Wednesday August 08, 2007

Done with School, Back on Hold, and Orders?

Well, another chapter in my Navy career is over; a very significant chapter might I add. I am proud to say I'm not an undesignated seaman any more. I'm what they call rated, which means I've undergone training towards a specific job in the Navy (a rating), which boils down to me being worth just a little more to the Navy and tacking on more letters to my alteady-too-many letters for a rate. I can proudly call myself STGSN Saddi now, a welcoming upgrade from just SN Saddi. And give or take about less than a week I'll be putting on my crow and making Petty Officer 3rd class - which on this base, doesn't deem much bragging rights considering everybody and their mothers are STG3s. Then it's STG3 Saddi. Hooyah!

After graduation, I've been put into the holds company and unfortunately assigned to 1st Lieutenant maintenance. So despite the fact that I've completed sonar tech 'A' school, my real job for awhile is raking pine needles, emptying trashcans, dusting off the CO's mat, and random labor work around base. Which I honestly can't complain too much. It feels good to put on the coveralls, sweat a little, and work hard for the money. If I can't get out of this working party, then I'll have to make the best of it because from the looks of it, I'll be on hold until November...

Remember, remember, the fifth of November. That's when I'll be classed up for 'C' school (another phase of training for a specific area within sonar, or learning the technician side of things than operations). I think the orders were given by alphabetical order because all the guys before me got Mark 116 (the fire control system of anti-sub warfare ops, which was what I was looking forward to) while I got "stuck" with the 56, which is the system used exclusively on FFGs. Talk about specialization! Until further notice, this pretty much narrows down the type of ship I'll be stationed on once I'm done with all my training here in San Diego. The downsides? The 56 is known as the "Helen Keller" due to it being blind, deaf, and dumb when it comes to hunting subs. It's the shortest 'C' school here on base. Because of the system being so easy to maintain/operate, more than likely I'll be tasked to doing other jobs around the boat than standing sonar watch. The positives? It's the shortest 'C' school here on base. I'll be tasked to doing other jobs around the boat than standing sonar watch. It's a toss-up because I've honestly heard good and bad things about it.

What I am looking forward to is getting my hands dirty on other activities aboard my first ship, like VBSS (group of guys that board cargo ships to make sure they're not smuggling anything, sometimes armed) and working on gun quals. One of the main operations of the frigate in today's Navy is drug ops so if I'm stationed here in SD or Mayport, FL I'll be tracking go-fast boats trying to make their way to the States with their pounds of cocaine aboard. The smallboys are definitely the workhorse of the Navy, and since the frigate is the smallest ship hopefully I'll get to see a lot of things. Enough dreaming for now, back to the reality of holds company. Bleah. :)

On the plus side of things lately, I've moved into the bachelor quarters (single-room and shared bathroom) so goodbye roommate woes, tacking on my crow in a matter of days (too bad I can't afford to get all my uniforms' patches replaced!), and in a matter of weeks I should have a set of wheels down here in SD. Say goodbye to public transportation.

Thursday May 24, 2007

Soon

Classes start next week after the long weekend. Hold status has been pretty relaxing as of late; we've been going on tours of San Diego or other fun activities to help pass the time. On Tuesday, we went to Burbank for a live recording of the Tonight Show which was awesome (to say I was about 20 yards away from Demi Moore. Demi Moore!). This Friday our class should be taking a tour of the USS Midway, a ship type we'd most likely never step foot on in the fleet (being sonar techs). Leave in Santa Maria was relaxing and was nice to see the family and friends since leaving for boot last year.

I've been keeping busy during the working hours and (most of the time) my internet is down so that limits me to my playing of some computer games. Which I suppose isn't too much of a bad thing - I've been working on my game on the billiard tables as well as participating with some pen-and-paper RPG sessions (the Navy is by far the most geekiest of the military branches). Other than that, trying to keep busy while at the same time taking it easy before classes; the calm before the storm so to speak. Ehh, it shouldn't be too bad. If I still have my study habits from my college days, this shouldn't be too bad. One thing I won't get used to is not being able to take the material back to the barracks (or to a coffeeshop, where I normally spent my time studying) because of classified information. So I'm only able to do extra study during designated hours during my liberty hours. Bah.

