Hello, Ship

My RDCs (recruit division commanders) from boot camp told us that our proudest day would be graduation from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes. We'll just chalk that one up to another boot camp-ism.

It was very easy to check out from TPU (transient personnel unit) this morning. Although there were a couple other people going to the Truxtun, I was the only one in Whites. Lined up in the front again for muster, as on Friday, was dressed off boot-camp style (dress right, dress!), and responded to my name with my ship's name. After that, just needed to fill out a half-page form and a 2-page questionnaire about what I thought about TPU... and then I was let go.

Drove over to the piers and found a parking space a ways away from where they said my ship would be. Interestingly, as I walked along past the ships, I came by the USS Kearsarge, the namesake of my building (Ship 11) in boot camp. Docked to the next pier was the USS San Antonio, so big I couldn't see anything else nearby. I began to wonder if my ship had come in yet... but as I kept walking, suddenly there she was!

This was indeed my proudest day so far. The Truxtun is beautiful! STG2 told me they all put a lot of work into it the last couple months for the filming that's going on even now. I had to wait to go up the accommodation ladder because there was a crane working just next to it. But soon I went up, saluted the officer of the watch and held out my card like I've been trained to for a long time now. Shook his hand as he welcomed me on board. The CMC was on hand as well and shook my hand too. Everyone was very friendly. Soon an STG came up to bring me down to Sonar... on the way down I met my sponsor, and she set me up with a rack before we went to meet Senior Chief and the rest of the division.

We spent the morning together, my sponsor and I. Went to admin and filled out some forms... then found out I had an assigned rack, so I moved my bag to #30, which is a top rack near the central head, but out of the way of traffic. I didn't realize it at first, but the one I'm assigned has lots of head room, since there's no rack or ventilation pipe overhead. I think I'll like it pretty well. Changed into my NWUs while we were there and locked up my Whites in my little stand-up locker. I was warned that there are a couple thieves in the female berthing. STG2 then took me on a short tour, and then we had fried chicken at the galley for lunch. The food was alright (even some egg drop soup and egg rolls) and then we went back to Sonar before knocking off for the day.

I'm still excited about my assignment here, so I guess that's a good sign. :)

Hello, Norfolk

My husband and I arrived in Norfolk very late Monday night (the 18th). Checked into our hotel and stayed up even later, getting my dress whites ready for the morning and worrying about when I needed to check in, since nobody told me. I figured it probably didn't matter as long as it was in the morning... and I was right. Got a little turned around my first time on base. Google had given me poor advice about where TPU (Transient Personnel Unit) was actually located; correct street, just wrong side of the base. :)

At first I thought I wouldn't need my cell... reinforced thinking from San Diego... and started out on foot in search of TPU. I used the TSC building to ask directions, since I know about them, and a senior chief directed me the right way, mentioning I needed to drive a little further down the road. So I returned to the car, and just when I did, my ship called me, giving direction about checking into TPU. It was easy from there on. Nimitz Hall (for TPU) had an adjacent parking lot. Had to stop for colors on the way, but that was fitting for my first day back. First thing to do in the office, fill out forms, then report one floor upstairs to the FFT (Further Fleet Transfers) office. A couple more forms, then since I was the only one checking in at the time, the staff petty officer, AM2, talked about housing with me, mentioning that the place I wanted was extremely inconvenient. He had lived there for 3 years... and between the hour commute in the morning, the constant noise from the F-18's, and the mosquitoes from the nearby swamps, he was very excited to be moving somewhere else next week. So that was very timely information...

On the way back to the hotel I stopped by the military housing support center and talked with an agent in person for the first time. My application (faxed in on the 12th) had been approved on the 18th... and it was still alright to change the location preference. Whew! My husband and I spent the rest of the day looking at our four options... one across the street, one up north, one by the Amphibious base, and lastly, one by the Naval Air Station, which I already knew I didn't want; just wanted to see it. The second one won out... the community manager was there and offered to show us a unit later in the day. The pool was being used by kids, and there seemed to be a good atmosphere around the place.

Talk about a busy first day! The next day -Wednesday- (after a morning filled up with urinalysis) I got the contract at the office to go over with my husband, then we looked at the exterior of our specific unit (that happened to be the same design as the one we were shown) and then returned to the office to sign the contract. Not bad work for the first two days!

Thursday morning, about 25 of us had command Indoc. The XO, CMC and another Master Chief, along with a staff petty officer went over the usual Indoc concepts. Welcome, here's where everything is, be good Sailors, come to work, don't abuse alcohol, know about suicide, and bear with us as we try to get you to your next command ASAP. :) On the way home I unpacked my very tightly packed car into a local self-storage unit so I would feel safer and less awkward driving around. It happened to be 92 degrees that morning, so it was hot in my NWUs as I emptied the car.

