Petty Officer Second Class!

 First call... first call to Colors. (21 NOV 12, 1648)

I made it, I made it!

The scores came out late on Tuesday the 20th... people were finding out on the Navy Advancement Center's page on Facebook. I didn't bother because I thought for sure I'd be disappointed (with that little twinge of hope that never leaves me - I told myself no, but I was bursting with yes, yes, yes!). I heard people get congratulated every now and then, but not me. But right before dinner, someone came by and congratulated me! I could barely believe it! While I was serving, Senior Chief came over to shake my hand, saying I was on a fast pace for first class. :) That night I went to the NEX and got everything I needed for my uniforms.

All the next day, between serving the chiefs, cleaning their heads, laying down a thorough sweepers in the p-way, taking out trash, and doing the scullery that night, I got lots more congratulations. The CO announced the 31 names of people from Truxtun who were advanced over the 1MC during sweepers. People began to leave for our Thanksgiving 96-hour liberty that afternoon. It was very slow during dinner. Couldn't leave immediately though... we had LSC on duty that day, so she inspected our cleanup afterwords. When we did leave, I took my uniforms with me so I could sew the new tabs on the next day (Thanksgiving) at my friend's house.

Although I had Thanksgiving off as well as the weekend, I had to come in on Friday. It was a pretty easy day... Holiday Routine... no Quarters or Sweepers or anything like that. We did have breakouts after breakfast... I shared a pie with my friends during lunch and took a nap in the Chief's Mess during the toxic gas drill that included the mess decks after lunch... and I took all the morning's trash out just before dinner. Worked the scullery all three meals... but very easy as there was only the duty section there to eat.

Signing off for the first time as an STG2 Select...

Situations Rectified

I had work this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. And although I thought Chief told me on Friday that I'd just have to find someone to switch with me for Thanksgiving, she ended up approving the Special Lib chit. CS1 gave it back to me approved on Saturday. That was a very pleasant surprise! :)

Today, as the ship's plans changed at 1500, I was let off. I was only there because we were going to get underway early tomorrow (it was technically my day off). As I changed, I noticed that my military ID card was nowhere to be found. I searched high and low... literally: all through my rack, and even the deck of the head... in the pockets of four garments... in Sonar 1, the scullery, the galley... even the cleaning gear locker (everywhere I had been during the day). I obviously had it this morning at 0630 (I was allowed to come in late), and I remembered putting it in the left breast pocket of my coveralls (like in boot camp). I checked with the quarterdeck and the duty master-at-arms. No returned cards.

So I found out in order to get a new one I'd have to get a special request chit signed and go to PSD (the ID card place) that was probably closed. No, wait, there's another one at the NEX. I was told I'd need a form from admin... and that the request had to be signed by MA1... (he said he didn't, but he did anyway)... then someone told me all I needed was the request signed by the CO, and I could get back on base in the morning. Then admin said no... I needed the chit signed by my entire chain of command. Got MA1, my LPO, Chief... then back to admin, and that's all I need. Then someone told me if I get it undersigned by the DIVO, then I'd just use the form. Got DIVO's signature (found him in his stateroom), then ran into the Sonar Divo (ASWO) and she got the CO to sign the bottom line for me. Then I went back to Sonar 1 and found my ID at the desk in the card reader where I'd left it while trying to log into Navy Knowledge Online for the second version of that silly training I completed back in AUGUST on the Code of Conduct (if separated or captured). Good grief! So frustrated and so relieved! Even though it was two hours later, I did get to go home.

The weekend was much calmer. Saturday I served all three meals, and Sunday I washed the trays, plates, cups and utensils in the scullery. I found time both days to scrub the grime in the sinks in the scullery to make it look better in there. Saturday I watched a couple movies on the mess decks during down time... MIB:3, and Dark Knight Rises. Rather entertaining for a duty weekend. Sunday went much slower... but that's probably because it was the second day.

A Mere Three Days that Seemed Much Longer

The hardest thing to bear during this underway was the fact that we weren't going anywhere. There was lots of testing and training, of course, but for an FSA like me, who isn't on any watchbill at all... it was long.

So I did some training with the Sonar guys on my own. Our recently honored STG1 "Truxtun Sailor of the Year" (congrats!) suggested this to me while I was trying to get online for something or other before "Sea & Anchor" got going (pulling away from the pier and getting underway). I used to be assigned to Line 4, but ever since we left Mayport, my name was nowhere to be found. Not bad timing actually... the weather took a drastic change from calm and cool to very windy and stormy in a matter of a couple hours.

