Leave Period

Since the ship was scheduled to be undergoing repairs for quite some time our Captain decided that the crew should be able to take leave. The ship can never be without the entire crew so we split the leave period in half. I ended up with the first leave period and had enough days built up to take about a week and a half off. Some of the sailors wanted to go back home but I have only been here in Japan for a few months so I wanted to explore my host country.

I have always been a big history and culture buff so I started looking for Japan's historical sites. During the AOB/introduction class that I took a few weeks earlier our presenter mentioned several major cities that were worth visiting. He also gave us a chance to travel on the trains, they are actually easy to use. The electric signs denoting destinations alternate between Japanese and English. Some of the trains even make announcements in English.

Several of the cities that our instructor mentioned were too far to visit during the course of a weekend so I wanted to focus on a few of those. From that point, the only problem was in finding a train route to those destinations and printing out tourist maps in English. I do know some basic Japanese now but am certainly not fluent. I suppose I could have used taxis to get around and see the sites but I wanted to walk through the streets and experience a little more culture.

I chose three cities in the southern part of Japan to visit; Kyoto, Osaka and Hemeji. Kyoto was up first because of the three cities it was the largest and had more points of interest. I wanted to see some of the Japanese shrines and temples located there. Kyoto was the national capital before Tokyo existed so it was a cultural hot spot for many generations. Countless castles, temples and shrines were built there. It would have been impossible to visit all of them so I did some research and found about a dozen that interested me. I did get lost a few times, that was expected, but it was a great first city to visit. I posted the pictures on facebook.

After Kyoto, I had enough of shrines and temples so I decided to see the castles. I had been to Germany in high school and visited many European style castles so I wanted to see how Japanese castles compared to their European counterparts. They are actually very different, same purpose but structurally look nothing alike aside from the moats and main walls. The keeps of the Japanese castles are much more decorative. Japanese craftsmen took pride in designing and creating their castles. They placed their family seals in locations they worked.

In Osaka, the city built itself around the castle and preserved the space around it for recreational use. Some people set up picnics while others played baseball and Frisbee in the well tended fields. Upon crossing a bridge over the castle moat you enter a courtyard filled with vendors and historians. For a small price you are then able to enter the main keep and walk up the seven or eight floors. The view from the top was worth the effort. On the way back down each level had artifacts and stories recovered during the restoration of the castle.

The last city I visited, Hemeji, was much smaller than the previous two but had the largest castle in Japan. Unfortunately the main keep was undergoing renovation so I was not able to go inside. I was still able to read about the history of the castle and walk around the grounds. The real treat in Hemeji turned out not to be the castle itself but the gardens surrounding it. It is hard to describe the gardens from a western point of view. Japanese gardens are set up with different themes and focuses. This particular garden was separated into many different sections. One section focused on a large pond filled with colorful carp. The walkway circled around the pond and included a narrow bridge over part of it. The next was devoted to tea plants. The Japanese tea ceremony is still considered a sacred ritual practiced by priests and geisha. Other sections were built around pagodas and sacred statues which I could really only guess at.

I gained a new respect for Japanese customs and culture during my travels. I feel fortunate for having the chance to explore the country. Everywhere I went I found the Japanese people to be sincere and respectful of foreigners. I know the United States has tolerant views as well, but I can't see Americans being quite as polite in offering advice and assistance. This is an ally truly worth the people, material and effort we place in protecting it.

In Port for the Holidays

So the Curtis Wilbur has spent the last month in port, not a lot of interesting things to say about activities on the ship, which is why I have not posted anything as of late. My ship is undergoing SRA, which is a repair and refurbishing cycle. There was one point when we were the only ship left in Yokosuka. I had mixed feelings when most of the fleet deployed to South Korea and left us behind. On one hand life at sea is rough but on the other I would like to be contributing to the cause. The other ships "borrowed" our parts and people for their missions and we were left to cover for them.

For several weeks up to the holiday leave period we were practicing drills at the crack of dawn. Every other day we had group PT sessions, I did not mind the PT sessions too much but the drills were getting on my nerves. The drills are meant to simulate emergency and battle conditions. There are different procedures for flooding, fires, smoke, and chemical and biological attacks. On land, if any of these things happen you would be best advised to leave the area. On a ship in the middle of the ocean, you do not have that option. Every person on the ship is trained in basic damage control and expected to use it. We are all issued gas masks and assigned roles during each emergency condition.

