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