US Navy

1.) Boot Camp in San Diego, CA. 1965 - 1966. 2.) Engineering A School, North Chicago, Illinois 1966 - 1966. 3.) First duty station, Adak, Alaska 372 days 1966 - 1967. 4.) Second duty station, I Corps, Viet Nam. 375 days in Country. Assigned to YFU 65 ported out of Da Nang, Viet Nam. Assistant Chief Engineer. Carried up to 150 tons of supplies in the flat bottomed boat to the troops up the many rivers of only 6 feet of water. All the while getting shot at by Carlie Viet Cong from both sides of the rivers. What I really hated most was carrying 150 tons of Black Powder. 1967 - 1968. 5.) Last 14 months on a West Pacific Cruise aboard The USS Belle Grove LSD 2. Traveled all over the West Pacific. Ported out of Long Beach, CA. Assigned to the Boat Shop. 1968 - 1969.
My main objective was PM & Repair of many different pieces of equipment throughout The NAVY.

As a Reserve Chief Clerk I would be contacted by a Naval Officer in Canberra and offered  employment for a period ranging from 1 month to 6 months to fill a vacant position. Jobs were varied but usually within my field of expertise.  When not working for the Navy I was busy on a local orchard usually during the picking season and afterwards for pruning and other orchard tasks.

I had the freedom to ensure that my Naval and civilian employments did not clash thus giving me maximum employment for the working year. 

A very enjoyable period of my working life and the hardest part was deciding which Navy job to accept when there were more than one on offer.  Job location and length of time would usually decide which I accepted.

•Attended Radiological Control Technician Qualification School for 16 weeks to become an expert in radiological controls.
•Responsible for the control of radiation and radioactivity associated with the maintenance of Naval Nuclear Reactors.
•A member of the Radiological Assistance Team and current Emergency Planning Coordinator who is first to respond to any large scale nuclear accidents.
•Senior Nuclear Test Equipment Custodian responsible for certifying, inspecting, issuing, and maintaining all nuclear test equipment.
•Approve and issue/clear plant lockouts/tagouts, approve all changes to equipment status in the nuclear support facility, and supervise all personnel performing maintenance on equipment as the RCSS.


Culinary Specialists receive extensive training in culinary arts, hotel management and other areas within the hospitality industry.  Culinary Specialists provide food service catering and hospitality services for Admirals, senior government executives, and within the White House Mess for the President of the United States.  This rating is responsible for all aspects of the dining (shipboard mess decks) and shore duty living areas.  Culinary Specialists work in the "heart of the ship," and are vital in maintaining high crew morale on ships, construction battalions and every shore base.

Boot camp was a culture shock. "A" school where you learn your job is a little less intense. Once you get to your first command, everything goes back to normal, and it becomes a job. The difference is Uncle Sam makes sure you always have a roof over your head and food in the belly. On top of that, you get a paycheck, medical, dental, and the opportunity to get life insurance and a retirement plan. You even can get free tuition assistance. It doesn't end there once you get out they will pay for your college and other benefits too numerous to list.

As an auxiliary mechanic there were times where I worked 84 hour weeks for a month straight followed by a three month underway. Most difficult job I've ever had but resulted in learning a very valuable trade. The Navy's easier jobs don't translate very well to the civilian world, but have fantastic advancement while enlisted. The Navy's harder jobs have not as good advancement, harder overall work, but great skills that translate over to the civilian world rather easily.

NAVY (Never Again Volunteer Yourself)
Military service is excellent if you're a recent high school grad with no plans for life.  You will learn discipline and honor.  As an enlisted person, you will be poor until you are married with dependents, in a combat role overseas, and E-6 or above.  Officers is a great way to have your school paid for.  If you opt to stay in for 20+ years, you will get a check for life, so that's nice.

A typical day at work was giving out orders and what needed to be done during the day.
I learned to supervise fellow peers and shipmates.
Management was great for I was one of the lower lever management.
Workplace culture was superb.
The hardest part of the job was doing evaluations on fellow peers.
The most enjoyable part of the job was the opportunity to visit various parts of the world.

If YOU go into the Navy unfocused. You will be very very unhappy. If you keep your pants ziped and use your free time to improve yourself. You can have a lot of fun and set yourself up for a great life.

I only wish someone cared enough for me to tell me that. My life would be so different.

You can get a top education from a education institution and you can get a top education in the Navy and experience what you've learned.  Not like graduating from college, looking for a job, work in a cafe for a few years while looking for the job you were educated for and finally finding the job you received a degree in to find out the technology has updated.

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