Many of the members of the crew reached their transfer dates and left the ship. Likewise we also had many additions to the crew. One of my people in the sales division transferred back to the states and was replaced by a guy straight out of boot camp. Getting him trained is going to be an experience. Sitting down with him and talking about his life and expectations, I realized this was the first of many interviews I would be doing. I have been to a number of interviews in my life but never as the interviewer. To me that represented a step forward in my development as a leader. I am still able to learn something new on a daily basis, there is so much expected out of Officers.

Fairwell Dinner

Less than a week after we pulled back into port we had a fairwell dinner for seven Officers who were about to complete their tour on board. Every time an Officer leaves the Curtis Wilbur there is a celebration in remembrance of their contributions to the ship. Each ship does this a little differently but we present our departing Officers with a portrait of the ship and a plaque. Around the portrait is a large border for every Officer to write a personal message. It is somewhat similar to receiving a yearbook and having your friends write messages in it.

This fairwell dinner was a little more special since we were losing seven of our Officers. We went to a restaurant out in town, TGI Friday's. Yes, this chain of restaurants is now in Japan just like McDonald's and KFC. After the Captain introduced each Officer, each of us congratulated him/her and shared a little history with the wardroom. This could be a funny tidbit or fond memories of time spent together. We try to keep the occasion fairly light-hearted and focus on the future.

Not to sound selfish here but as these Officers leave, bunks in staterooms will open up for the next most senior Officer. I should have access to a stateroom in less than a month. Honestly though, I have gotten used to living in the berthing. I valued several Officers' experience and advice over the advantages of having more space. Life in the Navy goes on though for the Officers still left serving on the Curtis Wilbur.

Qualifications

I started getting qualifications the second day I arrived on board. When a ship is in port, the main duty for Officers is Officer on Deck (OOD). There are multiple pages that need to be initialed by qualified watch standers. I had to "UI" every watch and observe what happens during each period of time. I learned how to perform morning and evening colors, flag etiquette and proper honors rendered for senior Officers among many other aspects. This knowledge was tested by a board which signs off the last requirements. I was almost done when the ship went underway for the second time. All that is left to do now is route the qual sheet up the chain of command.

When a ship is underway the entire crew is on board. That means plenty of people for training and qualifications. I spent every night training for basic damage control and 3-M (maintenance). These skills are what set the U.S. Navy apart from all the other Navies in the world. Being about to trouble shoot problems out at sea enables us to sail all over the world for months on end.

Every Officer is required to do weekly spot checks on their divisions. Work and repairs need to be done quickly and correctly. It is up to the Division Officers to ensure their departments are staying on schedule and doing proper maintenance. Before they do their spot checks, Officers need the same basic training they expect their seamen to follow. I am almost ready to start doing spot checks on my guys.

I did receive some bad news on one of my main qualifications though. Apparently since I have bad depth perception, I am not allowed to be a Helicopter Control Officer. I found this out after having completed HCO school and landing a couple of helicopters. That was not a good day but I think I may try qualifying for weapons and operations instead. I think I like the idea of being in control of Tomahawk cruise missles more than landing helicopters anyway.

2nd Cruise

I took some seasickness medicine (Dopamine) before the ship left port this time so no seasickness. The excitement started before we even left port. A seaman cut his hand open while compacting trash and had to be taken to the hospital. He didn't have to go on the cruise but I am not sure that kind of injury was worth it. My sales division was down a man so two guys had to do the work of three, that wasn't fun.

The whole point of the cruise was a live fire exercise with shells fired from the five inch gun. Every ship has to be periodically tested on their equipment and accuracy. We sailed out to an island with a couple other destroyers and took turns shelling it while several marine inspectors watched from a helicopter. First we had to get rid of a few Japanese trawlers, they left pretty quickly when they found out three destroyers were about to shell their position.

The Curtis Wilbur was the second ship up for the live fire. While we waited for the first destroyer to finish we practiced evasive maneuvering and I was able to watch the main gun being practice fired. When the inspectors were ready for our ship to start the exercise, I landed my first helicopter. The Captain was nice enough to point that out to them later.

