Date: October 13, 2009
Subject: Basic Electricity and Electronics
August 1984-December 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Electricity and Electronics August 1984-December 1984
I remember saying goodbye to April and my folks in front of my new home at NTC. The barracks I was to stay in was right next to building 94. Building 94 housed several different schools. Ships Servicemen (SH) and Basic Electronics and Electricity to name a couple. Radioman (RM) 'A' school was right down the street.
NTC was quite a bit different then Basic Training. E-3's and below, of which I was one carried what was called a liberty card. A liberty card was basically what older sailors would have probably referred to as a pass. We turned them in to the LPO, Leading Petty Officer in the morning and as long as we didn't have to stand duty and we stayed out of trouble we got it back when we finished school that day. In order to come and go on the base we had to show that liberty card.
Life in the barracks was still fairly disciplined, though not nearly as structured as Boot Camp. We also had the weekends off. We had PT (physical training), personnel and barracks inspections in the morning before school. Then we'd form up and march less than a block to the schoolhouse.
There were 4 guys assigned to a room. I had a rooommate from the Virgin Islands name Francis who thought he was God's gift to women. He had this accent, and his favorite saying was "Hello baby" when he saw a pretty girl. It always made me laugh. I also had a Filipino roommate who had family in San Diego. I spent a Saturday at his family's place enjoying a big family get together.One of my other roommates was Wes Battese. He and I recently reconnected on Facebook.
Barracks life was close quarters. We often raced back after runs trying to get in the shower before everyone else returned. We did this to avoid having to take a cold shower.
For duty we stood Shore Patrol. What we actually did was augment base security. We walked around for four hours looking for guys in Basic going over the wall and called away anything else we saw that was suspicious. Mostly we just walked with little to nothing exciting ever going on. Carrying a night stick and wearing the SP armband always seemed kind of cool to me. I imagined one day walking the streets of Hong Kong hauling drunken sailors back to the ship. This never happened but it was fun to dream.
BEE (pronounced B double E)was self paced. That meant that you raced against the computer. I suppose how much time you had for each module was based on your ASVAB score. We also had labs where we troubleshot down to the component level. We didn't have instructors but there were senior guys there to help if you got stuck. I was going to be an ET so that meant I had to go through all 31 modules while others like Electricians Mates did 25.
During this time I explored converting to EW and going submarines. Oh boy...am I glad I didn't choose to be a bubble head. The chief in the barracks was a bubble head and one thing I found out about submariners is that they are...let's see to put it politely....a little off. I'll explain why. After I had finished BEE and was awaiting orders, I had a few days to kill. This meant buffing and waxing the deck all day. The chief was in his office and listening to Christmas music and he had assigned us the task of buffing his office. So we're in there buffing away when all of sudden the guy has a coronary and starts shouting that he can't hear his Christmas music. He got very animated and made us stop.
Bubble heads.
Getting paid was a trip also. We had an Irish guy, a Filipino First Class and Chief Bubblehead who was overall in charge of the barracks. The Irish guy hated it if you needed a haircut or your uniform wasn't squared away. On many a payday (before direct deposit), he wouldn't give you your check until you got it fixed. What made the Irish guy so memorable was that he hated it if you called a loose thread on your uniform an 'Irish pennant'. Irish pennant he said meant that he and his ancestors were a bunch of ragtags. He resented it.
The Filipino guy was known for his unintelligible rants. If you did something wrong (forgot to salute an officer or jaywalked) you would get an MOR (Minor Offense Report). The only thing he ever said that I remember being able to decipher was "You get MOR, I keeeel you!". He was a trip.
I also had discovered that a couple whom I had gone to high school with, Matt and Lisa S. were stationed in San Diego. Matt was an Avionics Technician in the Coast Guard. On several occasions they drove all the way up from Imperial Beach to take me home and give me a home cooked meal. Today they're one of April and mine's best friends. I work out with Matt about once a week and we go on double dates all the time. Matt and Lisa later also turned us on to homeschooling. Something that changed our lives.