After breakfast on Tuesday, we had to get all the unsorted trash out as soon as possible. I had the wardroom and chief's mess bags and time was running out. Even though the wind was whipping and the rain (or sleet, maybe?) was very cold, I went all the way down the pier and back with no coat (or warm article of clothing of any kind). I held the flap of the collar of my blouse up over one ear to stop it from getting stung from the cold and the wet. Tricky to do with two big bags of trash. By the time I got back to the ship I looked like the object of a Man Overboard drill. I nearly felt like it too.

There were spots on my undergarments that weren't wet... but other than that, I was dripping. Changed into some refreshingly dry clothes and coveralls forward in my berthing (I needed to switch from NWUs anyway :) then stuck my dripping things into the drier in the self-serve laundry back aft.

This first day was neat because I was able to eat all my own food... had bacon, cheese eggs & toast at home before coming, and brought my leftover lasagna for lunch and my leftover Olive Garden for dinner. :) I also worked lunch and dinner in the scullery again. The other guy took care of the Chiefs... it's as if I needed a break from the routine with my old routine. We also had a Captain's Call in one of the helo hangers that afternoon where the CO rewarded some people and told us all he knows about the ship's schedule.

As I was saying, I did some training with Sonar. Did some signoffs on my qual for working the fatho-meter, and other auxiliaries... then STG1 suggested I join the Divo (our officer), Senior and a couple other techs working on a torpedo countermeasures check early the next day. Although very tired, I enjoyed doing something with my division again. And besides that, since I lost sleep, the mess MA let me skip working breakfast... which was very nice. Had to clean up all the Chief's dishes afterwords though... the other guy was keeled over, feeling sea sick. Thankfully, I haven't had any problems with that beyond feeling a little queezy before taking a pill.Took one each day, just to be safe.

That morning (the second day) was taken up with a GQ drill. Dong, Dong, Dong... General Quarters. All hands to General Quarters! I went to Sonar 1 again, and this time I felt more confident in saying what I should over the Sonar net. I stayed awake just fine (can't say so much for the last practice in Norfolk - yikes!) and thought of how fortunate I was to have sleep the night before. Lunch was crazy, because it was right after the drill and the whole ship was hungry! I was serving Chiefs hamburgers from the grill before I ate myself. During clean up from lunch, there was a Toxic Gas drill which included the mess decks. My role was to get the heck out of the way. Retreated to Sonar for a little Facebook. :)

Maybe I spoke too soon about my rest... during Heat Stress, Eye Protection and Ear Protection trainings by powerpoint after dinner, I could barely keep awake even with one of the new seaman poking me in the arm every so often. LOL

Finally remembered my now-dry NWUs Wednesday night and put them away neatly in my rack. I was at a loss when I tried to get into my sweats right after that though... I finally remembered I had uncharacteristically left them out that morning. Checked the table over in the corner, and thank God, they were there instead of being thrown out. Nothing except an exact list of articles can be left out... I thought to look there since I saw a new posting of the berthing rules in one of the stalls in the head  just before.

Thursday, there was an UNREP, or underway replenishment, where we come alongside some sort of supply ship and take on fuel or stores. I wasn't a part of it, so I'm not sure what went on. I worked on getting a chit printed out for Special Liberty on Thanksgiving, but Chief ultimately shot it down. Lunch was crazy again... I was doing three things at once... taking care of the Chiefs, plating up more desserts, and keeping the cups and utensils filled on the mess decks. We were spread out a little too thin, and I even caught myself being short with someone.

Chief had me scrub the floor under the stainless steel counters in the Chief's mess and my little corner of the galley. She had a meeting with all the cooks about the schedule and about qualifications while I was scrubbing away with some steel wool (there were some tough spots) and all of a sudden I felt like Cinderella.

Coolest thing happened though... I got my Lay Leader approval from the CO! (via Admin) So I went up to the bridge at night to ask permission of the OOD to give the Evening Prayer. He gave it, of course, so at 2155 (tattoo, just before taps) I read a prayer I typed out the hour or so before over the 1MC (PA system).

Today we pulled in during lunch hours, so lunch was three hours long in order for all the people to get a chance to eat. After lunch all the FSAs were pulled aside to get the 30+ bags of trash up two ladders from the trash room and onto the pier (and then down the pier). And when I got back, the Chief's mess line still needed to be cleaned up... and a pile of dishes needed cleaning. Soon after that though, I was let go. Whew!

From Rack #30 and Near It

I went on a picture craze one night while we were in Florida...

A few instructions...

And outside... I know it looks like prison, but really it's just a fan of some kind. I'm sure I'll find out when I do my Surface Warfare qual.