My ship passed the firing exercise and that put everyone in a good mood on the way back. The Captain decided to let all the junior officers navigate the ship during practice man overboard drills. We dropped a flare in the water and then circled back to recover it using different maneuvers. The point was to put the ship along side the flare close enough for search and rescue teams to recover the flare (person).

After most of the officers had a chance to practice giving out directions, it was time for a more experienced officer to show off his skills. This time I was the man overboard. No, I didn't get thrown overboard, they hide me in a room just off the bridge and sounded the general alarm. When someone is suspected to be missing from the ship the first action is to muster everyone with their departments and take roll. It took my division about ten minutes to decide I was missing and another five to filter through the other people who hadn't reported in. Mental note, don't fall overboard; that much time in the water without a survival suit would have killed me.

FEG Audit

A few days after we pulled back into port, some inspectors decided to pay my ship a visit. The FEG Audit is conducted once every eighteen months and the previous Disbursing Officer had warned me that the ship was due for its next one. They are meant to be surprise inspections but as I knew it was coming, it was not a total shocker.

There was only so much they could grade me on as I had less than a month of experience. That was one point that had me on edge. All of the records were still from the departed Disbo. I did not have all of my letters of authority, which could not really be helped. They mostly used it to teach me what I was doing right and wrong and give me a few new contacts. I really appreciated that, it confirmed that I was mostly on the right track.

I was afraid that I might not pass the inspection due to some major mistakes they caught but passed with a satisfactory performance. They mentioned some aspects I could improve on and some corrections I needed to make. I can only improve from here so I plan on knocking their socks off when they come back in about eighteen months. It was reassuring that all my funds were completely accurate, now I just need to keep them that way.

Seasick

My first time going to sea was short but definitely not sweet. We needed to do a Change of Command Ceremony at sea so that entailed a short voyage to show off the ship to a new Captain. It lasted about three days with one day focused on the ceremony. The first day was great, I spent some time on the bridge as we were leaving port. One of my collateral duties is to escort the harbor pilot to the bridge. One of the chiefs took a very unflattering picture of me as I was trying to absorb everything going on around me.

The second day I got violently ill and spent most of the afternoon with my head on my desk. Every time I tried to walk any where I mostly just ended up banging into the bulkheads. I skipped dinner, that ended up being a good decision. As I was continuing to go downhill, it suddenly occurred to me that if I actually required medical attention no one was going to be able to get in the disbursing office without cutting through a wall. The outgoing CO ordered me to go to bed instead of attending the Officer's meeting that night. I latter heard they just used my lack of attendance to make fun of me. I only threw up once, I guess it could have been worse!

The third day consisted of the Change of Command Ceremony and bonging off the former Captain. The ceremony was conducted on the mess decks and latter broadcast to the crew. All the Officers attended in person and then celebrated with cake and ice cream afterward. I was on the bridge again while the ship came back into port and docked. Goodbyes were exchanged as the Captain departed the ship for the last time. I did not have much to say to him as I shook his hand, I only knew him for a few weeks. I do look forward to working with the new CO and continuing to learn my way around the ship.

Exploring Japan

Once I got comfortable traveling around base, I started walking around town. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, and they are very tolerant of Western cultures. The same can not always be said of other Asian cultures. Yokosuka has been built around the naval base and the food and music is designed to attract the attention of Americans. Knowing Japanese is not required, many of the dishes served by restaurants are represented by elaborate 3D models in the windows. I tried sushi and enjoyed it along with a special type of rice. Using chopsticks is much more difficult than it looks! Luckily in most places they do not require the use of them.

Getting around Japan by car is a nightmare so traveling by train is usually the fastest option. Many of the roads have expensive tolls that need to be dealt with. Walking and riding bikes are also popular. I stayed in Yokosuka at first just to get a taste of the cultural norms and familiarize myself with the area. It is fairly easy to get lost in Japan.

Some Ensigns heard about an Oktoberfest happening in a neighboring town and wanted me to join them so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to ride the trains and see a little more of Japan. The thought of having German beer in Japan was too intriguing to pass up. I was the only one in the group who knew German, several of them could converse in Japanese so we had all our bases covered. It was easy to pick out the Americans in the crowd by the size glasses they chose. You had about a half dozen different size glasses to fill. The largest glass could hold a liter of beer, so most Americans were going with that. The Japanese were choosing the smaller size glasses. If you turned in the glass at the end of the night, some of your original purchase was refunded.