My relationship with April was getting stronger. She had started college in Kansas at a little private Christian college. We wrote and phoned all the time. She hadn't really decided on a major yet. So I bought a ring and during Thanksgiving traveled to Arizona. I put on my cracker jack uniform and went to her folks house to ask for her hand. Her father said yes. April said yes too on a porch swing at my parents house. We initially decided we'd wait till she finished school to get married.
I graduated from BEE at the beginning of December and asked for leave in conjunction with my transfer to Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois.
Lessons Learned: When someone asks for my daughters hand in marriage be gentle like my father in law. Never try and buff a floor with a submariner in the room.
Action Items: On to Great Lakes
Appendix: Personnel Involved: April, April's parents, Chief Bubblehead et al, Wes Battese, Matt and Lisa S.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
After Action Report - Graduating Basic
Date: October 7, 2009
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
Graduation was quickly approaching. That meant that every Friday we, the Drill Company were performing in graduations. It was getting closer and we could hardly wait.Until then our lives were still being filled with classes, close order drill and personnel inspections.
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
Graduation was quickly approaching. That meant that every Friday we, the Drill Company were performing in graduations. It was getting closer and we could hardly wait.Until then our lives were still being filled with classes, close order drill and personnel inspections.
One of the banes of our existence was the spats or leggings. Really they were just another part of our uniform and a way of teaching us to how to pay attention to detail. They had to be tied right over left and were washed right along with our dixie cups.
Me and the spats
Why were they so difficult?
Because guys would hide stuff in them. One of the uniform regulations was that there was to be nothing in our dungaree pants pockets. No change, notes or nothing. Some guys would hide change in those spats. We'd be marching along and this change would fall out, clanking on the deck. You can imagine how many push ups and calisthetics we did over the few guys who decided to buck this rule. Parker hated it.
We also had to learn the chain of command for personnel inspections. The CO of RTC/NTC at the time was Capt. Marsha Evans. Later Rear Admiral Marsha Evans would command the Navy's Recruiting Command and pay a visit to my recruiting office. She was also the first woman to command a naval station. In her post military career she would head the Girls Scouts, Red Cross and LPGA.
Another unique figure was one of the chaplains. Chaplain Black had a distinguished career.
Barry C. Black is the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate. He was elected to this position on June 27, 2003, becoming the first African-American, the first Seventh-day Adventist, and the first military chaplain to hold the office of chaplain to the United States Senate. The Senate elected its first chaplain in 1789.
I mention these two figures because I had the privilege of meeting many people who would later become part of American Naval History.
Graduation finally came on August 17. I was 15 pounds heavier (145) and in the best shape of my life. I had learned to place my trust in my shipmates, pay attention to detail, the meaning of hard work and of team work. I remember a sense of accomplishment and excitement both at the same time. I did it and I was excited. We all talked about getting out to the 'real Navy' and all of us looked forward to it
April and my parents came out from Arizona for graduation. We went to Sea World and went on a ship visit. We had a good weekend together before they left and I reported to Naval Training Center San Diego to begin Basic Electricity and Electronics (BEE). NTC was just on the other side of the base.
August 17 became an important date for April and I. We were married exactly a year later.
Lessons Learned: The Navy has some of the most extraordinary people. Some didn't quite cut the mustard. Others are more than memorable and it was a privilege to serve with them. Never underestimate being a part of something bigger than yourself.Action Items: Starting BEE, home for Christmas
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, EN1 Parker, April, my parents, Adm. Marsha Evans and Chaplain Black
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
After Action Report - Basic Training cont'd
Date: September 28, 2009
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
The first two weeks of basic training went rather quickly. This meant that the BMR phase of basic training would take a back seat to our part in graduation ceremonies. We would perform the last three graduations or so of basic training. We also had a second show that we performed for visiting parents and dignitaries prior to graduation. It was really moving.
The drill company consisted of the crack rifle team, drum and bugle corps and the fifty state flags. The crack rifle team had a great show that included spinning rifles and getting very close to the leader's face with some bayonets. How he kept his cool I'll never know.
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
The first two weeks of basic training went rather quickly. This meant that the BMR phase of basic training would take a back seat to our part in graduation ceremonies. We would perform the last three graduations or so of basic training. We also had a second show that we performed for visiting parents and dignitaries prior to graduation. It was really moving.
