Wednesday August 08, 2007
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.
Posted by ksaddi ( Aug 08 2007, 07:00:37 PM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]