Friday April 27, 2007

Out For Blood

Within a week's time, we've had two shipmates beaten by a gang of guys at Ocean Beach. Which is probably one of the reasons why this area is secured during the night time for liberty. The first incident, the sailor went to OB by himself (mistake #1) and flirted with some girl. Girl's boyfriend showed up with his friends and decided to make it clear who was who... Said sailor now has to get his jaw screwed shut and will probably miss class.

Just last night a group of three shipmates were down at OB, all three drunk (2 underage, mistake #2) with one supporting the other. Some guys pick a fight with the third, threw a fist, other shipmate helps out but the two get ganged up. The third decides to leave his two shipmates and make a run for it (charged for giving underage alcohol and running, mistake #3 and 4). The sailor that decided to help out ended up getting roped around the neck and dragged along the beach behind a vehicle. What. the. hell. The shipmate's in ER as of 3am.

We had a streak of 50 days without any alcohol related incident (ARI). Meaning there's been drinking, yes. But no actual incidents that involved law enforcement or anything of the like. We were trying to reach 100 days which would've meant our LPO getting a pie in the face (a deal's a deal). But instead, drunken stupor takes command half way there and we're back to 0. Like all things military, shit rolls down the hill and we're feeling the blunt of it as I type.

Now I'm really excited for 4pm, when I get my leave chit and say "deuces, see you in 7 days." But I am somewhat worried what will happen in the coming week in terms of liberty being secured or a reduction of duty sections which ultimately screws everybody. It'd mean standing duty every 2-3 days versus like once a week, if that.

Puts a new meaning to "Save our Sailors." Why do douchebags have to beat up on the other man whose willing to put his life in the line for him? Let's think about that.

Saturday April 21, 2007

The USS Reagan Homecoming

Yesterday a couple other sailors and I had an oppurtunity to witness the USS Reagan (CVN-76) pull into port after almost two hundred days of being on deployment. Not having yet been to the Fleet and having spent the last seven months still on shore, this marks the first time of being this close to any naval ship. It was exciting and awesome to see the Reagan, one of the biggest carriers to date, and imagine the sheer power such a vessel possesses. Then it reminds me how badass our Navy's got to be! Steel war machines.

But then I'm humbled and reminded I haven't even been through sonar school yet and untested (by the salty seas). Finally I got internet installed in my room so hopefully you'll hear from me a little more often.

Tuesday March 27, 2007

Our business, undersea intelligence warfare. Our product, a sunken submarine

For the last week or so, I've been here back home in California, well in San Diego to be more accurate. The immediate welcoming change is the weather for obvious reasons; it's fun to watch some of my friends who flew here with me and their astounded reactions to the glorious sunshine. It is also welcoming to realize I'm approximately 4.5 hours away from home home, which believe it or not still feels too far. Nonetheless, I'm working on my watch qualifications and wrapping up indoc and a handful of courses, so I can earn Phase II Liberty and finally take leave.

For me, Sonar Tech 'A' School doesn't start until the middle of May, which gives me about 1.5 months of being on hold which accounts for many daily musters, standing watch, picking up trash around the base, and well that's about it. The base's student population is about 300 which is ridiculously small (back at Great Lakes, just my barracks held 600 males!). It sorta sucks being one of the FNGs but it also helps having some shipmates from my division here before me. The command I'm under is called Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare, or FASW Pt. Loma. I can't wait to start classes and actually dive in to what my rate's all about, having endured the busy-theory-work that was ATT back at Great Lakes. At least at this command, Phase I Liberty allows you to wear civilian clothes during the weekends and the buddy system is not enforced. Navy life is good.