The drill company consisted of the crack rifle team, drum and bugle corps and the fifty state flags. The crack rifle team had a great show that included spinning rifles and getting very close to the leader's face with some bayonets. How he kept his cool I'll never know.
Crack Rifle Team
I was in the fifty state flags and we did this really incredible bit called a sunburst. The flags would form three circles and each flag would be dipped. Then the American flag, unseen by the crowd would come shooting out from the middle during the playing of America the Beautiful.
The Sunburst
In drill company we got to skip what they call service week. Service week, the fourth to fifth week of basic training meant one thing for BMR companies but something altogether different for a drill company. The BMR companies had to work in the galley (cafeteria). Either in the scullery (dish washing) or in food preparation. There were some administrative jobs but most everyone worked in the galley.
Not so for the drill company. We did a half time show for a San Diego Soccers match and a halftime show for a Chargers and Cowboys game. We had seats on the 50 yard line. It was great.
We still had plenty of classes, PT (physical training), the gas chamber and the smoke house. We also had to memorize our twelve general orders. Things like...'I will not leave my post until properly relieved.'
Gas chamber training is designed to get you to be able to don your gas mask and to make a proper seal. Then they demonstrate what it would be like should you not have a mask. So we march into the gas chamber WITH our gas masks on and properly sealed. The tear gas is set off. We were then instructed to remove our masks as a group. Amid the snot, phlegm, tears and burning you have to recite a general order. Let's just say that 3 or 4 words is enough to let you know that if you're ever in that situation you hope to have that mask.
gas chamber
Even worse than that was the smoke house. The smoke house simulates a shipboard fire. A shipboard fire is a sailors worst nightmare. In fact later while stationed on the USS Proteus in Guam, the USS White Plains also homeported in Guam had a fire onboard. In basic you're taught to pay attention to detail. Unfortunately improper tagout procedures led to the death of 6 sailors. We met the White Plains after they had been towed to the Philippines so that we could help make repairs.
A fellow from church, Jon Rummel was killed along with 5 others. Fires on a ship are the worst thing that can happen.On May 9, 1989 while underway in the South China Sea enroute to Guam the White Plains experienced a major Class Bravo fire in the main engine room while conducting underway fuel replenishment with the combat replenishment ship USS Sacramento (AOE-1). The fire resulted from the ejection of a valve stem on the fuel transfer system which sent a high pressure spray of fuel over the boiler and consequently ignited into a fireball. There were 6 fatalaties and 161 injuries reported as a result of the fire.
putting out a fire
We were trained over and over in the basics of firefighting. We extinguished a real fire and learned how to don an OBA (oxygen breathing apparatus) and to duck walk. Still I wasn't prepared for how frightening the smoke house was. We dressed in firefighting slicks and held on to the coat tail of the fellow in front of us. As we approached the simulator we were to duck walk (literally walk like a duck). This would allow us to breath as the smoke would rise. We were instructed that the smoke in the smoke house would be a fraction of what we would encounter in a real shipboard fire and would not require an OBA. As we entered and walked through several hatches of the smoke house it was readily apparent how absolutely frightening this could be. You couldn't see, it was diffiult to breathe and you had to rely totally on the man in front of you. Somewhere ahead of me a man panicked and ran out leaving everyone behind him, including me without a guide to get out. The instructor finally came and ushered us out (he was wearing an OBA).
smokehouse
Lessons Learned: Attention to detail. Training is a serious business, it can mean life or death. Drill company was a blast and seeing Dan Fouts in a football game, in the middle of basic training...priceless.
Action Items: more basic, Capt. Marsha Evans - we meet again, wash outs
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, Chargers, Cowboys, Soccers
Sunday, September 27, 2009
After Action Report - Basic Training Jun 84-Aug 84
Date: September 23, 2009
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
We finished our initial outfitting and were commissioned. Now we had to cross the bridge from R and O over to the main part of RTC (Recruit Training Command). It wasn't far but it felt good to finally get this show on the road.
As we marched we came across individuals and companies who were in different stages of their training and when we saw those guys wearing the white web belt, I know I felt jealous. They were on the downhill and we were just beginning. We learned that if you were not in company formation you had to run to each of your destinations.