I would love to travel to Tokyo and Mt. Fuji at some point. The big hurdles are finding enough time to do it and finding someone else to travel with since we need to travel in pairs. I hear the Cherry Blossom Festival is a must see as well.

Settling In

For the first few weeks after becoming the Assistant Supply Officer, I was focused on learning as much as I could. The ship stayed in port the whole time and that gave me much needed time to adjust to life on board ship and around the base. Yokosuka Naval Base is not all that large as far as naval bases go. It is much bigger than the one in Athens, GA though. I learned to get around the base by either walking or riding a shuttle.

I started to learn the names of my shipmates, especially officers. They started to introduce me to some of the procedures and events that occurred on a daily basis. There are several important functions on the ship; Officer's Call, meals in the wardroom, and Duty Section Turnover being among the most important. Officer's Call takes place every morning at 7:20 and the plan of the day (POD)is discussed by the XO. This plan was distributed by email the night before giving everyone an opportunity to read and/or print it out. Officer's and Chiefs are then given the opportunity to emphasize or add points to the plan. The Officers and Chiefs are then responsible for passing down that information to their divisions.

Meals in the wardroom can be intimidating at first. Once you master the general formalities and ordering process, eating a meal becomes a little easier. The most important formality is to ask permission from the senior Officer already seated at the table. I managed to mangle that one a few time before getting it down. I do still prefer eating in the general mess though, because then I am one of the most senior individuals. Every sixth day, it is my turn to be in a duty section. I am not qualified to fill any position as of yet so most of my time is spent under instruction also known as "UIing." There are various duties or watches that need to be filled ranging from standing watch at the gate and quarterdeck to manning the bridge and damage control. My main duty will be Officer of the Deck on the quarterdeck.

After a few weeks I stopped getting lost trying to find offices and people around the ship. Then I learned to slide down the ladder wells, this is a much faster way to climb down. After a Chief took me aside and told me to stop it, I then learned it might not actually be the best way. I even started to learn when to duck so as to avoid hitting my head on the bulkheads and pipes. This was a source of much entertainment to the crew. I am glad I did not choose a submarine now!

Turnover

After getting a good night's sleep I was ready to start the turnover process with the current Disbursing Officer or Assistant Supply Officer. This would turn out to be another busy day. It would also be the only opportunity for me to pick the brain of a Disbursing Officer who had run the same office I would be taking over the next day. Normally, the process is completed over the course of at least a week.

Generally speaking, the most important aspects of a turnover are accounting for on hand currency and sales inventory. I was able to do a count of currency but did not have the time to perform an inventory. This decision would haunt me later on. Luckily, the records he showed me and left in the office are quite good. They have already been critically important in showing me how to perform various tasks. He set me up as well as could be expected from a one day turnover. I was able to contact other Assistant Supply Officers in the area and they have been of immense help in straightening out the transition.

As for being the Sales Officer, I count myself extremely lucky to have a chief to learn from. It will give me time to lock down disbursing procedures before moving onto sales. When I am ready to start leading the sales division, I have an experienced person to learn from at a much slower pace.

I later started to find out what pieces were still missing from the whirlwind turnover. I needed to register for certain disbursing programs and transfer accountability to my name. This involved many different email and phone conversations, as well as different signatures on various forms. I was also introduced to the sales division personnel for the first time. Perhaps the most frustrating part about the short turnover was in learning common ship schedules and duties. It was taken for granted that as an Officer, I knew them. I had not been on the ship long enough to have much idea of what was going on. I will go into more detail on these experiences in blogs to come.

The USS CURTIS WILBUR (DDG-54)

On the same day I arrived in Japan, I saw my ship for the first time. I was taught in supply school that first impressions are extremely important. Your uniform needs to be pristine before you report to the ship. Well, so much for that advice. I showed up in the same civilian clothes I had been wearing on the plane. The problem boiled down to a lack of turn over time. We needed to start transferring authority and duties right away since we only had two days before I was scheduled to take over. Jet lag is no excuse in the Navy.

The USS CURTIS WILBUR is one of the oldest destroyers in the US Navy but that fact doesn't deter the crew or missions the ship is assigned. Equipment may break a little more often and systems go down from time to time, more on that later, but we have a job to do. A month before I reported the ship was the first to arrive on site where the South Korean warship had been sunk. It remained sitting on top of the wreck for weeks keeping a watch on North Korea.