In the Chief's Mess

Since it is the center of my life for these last few weeks... I thought I'd give a tour. Obviously, this is set up for breakfast... the most important meal for me. We take egg orders and take the china plates out to the cooks to be loaded. I did cook LSC eggs once... it was a special order and it was after the meal "secured".

Tues, Thurs, Fri & Mon

(that's Wed the 7th, Sat & Sun the 10th & 11th off!)

Well, I couldn't get out of what work I had fast enough this week. My husband was here with me until Sunday night, and to make it more bearable, he had to work a couple days too (long distance on his laptop). It was a lot of fun to come home to him after working, as if it was a regular occurrence.

I got a lot out of Tuesday... I was able to take my PFA during the day... the curl-ups (97), the push-ups (37), and for the first time, the bike (115 calories burned in 12 min.). Haven't seen the official score yet (it hasn't been posted in my file online), but I know I did just fine. I think it's a combination of Outstanding, Excellent and Good... which should average at an Excellent. Not bad.

They let me off for most of lunch for this... I stopped by a mini NEX for a chicken salad sandwich, and went to the Q-80 gym for a real shower (the ones on the ship are obviously cramped). Earlier, one CS1 had told us we were required to take it on our day off... but that morning the other CS1 was looking for volunteers. My hand went up so fast... I was very glad to take care of it first thing.

One of my assigned tasks while a Chief's FSA is to empty the trash in their forward berthings and sweep the passageway from outside their mess down to the mess decks... maybe 15 or 20 yards in length. Unfortunately, during the morning sweepers (right after Quarters) it seems like the busiest p-way on the boat. I sweep my pile to the side after a stroke or two to protect it from passers-by. They schedule a half-hour for sweepers, and sometimes I've wondered that this is why it's for so long.

Friday I was counting on being let go early (the MA told me it was okay), but so many people were taking the PFA at the last minute (this was the last day for it), they needed me all the way through lunch. So grateful they let me go early (around 1300), but up to that point I was getting upset because it was up in the air. I was filling in in the scullery while the MA went and asked Chief. [I really admire our MA... he helps out with the work, unlike the previous one, who'd sit back and direct and even yell sometimes.]

Monday back on board was very laid back. And rightly so... it was Veteran's Day, observed. It was the bare bones crew... only the duty section... and no one was directing us at all. I had to ask a couple people to take care of the deep sink after breakfast (I did the scullery, as the Chief's don't get served in port on a holiday or weekend). Since there was no Quarters, and really nothing at all more to do, I told everyone to come back at 1000 (hour before the meal).

I felt like I was stealing something as I left the ship to go do laundry at the self-serve place a couple blocks down (if piers can be equated to blocks...) the road. While the load was drying, I went to MC'Ds (as painted on the parking stalls) for a coffee and a yogurt parfait. It truly felt like a holiday! I walked back to the ship alongside a CS on duty, and we commented on how wonderful it would be if every day was so relaxed (it seems to us, lowly, junior Sailors, that having inspections, field days and musters are really just busy work intended to keep us from doing our regular work and getting what needs doing accomplished... but when you factor in that everyone doesn't have the same standards... well, I suppose that's the way things have to be in an organization like the Navy).

When I got back to the mess decks, on of the CS1s was worried that we all weren't "where we were supposed to be"... i.e. sweeping the P-ways and sitting around in case someone needed something. I volunteered to be the latter after lunch. Turned off the annoying TVs once everyone left, and read a bit in my Bible. The new Sonar Tech (that's going to replace me as an FSA on December 8th - yay! -) wondered why on earth I was sitting around on the mess decks in the middle of the afternoon... just you wait, Henry Higgins! :)

Next day we were getting underway again.

Five Days Underway...Goodbye Florida! Hello, Home!

For some reason, no one seemed as excited about getting underway for real. It's as if all our energy was sapped when we were told we had to wait two more days (on top of the other delay from Friday). Almost like I didn't really believe we were getting underway, or that it didn't matter as much. But we did finally set sail (figuratively) on November 1st. Before we did, we had breakfast to get through and all the trash to get rid of. There were remnants of the paper trash bags from two days before in the Chief's Mess, and in their berthings that I have to take care of. Got that all set up again, and before I knew it, we were Haze Grey and Underway.

(colors before getting underway)

I had reported to the flight deck (on the back end) for line-handler duty, but I had been taken off the watch-bill (probably because someone thought I was gone). Didn't even see Florida fade away. I went back inside to help on the mess decks and I didn't go outside again until that night around 2030. Took my breath away when I saw all those stars... not a cloud in the sky. It was as dark as I've seen it in the woods in Washington or Minnesota, but here there was no break in the horizon... only the ship's superstructure behind me. The Milky Way stood out so brightly, I could have traced it; and I could hardly see a single constellation for all the stars.