One individual we came across was a high school acquaintance of mine name Ronnie Blondheim. I hadn't known he had joined the Navy but THERE he was. He dated a girl I knew. Ronnie somehow recognized me in all my navular (sic) glory and shouted, "Hey EB, you dropped your comb." One day Ronnie, I'll catch up with you.
The first two weeks or so were the same for a drill company as it was for a BMR company. We learned close order drill with M-1 Garand rifles. One time we screwed up and Parker made us hold those rifles over our heads until my arms felt like wet noodles. He was a good example though, he held one up to. Only it looked like he didn't have to put any effort into it and he never gave the appearance like he needed a break. On the other hand you could hear the company groaning and complaining after a few minutes.
We also had breaks called smoke and cokes. It's self explanatory, have a cigarette and drink a soda. Often times we shined our boondockers (boots) during these breaks. It was also a time to relax, however short it was. Sometimes we turned in our dixie cups for washing. This was done by several people in the company who washed them by hand. They called these jobs collateral duties. They were in addition to all the regular chores we were assigned, like making our racks (beds) and shining our shoes.
We were all assigned collateral duties. There was a RCPO (recruit chief petty officer). Our RCPO was a little scrawny guy named Bomar. His job was to make sure we got to each assignment on time and basically when the drill instructor wasn't around he was in charge. There were various other duties assigned such as yeoman and master at arms. I was assigned two jobs, Religious petty officer and my other task was to put the Plan of the Day on the chalkboard every night for the next days training.
Now religious petty officer ended up being a cool job. It was my task to pray every night at TAPS (bedtime) and to organize anyone who wanted to go to church on Sunday. Church became popular as basic training wore on. Why? Well not for the reason you'd think. It was the one place you were allowed to sleep in basic training and believe me you needed it. So as time wore on I was leading quite a contingent to church.
My other task, not so fun. I had to use dental floss and masking tape to make a sort of template so that all the letters were the same height and so that there was a same amount of space between lines. There couldn't be any smudges. I spent many a nights trying to get that thing perfect so I didn't get in trouble.
Speaking of trouble, I ran out of masking tape one day and asked Parker for another roll. He went to the company next door and came back with it and told me not to lose it. Guess what? Yep, it got lost.
I went to marching party for that one. What's marching party you ask? About 10 pm everyone who screwed up had to put his watch cap on and meet on the grinder with all the other brigands for an hour of calisthetic hell. Hello Dolly's, 8 count body builders, push ups....sit ups...running in place...I survived but I vowed to stay out of trouble.
Nighttime was the one time when we could write letters and study. I had met April in February of 1984 and before I left for basic training in June had already told her that she was going to be my wife. She wasn't as sure. I wrote her a letter from basic training asking her what she would say if I asked her to marry me. To this day she still claims that wasn't a proposal.
We also spent occasional hours training for our drill company routines. I was in the fifty state flags. Most of these practices were getting used to marching with the flag. The more complicated stuff would come later.
Lessons Learned: Avoid losing masking tape when it means you have to work out if it's lost. When you write a proposal, write it like you mean it.
Action Items: Basic Training cont'd - Dallas Cowboys halftime show, San Diego Soccers, more drill, gas chamber and smoke house
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, EN1 Parker, me, Ronnie Blondheim, D. Bomar, April
Subject: Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
We finished our initial outfitting and were commissioned. Now we had to cross the bridge from R and O over to the main part of RTC (Recruit Training Command). It wasn't far but it felt good to finally get this show on the road.
As we marched we came across individuals and companies who were in different stages of their training and when we saw those guys wearing the white web belt, I know I felt jealous. They were on the downhill and we were just beginning. We learned that if you were not in company formation you had to run to each of your destinations.
One individual we came across was a high school acquaintance of mine name Ronnie Blondheim. I hadn't known he had joined the Navy but THERE he was. He dated a girl I knew. Ronnie somehow recognized me in all my navular (sic) glory and shouted, "Hey EB, you dropped your comb." One day Ronnie, I'll catch up with you.