I got a quick introduction to some of the Officers and crew, most of them were off ship since it had just completed a long sea tour. I had a tour of the ship and saw the Disbursing Office were I would be spending the majority of my time on board ship. I consider myself extremely lucky to have my own office, space is at a premium on warships. There are only four people who have their own offices on a ship; the CO, XO, CMC and Disbursing Officer. I also have two computers when the majority of people are lucky to get access to a computer for a few hours a day.

The only sour note of my first day on board ship was learning that I would be sleeping in the berths since all the staterooms were occupied. This is not really a big deal since I will spend most of my time in my office anyways and will probably move high enough in seniority to earn a stateroom in a few months. I still have access to the wardroom and officer country whenever I want. Needless to say it was an exhausting day, and I really needed a good nights sleep by the time I got back to the Bachelor's Officer Quarters.

Traveling to Japan

I knew this was going to be a rough day all along so I thought I was prepared. In some ways I was, in others I wasn't. The first leg went fine, I took a flight from San Diego to Seattle. I found the USO after lugging two fifty pound seabags, plus another slightly smaller duffel bag and laptop half way across the airport. I had a good five or six hours to cool off before getting my tickets for a military flight to Japan so I grabbed some food and relaxed.

Now the problems started happening, first I had airport officials telling me I didn't belong on the flight even though I had orders and a flight itinerary to back up my claim. After a long discussion with several of them and just short of me starting to make some calls to officers in the middle of the night, they decided I really was on the flight. Then I got stuck behind someone trying to get an x-box through security. Mental note, not a good idea to stick that much metal in a carry on bag. It was driving the airport security nuts. Once I got to the right gate I still had a few hours to wait since the flight did not leave until around 1am.

The military flights have definitely improved from years past. They no longer use military cargo planes with bucket seats. The flights are chartered from commercial airlines and they leave the middle seats empty. We made a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, so I can check that one off my list of states to visit. It was cold, enough said on that subject. From Anchorage we went on to Yokota Air Force Base in Japan.

After a fairly quick processing at the base where we had our orders and/or passports checked, we picked up our bags and boarded a set of buses depending on our destination. I boarded the bus bound for Yokosuka and waited while everyone was accounted for. The ride to the naval base took forever, evidently there was a holiday on the day we arrived so traffic was a nightmare. Not that traffic is ever all that light in Japanese cities on any day. My sponsor, the current Assistant Supply Officer was there to greet me when we finally arrived at the base. It had been a long day unfortunately it wasn't over yet.

Enjoying San Diego

I had the weekend off after my class ended so I started looking for things to do. I quickly discovered the San Diego Zoo and Sea World. The real deciding factor was the discounted prices for military. To be more specific admission to both places was going to be free for all members of the military. I decided I could not pass up the opportunity to see both worldwide attractions. For five bucks you can get an all day pass to ride the San Diego public transportation system, this was also a very good deal that I could not resist.

I went to the zoo first. At one point in time the San Diego Zoo was the largest in the world. I am not sure if that still holds true today or not. I had been to the Indianapolis Zoo quite a few times growing up near there and taking field trips and behind the scenes tours. The San Diego zoo was of course, different in it's own ways. I loved seeing the koala bears and pandas, and they had some interesting bears and cats that I had never seen before in zoos.

The next day I decided to go Sea World. This was a little more out of the way since the zoo was right outside the city and Sea World is on the coast. What stood out at Sea World were their amazing shows. I went to a sea lion show where the sea lions imitated popular people and shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. Then I saw Shamu perform in his show, that was an awesome experience. I took most of the rest of the day exploring the park and looking at the exhibits. Sea World is a bit more touristy than the zoo. Some of the exhibits like the shark tanks were awe inspiring but others seemed somewhat small and a little diminished. I saw one last show before I left and it centered more on interaction between people and animals. It incorporated divers and trapeze artists as well as birds, dolphins and whales. It is really impossible to describe everything that happened during the show and something you need to see several times to catch all the details.

Visiting the parks was a great way to relax before my flight out to Japan early the next week. I was glad I was able to find the time to get out and explore the city. I wish I had a few more days because there are so many other places worth exploring. Next time though, I am wearing copious amount of sun screen, I got really badly burned for about a week afterwords.

