On Watch and (then) Fast Asleep

It was definitely one and then the other!

I had bag check watch at bldg 11, from 0630 to 1130... the first three-and-a-half hours went just fine. Got to meet lots of people, and see my A school chief and petty officers again. But around 0930 we got a call from the quarterdeck, saying they needed someone right away.

I hurried down the hall and found out the turnstile across from the quarterdeck wasn't working, and that anyone could walk right through it (usually you need to swipe a card). So I was posted just inside it, in the bright sunshine, checking ID's to make sure access was still secure. The OOD wanted a Master-at-Arms to watch it, since technically, a base access watch should be armed. But the MA's who came by didn't seem too worried about it. I got to meet lots more people... a commander came over and asked me about it, as well as a chief from the A school.

I did enjoy the sunshine, but gosh, my feet were tired! I was glad of my relief that came right on time. For the first time I got to perform the "pass on all orders to the sentry who relieves me" part of General Order #6. Usually it doesn't warrant it... :) Many students who went by were worried that this was to be a new regular watch. LOL

After being released, I went immediately to lunch at the galley, and then to my room to lie down for a while. Slept soundly for about an hour, woke up and felt my arms were bricks... so I just slept until they lightened up. :) When I did, I read another chapter in "You're Stepping on My Cloak & Dagger" (which I've found to be a story of a young man that could have been Scott Sherwood during WWII). He's a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry who got stuck teaching in Louisiana (and hated it)... so he volunteered for the OSS and recounted his training with lots of sarcastic humor. It's very fun indeed.

Request Chits & Working Parties

So here I am, back on Hold for real, for the next four months. That being said, I have the future in the forefront of my mind... and I've submitted three more chits this week. One for special lib the Monday Mike comes, and then two for September: to take 10 days leave and to get married.

It drove me nuts on Monday, because NMT gave me the run-around on a little detail. But yesterday I was able to get them all turned in. If they get approved or not, that's in the Lord's hands. Today they called me in to submit a "page 13" or acknowledgement that I don't have enough leave for it yet. Except it's for 4 months from now, when I will have earned double what I have now. Sigh. My duty section leader thinks they won't approve it since it's too far in advance... but we'll see.

As for working with the BPO, both Monday and Tuesday involved moving refrigerator and microwave combinations. First we moved 20 new units from the warehouse onto the truck, over to the hotel, into a storage room, and then 9 old units onto the truck and over to the sub base. I got to drive the truck on base, and one other guy and I loaded all 20 from the warehouse ourselves. Next day we moved at least 7 or 8 units to various rooms in the hotel on various floors... and moved the old units we replaced back down to the storage room. Both days I crashed after we were done. Monday I was lethargic while doing 30 minutes on the bike, and Tuesday I slept deeply for nearly 2 hours as soon as I changed clothes and spread my blanket over me.

Today was one big muddle. Didn't begin work until 9:30... and it took me forever to find the room the other girls were working in. The guys were told to move furniture from 4 or 5 rooms that were going to be re-carpeted, and the girls were told to go fold super-old (and very dusty) curtains stashed in a third floor room. After noon-thirty muster, we again had problems with people showing up... and we all tagged the furniture and moved them into available rooms until the carpeting is done. Then I suppose we'll have to move them back. :)

I don't feel my best right now, because I want to know that my requests are done, so I can continue to plan and solidify what I want for later this year. That and I'm rather tired, both physically and mentally from the ridiculous stuff I've had to do and put up with this week. The Lord must be trying to teach me to wait on him and not be so impatient and un-trusting.

End of Petty Officer Indoc

This has been a week-long class going over Honor, Courage & Commitment, and how it applies as junior leaders. It was three long days of class time... and a short sum up this morning.

After we were finished, I was allowed to submit the following chit:

This and copies of my a school certificate, the certificate above, a time-in-rate sheet they generated, and my original contract, which verified my extended enlistment for the AEF program had to be submitted. I don't know when it becomes official... soon though!

They had a board posted outside the Hold's Office today, listing every student's PRT scores. I was among only 13 students out of hundreds at this command that scored in the "Outstanding" (top) category! And with that news, I did my first workout this week, going hard on the bike in the gym for 30 minutes.

Blood and Holds

Forget sleeping in an extra half-hour my first day back on hold...
It's Duty Day! :)

But I remembered last night and popped out of bed this morning at my roommate's alarm, which was set a few minutes before mine. Got to muster just fine, but forgot to tell my section leader about graduation last week. Doesn't affect my watch-standing today, since I'm on Supers (people who can be called for taking somebody else's watch)... but it might make him remember my name for watches in the near future. But that's okay with me.

Checked in to the good ol' BPO again, but that didn't last long, as I donated blood with the Red Cross at 0900 in their mobile van. I was their first, and my former classmate was right behind me. It was quicker and easier than the time I donated in Great Lakes with the military folks. Feels good... and means I can take it easy for the rest of today.

It's Official...

Graduated!