The first two weeks or so were the same for a drill company as it was for a BMR company. We learned close order drill with M-1 Garand rifles. One time we screwed up and Parker made us hold those rifles over our heads until my arms felt like wet noodles. He was a good example though, he held one up to. Only it looked like he didn't have to put any effort into it and he never gave the appearance like he needed a break. On the other hand you could hear the company groaning and complaining after a few minutes.
We also had breaks called smoke and cokes. It's self explanatory, have a cigarette and drink a soda. Often times we shined our boondockers (boots) during these breaks. It was also a time to relax, however short it was. Sometimes we turned in our dixie cups for washing. This was done by several people in the company who washed them by hand. They called these jobs collateral duties. They were in addition to all the regular chores we were assigned, like making our racks (beds) and shining our shoes.
We were all assigned collateral duties. There was a RCPO (recruit chief petty officer). Our RCPO was a little scrawny guy named Bomar. His job was to make sure we got to each assignment on time and basically when the drill instructor wasn't around he was in charge. There were various other duties assigned such as yeoman and master at arms. I was assigned two jobs, Religious petty officer and my other task was to put the Plan of the Day on the chalkboard every night for the next days training.
Now religious petty officer ended up being a cool job. It was my task to pray every night at TAPS (bedtime) and to organize anyone who wanted to go to church on Sunday. Church became popular as basic training wore on. Why? Well not for the reason you'd think. It was the one place you were allowed to sleep in basic training and believe me you needed it. So as time wore on I was leading quite a contingent to church.
My other task, not so fun. I had to use dental floss and masking tape to make a sort of template so that all the letters were the same height and so that there was a same amount of space between lines. There couldn't be any smudges. I spent many a nights trying to get that thing perfect so I didn't get in trouble.
Speaking of trouble, I ran out of masking tape one day and asked Parker for another roll. He went to the company next door and came back with it and told me not to lose it. Guess what? Yep, it got lost.
I went to marching party for that one. What's marching party you ask? About 10 pm everyone who screwed up had to put his watch cap on and meet on the grinder with all the other brigands for an hour of calisthetic hell. Hello Dolly's, 8 count body builders, push ups....sit ups...running in place...I survived but I vowed to stay out of trouble.
Nighttime was the one time when we could write letters and study. I had met April in February of 1984 and before I left for basic training in June had already told her that she was going to be my wife. She wasn't as sure. I wrote her a letter from basic training asking her what she would say if I asked her to marry me. To this day she still claims that wasn't a proposal.
We also spent occasional hours training for our drill company routines. I was in the fifty state flags. Most of these practices were getting used to marching with the flag. The more complicated stuff would come later.
Lessons Learned: Avoid losing masking tape when it means you have to work out if it's lost. When you write a proposal, write it like you mean it.
Action Items: Basic Training cont'd - Dallas Cowboys halftime show, San Diego Soccers, more drill, gas chamber and smoke house
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, EN1 Parker, me, Ronnie Blondheim, D. Bomar, April
Thursday, September 24, 2009
After Action Report - Starting Basic Training
Date: September 23, 2009
Subject: Basic Training
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
Action Items: more Basic Training After Actions to follow, letters and my soon to be wife
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, EN1 Parker, me, Elijah Rahman, drill instructors
Subject: Basic Training
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in Basic Training June 1984-August 1984
I don't recall the processing at MEPS the day I left for Basic Training. I do remember it was the first time I was going to fly on an airplane. I was 20 years old and weighed approximately 130 lbs dripping wet. I remember there were 3 of us leaving from Phoenix that day. Elijah Rahman was one of them. He was a fellow I would meet up with periodically in my career. I still have a copy of the orders with his and my name on it. He was off to be a Hospital Corpsman (HM) and I was going to be an ET.
We landed in San Diego and I remember there was a sailor at a booth who told us where to wait for the bus to basic training. It was already dark and there were very few of us there initially. About 9 p.m. a bus arrived and all hell broke loose. Somebody yelled at us to form a height line. None of us even knew what that was. Basically we were to line up tallest to shortest and get on the bus in that order. We finally managed to figure it out and off we went. Not a block later we were pulling into RTC/NTC San Diego. (Recruit Training Command/Naval Training Center San Diego).