HCO School

All supply officers going to small boys i.e. destroyers, cruisers and frigates are now required to take Helicopter Control Officer class. This class is fairly easy compared to my supply classes or even the classes I took at OCS. It consists of one week of training, in my class' case, four days. The goal is to provide the ground work training for landing helicopters and conducting vertical replenishment. Vertical replenishment is the preferred method for supplying ships while they are at sea. Otherwise two ships have to hook themselves together and transfer pallets via wires. This is tricky if not downright dangerous depending on the circumstances.

We learned what the responsibilities of each person involved in the process were along with the process of communicating with them. There are many details to consider before the helicopter even gets to the flight deck. The flight deck has to be swept and flight quarters called. Depending on the time of day lights need to be turned on in different colors and intensities. Communication needs to be established with the pilot, command and control and the bridge.

Once the helicopter comes within a certain range control is transferred to the HCO or tower from command and control (CIC). The helicopter has the option of showing different lights depending on their situation so the HCO watches for these. The landing location is lit up and the pilot must land inside a small landing circle on the deck. The pilot watches for the right deck light color to show, meaning he has permission to land. There is another color for stopping his engines. The ship is not allowed to alter course or speed during the landing process so communication becomes crucial.

Some of the other topics we covered included rules for the flight crew to follow like only approaching the helicopter from the sides and the using the right lights and paddles during day and night time operations. How to refuel a helicopter and emergency situations. Towards the end we participated in a simulated exercise to test our knowledge and skills. The last day of class we took an exam, luckily everyone passed otherwise there would have been a makeup exam for those who failed.

Flight out to San Diego

Upon leaving Athens, GA and after spending an afternoon with my family in Atlanta, I took a flight out to San Diego. After all my supply school training, I needed one more class before reporting for duty in Japan. Aside from the saltwater trip to Norfolk, VA I took in the middle of my supply classes, I had never been to a big naval base. Even then I was told what to do and where to go most of the time so I was eagerly anticipating this new experience.

My flight itinerary was set up for me, although I went through a lot of unnecessary grief on that aspect. My original itinerary had me arriving a few days after the old assistant supply officer was set to leave. I thought that might present a small problem! It was sorted out the day before my flight left, I guess it could have been worse though. They could have given me an itinerary the day of the flight, what a nightmare.

No problems with my flight to San Diego. One passenger from my flight did make a comment about it not being fair that military had to pay upfront for the baggage fees. Personally, I don't really care because it is refunded later on, just keep the receipts. That is something I have learned to be anal about. Get and keep all receipts, everything from hotels to tolls.

This was my first experience in using the USO services at an airport. I found them to be very courteous and polite. They were able to call a special shuttle that could go inside the base gates. I had access to a lounge while I waited, which was not long at all. I appreciated their assistance in making me feel welcome in a new city. I hope all airports have similarly helpful USO services.

Supply School Graduation

The last major event and celebration for any class at NSCS is the graduation ceremony. While certainly an important milestone in a Supply Officer's career, it is somewhat subdued when compared to the graduation from OCS. There are actually very few similarities between the two aside from the basic format and planning.

The lack of seriousness did not detract from the ceremony at all though. My class started playing all sorts of pranks on each other and the instructors. These were things I had not seen since high school or while I was a teacher. Tin foil and plastic wrap covered every inch of some unlucky individuals desks, balloons were found all over the offices and classrooms and certain coveted items came up missing from time to time. Items were "borrowed" from offices like mouse balls, pens, documents and cordless telephones. I was on the receiving end of one of the pranks but I would like to think I left my mark with a little stunt of my own.

My parents came into town for the graduation and ended up staying for about a week. It was nice to see them again, I had not seen them since starting supply school about six months back. I am unlikely to see them again for a good couple of years, unless they feel like visiting Japan. They are actually going to use my car while I am stationed in Japan since American vehicles are not allowed there.

Since this was a summer graduation, we wore the summer white uniform instead of dress blues. There were about sixty officers graduating from my class in addition to a reserve class. First a Supply Corps Admiral gave a fairly standard graduation speech, I had heard several speeches during previous graduations by this point. Then some special awards were given to the top performers in the class. After that it was time to hand out certificates of achievement. As our names and billets were announced we walked across the stage to shake hands with the Admiral, receive a certificate and have our picture taken with the Admiral and Commanding Officer of the base. The majority of Officers in my class received billets on ships and the majority of the reserves received shore billets.