This morning between 1000 and 1030, Class 11085 graduated in room 462. We lined up in three ranks (all sharp looking in our whites) in front of a few petty officers and chiefs. STG1 was also in his whites, and commanded us. Captain Moss of the A school came by and gave us our certificates individually, shook our hand, received our salutes, and asked us a couple questions about A school, where we were from, or whatever he thought of to ask. It was over in a few minutes, and with certificates in hand we were returned to the TSC holds office where we signed back in for working parties, starting Monday. And then we were released for the weekend!

At least a dozen of us went out to eat after we had changed out of our whites. It was a burger place called "Daddy-O's" on West Point Loma Blvd. Three of the guys tried to do their challenge burger... 2+ lb burger with dressings, a pile of fries and a shake for free if all consumed in 45 minutes. They didn't even come close. :) I enjoyed a 1/4 lb. build-your-own, as well as a very creamy strawberry shake and a few fries. Mmm.

Done Testing!

I studied hard this week... 2.5 hours Monday evening and 1.5 hours yesterday (Tuesday). It all paid off, with a 100% on my last knowledge test this morning. I almost missed one too... but I caught it by going over the test ONE more time. Half the test was cumulative, reaching all the way back to week one. Our last practical (six cuts!) was also cumulative of Basic Acoustic Analysis... I think I did pretty well, but we don't find out that score or our new class rankings until tomorrow.

PS... I moved up to second in the class with a 98.04% final average. Only Trimpe was ahead of me by 0.29% to become the class Honorman. On the six cuts, three I scored 100%, the hardest one 91%, then 94% and 96%... for a total score of 97%. For some reason I made a couple mistakes with the ratios and forgot one of the tonals.

On to the Last

We finally finished our practical test today! Got a 99%, and I'm in third place. The top five people are all within 1% of each other, so I hope to do extremely well on our last knowledge and practical cumulative tests this upcoming Wednesday. I've already memorized about half of the final charts.

We had a dress whites inspection after quarters this morning, so I woke up around 0530 to go to breakfast (in my NWU's) and then went to duty section muster at 0630. I had ironed my whites on Monday or Tuesday, so last night they only needed the final touches on the wrinkles around the shoulders. That was good, because last night I went out with the class leader, his wife and a couple of friends that were in port... and we went to dinner and dropped them off. Didn't get back until after 2100. But I digress. STG1 could find nothing wrong with my uniform... and said it was outstanding. :)

This was all because next Friday at 1000 we graduate as the Navy's newest Sonar Technicians, and STG1 wants us to look our best in front of the CO when he gives us our certificates.

Wild Week

After our PRT on Monday, we kept learning the charts... and then tested on Wednesday afternoon. Talk about fast! Our practical has been delayed until tomorrow morning, and then we will hit the last charts with a final emphasis. I got a 96% on the test, but the class as a whole scored much lower. We had a failure, but with an extra two hours of study, a couple of my classmates and I helped him focus on what he needed for the re-take this morning.

We had a NSU inspection Tuesday afternoon, and I was awarded an "outstanding". :)

But most of class this week has been sit and wait for something to happen. Some people complain, because it is a lot of time on our own, but the command is so busy. It just means we can study, instead of doing practice cuts. I think it's silly to complain though... just wait for the fleet, folks.

And this morning, our new CO held an open Captain's Mast for two sailors who made a poor decision concerning drinking. Their buddy had just shipped off to the fleet, but he'll have a rough start though, as our Captain called his Captain. He'll be without his petty officer badge very soon, as was the former third class we saw today.

I think all available students were there... it was held in a big warehouse-type building, and all of us had to be at attention while the charges and punishments were read. The two dopes in trouble were the only ones in their dress whites... and oddly, they were forced to have a full sea bag on their backs during the entire proceeding. Very formal, indeed, with facing movements, hand salutes, and proper military bearing and language at all times. The Captain was disappointed with them, and emphasised the third class's failure at leadership... which was to reinforce the issue with all present, as many of us get automatic Third Class after A-School. The Captain's part in this only took about a half-hour. And then we went to lunch.

Good Morning, PRT

Thought I was going to meet with the TSC Chief today, so I shined my boots to a mirror finish and brought out a new set of NWU's. But it isn't until next week... Oh, well, my uniform looks great! :)

So at 0800 half of us from my A school class were sent off to change and report over at Liberty Station for our Physical Readiness Test. I was quicker than most, and chilled with some friends of mine from ATT (from Chicago) while we waited for all 200+ to check in and get their number. I was #55 to check in. At 0900 we lined up and did a little bit of warm-ups and stretching... and the sit and reach. I was paired up with Trimpe from class. I knocked out 104 curl-ups (101 is max score), 44 push-ups (46 is max score! darn!), and around a 12:50 run (10:17 is max score). Which is around a 270 out of 300 and an average of 90/100; an "Outstanding Low". I am pretty pleased with it. More effort next time.

We got back to base around 1045, I drank a lot of water, washed up, and had a big lunch. Whew! Back to class!