The bus doors opened and someone speaking a foreign language started to yell at us. When I say foreign it was actually a Filipino First Class Petty Officer (E-6). He was hard to understand. Process of elimination eventually took over (I wasn't the first one off the bus). Turns out he wanted us to follow the foot prints painted on the deck (ground) and we had better be in a hurry. You could tell who was a drill instuctor because they wore a red augillette. Eventually we learned to call them red ropers.
We lined up and filled out a post card to our families letting them know we arrived safely. The Filipino First Class was screaming something about 'iv you don't peeeesss you cunnut go to reck'....(if you don't piss, that is pee in the bottle for the drug test, then you can't go to bed) They then asked us if anyone had ever played a musical instrument. Having played saxophone in school I raised my hand. They separated us and then marched us off to get our initial outfitting.
The initial outfitting included hygeine items etc that we put in a ditty bag. (I keep 25 years of love letters from my wife in this same ditty bag) This took most of the night, till about 3 am or so. Included in our ditty bag was a stencil with our names and last 4 of our social security number. We used the stencil to mark every last stitch of clothing we were issued. It became obvious later why when we learned that our clothes were turned in to laundry community style.
At about 5 am they woke us up to eat and go back and get our seabags with other uniform items etc. This part of basic training was called R and O, Receiving and Outfitting.
As with everything the Navy does, going to eat also involved a ceremony. We had to march to a podium, request permission to eat and wait our turn. Sometimes behind several other companies. This often involved standing at parade rest with short bursts of marching to our next place in line.
Eating at the galley (chow hall, cafeteria) was an occasion in and of itself. The taller guys got more time to eat. As soon as one guy got up to leave we all had to leave. Us little guys always ate in a hurry, something I still do to this day.
The seabag included our initial set of uniforms (minus the cracker jacks AKA dress blues). We also got our working uniforms called dungarees, known for the bell bottom pants and our dixie cups or white hats. The dixie cup is the traditional white hat that you see a sailor wearing. The dungarees were marked for hemming, and tailored when we turned our uniforms in. All of this was paid for out of our first few paychecks. We got other things......like our first haircuts.
They were looking for musicians because at the time they had two different sets of companies. The BMR (Basic Military Requirements) and the drill companies. Because I had played an instrument, I was selected for a drill company. We had to wait an extra week or so in R and O while enough fellas arrived to form a drill company. They had us audition by playing a trumpet. I should say trying to play a trumpet. Now anyone who knows the difference between a woodwind and a brass instrument knows it's apples and oranges. They had us sight read. Well I couldn't play a trumpet so I was assigned to the 50 state flag team. Those fellas who couldn't play an instrument and met the height requirement were put on the crack rifle team. All the others became part of the drum and bugle corps.
The funny part about hanging out in R and O is I was still a green belt. A green web belt designated the fact that you were still in the first 4 weeks of basic training. After 5 weeks you got the coveted white web belt. While in R and O we were tasked with handing out the second issue of uniforms to the companies entering their 5th week. Here we were in our first week and we were telling these guys to move it and to not dawdle. Our dungarees weren't even hemmed up yet and we were already acting like a drill instructor.After there were enough men to form the company we were officially commissioned as Company 84-926. EN1 Parker was our drill instructor. (He made Chief while we were in Basic Training). We called ourselves Parker's Pride.
Prior to the commissioning ceremony we learned rudimentary marching techniques. This ceremony meant standing out on the grinder (marching field) in San Diego when it was hot. Eventually we all got a 'grinder reminder'. A grinder reminder was sunburn line that showed when you took the dixie cups off your head.
One thing for sure the Navy stands or falls by some of it's traditions. Early on in my career I loathed the tradtional ceremonies. As the years wore on in my career I learned to appreciate them much more. Like the playing of Anchors Aweigh when the ship pulls in and out of port, or the unique song each ship plays when UNREP (Underway Replenishment) is completed.
Lessons Learned: Naval heritage and tradition should be treasured. Leaving home for the first time was exciting. Standing for 45 minutes without moving - priceless.