Next day (Nov 2) I thought I was a little late... didn't wake up until 0500. But it turned out we didn't have to report until 0530 underway, since there is a night shift. So, saved by coincidence! When setting up the Chief's Mess for lunch, I noticed how luxurious we have it in the modern Navy. Only a short while ago I re-watched Mister Roberts (1955) where a ship begs the supply ship for a crate of oranges, as they hadn't had fresh fruit in months. Today, I set up fourteen different kinds of fruit... the same that was offered to the general mess and wardroom: apple, banana, kiwi, pear, grapefruit, orange, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon. You see, we had a fresh fruit stores on-load just before we departed Mayport.

 

(I did get a chance to go top-side... what blue!)

Things were going fine all day, but that night, everyone started field-day-ing all the supply compartments, as Chief promised we would. I handled the Chief's Mess myself, and worked until 2100 (three extra hours after dinner). CS1 inspected my work and mostly looked at the deck underneath the cabinets, the one place I didn't clean. But he let me go, only with instructions to get it next time. Went right to bed as the Internet was down (even though I finally did fix my computer access with Radio).

Next day (Nov 3) was a fine morning: felt like I had a long sleep (the best sleep in the world is out to sea!), and breakfast was already panned and ready to be put on the line. These last few days I had been fighting (just a little) with certain cooks over getting enough of the food for the small, skinny pans for the Chief's Mess, so this was very refreshing. After breakfast though, the ship started going faster, and I felt a little uneasy in my stomach with the rocking as I emptied the Chief's trash. I admit I even forsook sweeping my assigned passageway after Quarters because of it. I sat down at the booth in the corner of the Chief's Mess near the galley door and stayed there for quite some time. CTTC came in and I saw her take a sea-sickness pill. I high-tailed it to medical right after that and got one from HM1 who was standing outside her door with a bottle of pills in hand. I didn't feel alone at least. Went back to sitting down... Senior soon came in and he distracted me with conversation. He recommended eating some soda crackers, and I think it did help. After lunch we secured all loose articles for high-speed maneuvers, but they ended up getting cancelled.

That night we had pizza and wings, and I watched a lot of college football on the flat screen TVs. Got lots of compliments on how clean the mess looked... and then we had an ice cream social a couple hours later, as is the tradition for Saturday nights at sea. No Internet again... I never got a chance to chat with my husband the whole trip.

Sunday the 4th was the best morning in the world to forget to set your alarm. I was an hour late! But everyone else covered for me nicely, and technically, according to the Plan of the Day, I was right on time! In any case, breakfast went off without a hitch, and the Chiefs were still able to place there orders for eggs... there is another guy assigned to the Chief's Mess and he was there. Don't know if I can handle all this wonderful sleep and getting to bed early!

It was an odd Sunday too... we had Quarters, just like any other working day. The one thing that really reminded me what day it was was the presence of the NFL on TV. There was a special dinner that night because of our impending return. Master Chief served crab legs, grilled scallops and steaks to the long lines of hungry and thrilled customers. After dinner I found all the FSAs had scattered after I came out from finishing with the Chief's Mess. Our MA was off at some sort of drill, so lots of people just left. And the scullery was not within CSC's standards. I was the only FSA to help the cooks throw metal over the side that night, and when I got back to the mess decks, she was irate, and had apparently paged the FSAs to come back and clean it up. Only two others stayed to help... and we were not let go until 2100... again.

Monday the 5th was the big day. Sea & Anchor was set in the late morning, and again, I had no station. I went out to make sure, and loved the view of Virginia! I thought of what it must have been like for the English settlers who saw this same bit of land in 1607 after a much longer and harder voyage then mine. I didn't even mind the biting wind stinging my eyes, just so I could have a look at it. My husband had flown in the night before and was at the house, as was confirmed to me in a Facebook message on my phone (we finally had reception!). My heart was near bursting.

I was let off a couple hours after we were pier-side. The culprit was the trash room... It had to be emptied and cleaned... CS2 Kolsh was awesome, and worked very hard, helping us out. Then GSM1 was my savior and let me leave before dinner, although the chain of command didn't want to let me go. He had promised I would be let out early, and he took my place so that I could see my husband sooner. What a nice guy!

I was off like a flash, walking my way towards the mini NEX where I would be picked up. I was even able to hitch a ride with someone from the Enterprise, which had just pulled in the day before, although we had left them behind in Mayport on Thursday. Go figure.

(returning from her last deployment... after over 50 years of service as our country's first CVN)