Sunday June 01, 2008
Sunday June 01, 2008 My Life Inside Two Seabags and a Backpack.
...For the time being at least. Training concluded early May and I took about ten days leave back to Santa Maria to hang out with the folks, my brother, and the dog. Yet again, there just wasn't enough time and timing itself restricted me from seeing some faces that I was eager to catch up with but there's always next time. Drove back to San Diego to check into Naval Base San Diego (you know, the real Navy) and got a room with TPU (Transient Personnel Unit). This is where the Sailors separating or in limbo are assigned to before they get flown to their ships (such as my case) or report to their ships once they pull into the pier.
Didn't really have much trouble figuring out my needs and wants when it came to packing (I had acquired about a year and half of "stuff" from staying at the training base) but I've pretty much narrowed it down to literally, two seabags and a backpack. As some of you may not know, the FNG bachelor Sailor will be required to live aboard their ship for the first couple months. When space is available and the command permits it, they will then be able to move into a barracks on base.
I had no choice but to drive my truck back to Santa Maria because all the on-base vehicle storage was taken (the Reagan Battlegroup recently deployed a couple days before I checked in). Plus when it costs me the price of a new Xbox 360 title to fill it up, I figured this was a positive move. So I traded in my four wheels for two - haven't rode a bike since college! This transition to a lightweight lifestyle is going to be interesting.
Eight days until I hop on a commercial plane and fly out to Panama City. I am stoked. A little nervous about the whole real Navy thing but excited at the same time. And to see South America and its many offerings. Hooyah.
Posted by ksaddi ( Jun 01 2008, 10:05:50 PM PDT ) Permalink Comments [14]