Comments: The first week or so of boot camp was a bit of a culture shock but not something I didn't expect.Action Items: more Basic Training After Actions to follow, letters and my soon to be wife
Appendix: Personnel Involved: Co. 84-926, EN1 Parker, me, Elijah Rahman, drill instructors
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
After Action Report - Signing Up November 1983
Date: September 23, 2009
Subject: Signing Up
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in my enlistment November 1983 - June 1984
I was driving home from the toolbox factory in November of 1983 thinking, "I'm not making toolboxes for the next 20 years." What was I going to do though? I tried college, had to work full time at night to pay my way and slept through the classes for the one semester I attended.
Driving home that night it occurred to me that the military made sense at this point in my life and despite the fact that I considered myself a non-comforist pulled into the recruiting office and went straight away to the Navy. The thought was that I wanted to be able to learn a skill I could use on the outside. My father had been in the Army and had counseled me that if I were to join the military, make sure you get a skill you can use on the outside.
The recruiter was a good enough guy, he was an FC1. (Fire Controlmen First Class). He didn't have to talk me into anything. I was ready to go. He simply asked me what I was interested in. Out of the blue and without much thought I said, "...electronics." I put that down on my interest sheet and he made the arrangements for my processing.
When I got home that night and explained my plans to my parents I got a mixed reaction. My dad was cool with it. He had served a few years in the Army during the late 50's. The only advice he gave me was, 'don't join the Army.'. My mother on the other hand seemed concerned, I'm sure like all mothers are when their child comes home and says they're joining the military. To top it off my younger brother joined a couple of months later. I don't think my mother has ever forgiven me for that.
Later that month I took the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) after work and did well enough that the recruiters wanted me to take the nuclear power test. I told them I wasn't interested and so on the last day of November 1983 I raised my right hand and took the oath of enlistment at the MEPS (military entrance processing station). The MEPS was located in an old high school on 7th Ave and Van Buren in Phoenix. It remained there until my own stint as a recruiter in the early 1990's. When I spoke to the classifier (the person who helped you find a job in the Navy) he said there were no electronics jobs available. One job that was available was Radioman (RM). Honestly at this point I didn't care what I did in the Navy, I just wanted to go. Unfortunately to take that job meant I had to spend nearly a year in delayed entry. It meant I wouldn't take off for Basic Training until October of 1984. I took the job anyway.
By early 1984 I was working at a car dealership in downtown Mesa. The recruiters were trying desperately to get me to take the nuclear power test. They called my parents and told them I was passing up a good opportunity. I had to get references from my work etc just to take the test. I really wasn't interested and thought I'd never qualify anyway. In high school I only took Geometry and Algebra I. The nuke test was a combination of math and physics. Finally I consented and took the exam. I didn't pass it but it got the recruiters off my butt.
By May of 1984 I was tired of waiting. I wanted to get on with my Navy career. I called the recruiter and told him I didn't care what I did in the Navy just "GET ME OUT OF HERE." He called me back on a Monday and said I could be a Boiler Technician (BT) and leave that week. I guess I was more selective than I thought because I said no. He called later that same day and asked if I would like to be an Engineman (EN). Now enginemen were diesel mechanics and at the dealership there were a couple of guys who had been EN's in the Navy. They were making decent money and so I consented. He said I would leave on Thursday, so I planned a party on Wednesday night.
Well Wednesday night rolled around and the recruiter called in the middle of the party. "Hey man, I know you were interested in electronics, how'd you like to switch to Electronics Technician (ET)?". "yeah sure," I said. The only stipulation he said was that I had to sign up for an initial enlistment of 6 years instead of 4 because the first two years were spent in electronics schools. You also started out as an E-2 and when you finished the electronics technician "A" school you were promoted to E-4. "No problem", I said, "do I still get to leave tomorrow?". "Yes," he replied.
"See you in the morning.".
That call changed my life and set me on the course for the next 20 years. Had I stayed an EN I doubt seriously if I had stayed in the Navy.
Lessons Learned: Minor details make a huge difference.
Comments: Though I wasn't sure what an ET did or if it was even a good choice for me it made all the difference in the type of duties and duty stations available to me.
