A Semi-Normal Workday and a Wild Day Off

We were supposed to get underway Tuesday morning... for Home. The whole ship anticipated it to a point you can hardly describe. We had enthusiastically taken out all the trash and set out new bags to separate the metal, plastic and bio-degradable. It was twenty-five minutes before Sea & Anchor was supposed to be set, and I went out to the flight deck to be early. I was decked out in my parka liner and gloves, because of the cold wind. Then the Captain came over the 1MC speaker and informed us we were stuck here for another couple of days due to some sort of condition of the bay in Norfolk. He was just as disappointed as we were.

So then it became a normal working day. And how very disheartening it was to go about the routine knowing we weren't making any forward progress towards home. We had to deal with all the paper trash bags we had set out for separating trash at sea... paper/food, plastic, and metal. Don't remember much else from the day... When I came in from the flight deck, just after the announcement, I ran into a chief who told me that I wasn't allowed to wear my fleece liner with my coveralls while we were pier-side. Well gee... I thought we'd be getting underway... give me a break.

Wednesday the 31st was wild. I was let go for the day after Quarters. As I popped into Sonar 1 to grab my filled out form for the yearly physical health assessment (PHA), STG1 asked me if I was excited for tomorrow. I was very confused when he said I was the only other person he knew who was... I thought he was referring to going home... in fact, he was talking about the special TAD (temp assigned duty) orders that came in for most of the sonar techs the night before... including me... to go out to sea with a couple of destroyers for over two weeks starting the next day! Dumbfounded, I stared in disbelief. My husband had already bought a ticket to come see me when we got back to Norfolk. It would have been exciting, but I had a greater longing. STG1 said he would talk to Senior Chief about it for me, and I thanked him.

But as I walked down the p-way from sonar, I came across the CO at the cash card machine. He proceeded to tell me how he had thought of me personally for these orders: how it would be good for learning my job. Immediately I felt bad for asking to get out of it. STG1 hadn't thought the orders would change, so I agreed with the CO that it was a great opportunity, although I mentioned it was too bad about missing my husband in Norfolk. Then I stopped by medical for the PHA. Found out I was way past due for my dental checkup, but other than that and a hearing test, good to go. Then I weighed-in for the Physical Readiness Test... 9 lbs over, but my BMI was just fine... so I passed with room to spare.

I set out to enjoy my time off before the world turned upside down the next day. Went to the gym and biked and ran the elliptical for 30 minutes. After the shower, I had a text from my friend saying that admin was waiting for me (paperwork for the TAD) and I hurried back. When I got to admin, they needed my bank info for some special pay, so I went to berthing for my checkbook. When I returned, I ran into the XO, who told me that my chain of command had worked everything out so that my friend could be substituted for me.

[She was going to Mast that day with our LPO (leading petty officer) for having a personal relationship with him. I know they didn't do anything morally wrong... like showing favoritism or anything like that, but it is against the letter of the Navy's law... no relationships in the same chain of command. The CO was gracious, and only gave them restriction, and moved our LPO to a different ship.

Actually, that was one of two other Masts today. Last weekend, a couple GM3's decided it would be fun to steal some candy and headphones from a local store. Except they were caught, arrested, and went to court... missing a day of work. The CO, over the announcement system yesterday, said they embarrassed the ship. I thought he was pretty easy on them, giving them only the full 45 days restriction. The third wasn't too big a deal... an E-3 overslept off the ship on a duty day. She got only a little restriction. Goodness! So many in one day!]

So everything is back to normal (I'm excited I still get to see my husband, and disappointed I missed out on the training at the same time... very conflicted). I spent the rest of the day at the NEX and the Internet cafe, and even found time for a stroll on the beach, picking up a few last shells before we leave tomorrow. I also picked up dinner for my friends who could not now leave the ship, and we spent the evening together talking about everything. They're both leaving for Norfolk by van in the wee small hours to go to those destroyers tomorrow.