that case we can also lose internet privileges. When this happens its usually a week or two but sometimes as long as a month. Just know that I AM FINE. IF THIS HAPPENS ASSUME THAT I AM DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT. Some wives and girlfriends can be less than intelligent and start sending off a lengthy tirade of angry emails back (which we can still read) thinking their significant other is ignoring them. Some people have watched their marriages and relationships crumble before their eyes with nothing they can do since they can’t send out emails. So again, be patient if you don’t hear from me. Assume its something important and if I or the ship really is in some sort of dange, CNN will PROBABLY know about it.
Oh and right now it's just wargames and exercises off the coast of California. There’s the evil country of Red which is attacking White’s ships and there’s the countries of Black and Blue that are allied with each other and we’re in the middle. We’ve been going on and off General Quarters a couple times (I’m in a damage control fireteam). I can’t say much more about the exercises since they may or may not simulated situations we may or may not face in the areas of the world we may or may not know, lol.
About my job? Well I just started standing watches and yeah, I get to drive the 1000 tons of diplomacy :D. And it handles like its 1000 tons. Oversteers like a big mother and can easily drift off course if your heavy handed or don’t pay attention. There’s basically 4 watch stations, helm (driving), lee helm (throttle but not really, you're just ordering engineering to make a certain speed), messenger of the watch (coffee boy/ getting cookies from the wardroom) and the lookouts (theres a few of these but their basically the same). It seems odd that there are a few people in deck department for DUIs but the navy lets them drive the ship but that’s irony. UNDES is basically bosun’s mate seaman. Actually it IS bosun’s mate seaman. There is literally no difference.
Why do we drive the boat you ask? Well back in the day bosuns did all the line handling which in the age of sail meant they also controlled the sails. Makes sense to have the guy driving know about the sails and how they affect the steering huh? Well now we get different ways of moving the boat, but we still steer it. My day job when I’m not on watch consists of a few things. UNREPS where we resupply the ship on the move (hence Underway REPlenishment) and cargo and fuel go from a supply ship to us. We don’t chip paint too much. The hull is painted and maintained in the yards which I missed. I do paint some random compartments. There’s also a lot of moving and organizing equipment, preparing for the next UNREP, cleaning etc. It results in long days. There’s about 3 types of people who work in deck: Bosun’s who came into the Navy to do this. They’re pretty cool, my Petty Officers know their job. Then there’s the special program drops: SEALS, Crypto, a few Nukes, Crypto interpretive (translators). All exceptionally smart and all stuck doing deck work. The SEAL/SWCC/DIVER, are pretty cool since manual labor isn’t too bad but the crypto guys can be annoying with their “I’m too overqualified to do this”. Then there’s the screw-ups. Guys who couldn’t get through Quartermaster school (really? The entire rate is just high school Trig) or they got Captain’s Masts and stuff. Some are ok but most shirk work and basically mess up everything for the rest of us.
Actually the old stereotype about Bosuns and deck having a lot of hazing and being really hard on the junior sailors isn’t true. Most of the Bosuns can figure out if you are not pretty quick and treat you accordingly. So it really stinks for the chronic screw-ups but is fine enough for the rest of us. All my officers are mustangs (firmer enlisted who became officers)or warrants save for one.
Well that’s all folks
Al
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