Action Items: prepare next After Action Report - Heading off to Basic Training
Appendix:
Personnel Involved: Me, parents, recruiter, classifier
Subject: Signing Up
From: ET1 Cole
To: shipmates, friends, and anyone else who'll listen
Purpose: Summarize the actions involved in my enlistment November 1983 - June 1984
I was driving home from the toolbox factory in November of 1983 thinking, "I'm not making toolboxes for the next 20 years." What was I going to do though? I tried college, had to work full time at night to pay my way and slept through the classes for the one semester I attended.
Driving home that night it occurred to me that the military made sense at this point in my life and despite the fact that I considered myself a non-comforist pulled into the recruiting office and went straight away to the Navy. The thought was that I wanted to be able to learn a skill I could use on the outside. My father had been in the Army and had counseled me that if I were to join the military, make sure you get a skill you can use on the outside.
The recruiter was a good enough guy, he was an FC1. (Fire Controlmen First Class). He didn't have to talk me into anything. I was ready to go. He simply asked me what I was interested in. Out of the blue and without much thought I said, "...electronics." I put that down on my interest sheet and he made the arrangements for my processing.
When I got home that night and explained my plans to my parents I got a mixed reaction. My dad was cool with it. He had served a few years in the Army during the late 50's. The only advice he gave me was, 'don't join the Army.'. My mother on the other hand seemed concerned, I'm sure like all mothers are when their child comes home and says they're joining the military. To top it off my younger brother joined a couple of months later. I don't think my mother has ever forgiven me for that.
Later that month I took the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) after work and did well enough that the recruiters wanted me to take the nuclear power test. I told them I wasn't interested and so on the last day of November 1983 I raised my right hand and took the oath of enlistment at the MEPS (military entrance processing station). The MEPS was located in an old high school on 7th Ave and Van Buren in Phoenix. It remained there until my own stint as a recruiter in the early 1990's. When I spoke to the classifier (the person who helped you find a job in the Navy) he said there were no electronics jobs available. One job that was available was Radioman (RM). Honestly at this point I didn't care what I did in the Navy, I just wanted to go. Unfortunately to take that job meant I had to spend nearly a year in delayed entry. It meant I wouldn't take off for Basic Training until October of 1984. I took the job anyway.
By early 1984 I was working at a car dealership in downtown Mesa. The recruiters were trying desperately to get me to take the nuclear power test. They called my parents and told them I was passing up a good opportunity. I had to get references from my work etc just to take the test. I really wasn't interested and thought I'd never qualify anyway. In high school I only took Geometry and Algebra I. The nuke test was a combination of math and physics. Finally I consented and took the exam. I didn't pass it but it got the recruiters off my butt.
By May of 1984 I was tired of waiting. I wanted to get on with my Navy career. I called the recruiter and told him I didn't care what I did in the Navy just "GET ME OUT OF HERE." He called me back on a Monday and said I could be a Boiler Technician (BT) and leave that week. I guess I was more selective than I thought because I said no. He called later that same day and asked if I would like to be an Engineman (EN). Now enginemen were diesel mechanics and at the dealership there were a couple of guys who had been EN's in the Navy. They were making decent money and so I consented. He said I would leave on Thursday, so I planned a party on Wednesday night.
Well Wednesday night rolled around and the recruiter called in the middle of the party. "Hey man, I know you were interested in electronics, how'd you like to switch to Electronics Technician (ET)?". "yeah sure," I said. The only stipulation he said was that I had to sign up for an initial enlistment of 6 years instead of 4 because the first two years were spent in electronics schools. You also started out as an E-2 and when you finished the electronics technician "A" school you were promoted to E-4. "No problem", I said, "do I still get to leave tomorrow?". "Yes," he replied.
"See you in the morning.".
That call changed my life and set me on the course for the next 20 years. Had I stayed an EN I doubt seriously if I had stayed in the Navy.
Lessons Learned: Minor details make a huge difference.
Comments: Though I wasn't sure what an ET did or if it was even a good choice for me it made all the difference in the type of duties and duty stations available to me.
Action Items: prepare next After Action Report - Heading off to Basic Training
Appendix:
Personnel Involved: Me, parents, recruiter, classifier
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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