Friday, we had training in the partition next to the one we had for Indoc. I overheard the CMC give his talk very much the same way he had given it to us yesterday... "On your feet"... "attention to the Sailor's Creed"... "stand at attention for inspection"...and he was a very down-to-earth type of guy too. Our training was GM2 answering questions about fleet life. It was a good session and I learned a few things.

Checked Out of TSC San Diego

Tuesday was very like Monday... except I reported early to Building 1 after letting Holds know what was going on, and there was pizza for lunch instead of burgers. Also, the commodore of the attending DESRON spoke to me and the Australian officer about good books to read about American Naval strategy in WWII! - after looking over my book by Admiral Sims. He recommended Neptune's Inferno... pretty sure I'll be reading it soon.

Wednesday after muster I found myself on the same working party, except this time for a different conference in a different building. It had already started before muster and was completely covered. I checked out with the Petty Officer in charge the next day, and they still didn't need me. This afforded me extremely valuable time to pack my things in anticipation of my move today.

Friday, today, I checked out from the BPO (barracks) first, went to muster, then went to admin. They sent me to NMT first, then I came back and was all checked out by 0900! I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it all was. At NMT, STG1 from my duty section signed me out. He asked me if I completed my goals from when I first checked in... saving money: check, reading Navy books: check, doing better on the PRT run... well... I'm still in progress. I had forgotten about writing them... it was so long ago.

I walked of base and climbed the steps to the bridge to overflow parking with a lightness I've never had before. I certainly enjoyed my 16 months here... it's just so exciting to move on to bigger things. I'm impressed that my two extra years on my contract works out just about right before I check in to my first ship.

Escorting and Getting Help

I volunteered this morning when they asked for two people from the Holds muster to help out at Bldg. 1. They needed someone to check badges for a conference, so the seaman and I who volunteered have been switching on and off, sitting at the desk just inside the door with the master list of attendees.

They were selling a burger and a hotdog, plus chips and drink for $5 for lunch. I got myself some, and read a little in Admiral Sims book about ASW in WWI... a commander came by trying to tease me for reading, asking if it was appropriate Navy material... I guess it was, but he was still laughing for making me snap out of my reading. :) There were a bunch of Chiefs who were serving. One came by and asked if I got enough and then paid for it himself when he found that I had paid out of pocket. Gosh, I love the Chiefs! If you're working for them, they take care of you.

Also loved hearing a couple British officers talking about some sort of sports match (can only assume it was soccer). And an American Chief ribbed an British officer, asking him to say "Lieutenant", even slowly... and the Englishman only replied back, "Left-enant"... even slowly! After the chief left, he said it our way to me. :)

I was covered by the seaman when I had my appointment with Fleet & Family Services on Rosecrans later this morning. The lady was very helpful, showing me different sites and telling me about various resources I could use. I also found out that Virginia's BAH is about $600 less than San Diego's... but so are the average rates there. I feel much better about the upcoming decision.

An Australian officer gave me "four marks" for reading Admiral Sims's book, while he called my counterpart's sci-fi book "trash"... with a smile.

Last Duty in San Diego

So I never missed a morning duty section muster. :) OS1, our watch-bill coordinator, had to fill some slots due to people classing up at the last minute. I was the only one who raised my hand when she asked who was on Hold. Yikes! She switched me from the last 51 access watch (early Saturday morning) to the five-and-a-half-hour mid watch, and someone who couldn't do that one filled the one I had before. As we straightened all this out, I also got her to sign off on my check-out sheet... I was in the front row.

Had breakfast and lunch at the galley to make my day more simple. I had one sign-off to get on the third deck of the schoolhouse for the mentorship coordinator, then stopped by admin for a few more. Only needing the last day's sign-offs now.

My watch went pretty well... my feet survived: neither of them fell asleep. My new dress shoes are worth their weight in gold (good thing... they were $82). The first couple hours I was alert and gung-ho about getting through it. The afternoon muster went on outside the door, and I had to keep saluting and allowing people to pass, even when I heard them call my name (somebody rogered up, telling OSC I was on watch for me). The next couple hours were much slower, as usual, but I managed to read through the entire Civil War portion of the Navy Chronology book I started last time, and it helped a lot. Traffic was much slower later on, since most people run away from base as fast as they can on Friday afternoons. :) It's a pretty sad existence when you live for a 15-second phone call you get to make every hour, along with a short sentence you get to write in the log. :)