After the graduation had concluded, I introduced my parents to some of the instructors. We had a bunch of paperwork to fill out including a power of attorney since I am going overseas. We were able to leave early so my parents and I went out to eat. Most of us will be staying at the Navy Supply Corps School for at least a few more weeks before reporting to our individual billets. We are currently referred to as "stashers." Stashers are basically just paper pushers, we perform various odd jobs around the base until leaving for our billet assignments. This proved to be fortuitous since I was able to leave early throughout the next week and spend more time with my parents.

I am happy to report that I have finally caught up with important events. The next couple of posts should be in present tense or at least soon after. I say that because I will not report on ship or fleet activities as they occur. I have a responsibility as an Officer to keep such information classified.

Change of Command

Just as things were beginning to wind down in the training process at the supply base, we started to ramp up again for the upcoming Change of Command Ceremony. The current Captain was being assigned to a different command and we were assigned a new Commanding Officer. I am choosing not to use the names of other Officers, although if you want to know the names of senior Officers you could probably look them up online.

The old Captain was a great leader and fairly young compared to most Officers of his rank. He connected well with all the Officers on base and was actually stronger and faster than many of the younger Officers. I saw him as an excellent role model for us as we were preparing for our first billets. I felt comfortable asking him any questions and appreciated the advice he gave me.

Certain members of my class volunteered for various duties during the ceremony itself. Those duties included being escorts for VIPs, bell ringer, flag bearer, national anthem singer...etc. The rest of us were responsible for maintaining our formation during the presentation. At first this did not seem to be much of a problem but the weather would prove to be a fierce adversary.

We had a mock ceremony the day before and realized how much effort it was going to take to perform this perfectly. During the middle of the summer in Athens, GA, the temperature climbs well into the 90s a few hours after the sun comes up and then starts to get humid on top of that. We were required to stand at attention or parade rest for the entire length of the ceremony in our summer white uniforms.

The guests present included prominent members of the community, a 4 Star Admiral, Chief of the Supply Corps, past Commanding Officers of the base, and various Officers and family members. It was definitely an intimidating atmosphere for a young Ensign. The importance of this event was highlighted by the fact that this would be the last Change of Command Ceremony to occur in Athens. The new Captain will be the first Commanding Officer at the new supply school when it moves to Newport, RI.

I was proud to be a part of this event, equally so that it went so well. To be perfectly honest, by the time it was over I was making a bee line for the water bottles lined up by the side. One Marine and two Officers fell out of formation during the ceremony and these were the same individuals who had just completed OCS or marine boot camp. I would have been among them had I been forced to stand out in the sun for much longer. This is not something I will be forgetting anytime soon!

Orders Reading Ceremony

About a week after the class turned in their top billet choices it was time for an Orders Reading Ceremony. This ceremony was different from all the others I have been a part of so far. It was far less serious and somber, instead there was an air of excitement and optimism. Several members of my class had spent a long time setting up a power point presentation that would be the primary focus of the event.

During orders reading each Officer in the class first had their name called out. They stood to be recognized and were then given their future billet. The caveat to this process was the pictures and captions that were coming up on the power point slides. My classmates went out of their way to embarrass their fellow students as best they could. Mine turned out to be one of the better ones. When my billet came up (one of the last since my name starts with a "W") I learned that I would be serving on board the USS CURTIS WILBUR DDG-54.

There was a long celebration that night in town, where we had the chance to let loose a little and talk with instructors and staff. It was a great opportunity to interact with everyone outside of the base without worrying so much about rank and customs. Most, if not everyone, got the billet they were anticipating so spirits were high all night.

Orders Reading is one of the major highlights at the Navy Supply Corps School but classes are not over yet. There are still several months of classes left to finish. One of the major hurdles to climb is finding the motivation to continue studying for class. Class rank ceases to have any importance so Officers must find a way to intrinsically motivate themselves. I found a new challenge in this approach because there will not be any direct competition on my ship. It will be up to me to perform my duties in the best possible fashion.

Class BIllet List

From the moment I started classes at the Navy Supply Corps School, my thoughts were always on the future billet I would be filling. As I mentioned before, the Surface Warfare Officers chose their billets straight out of Officer Candidate School. All other officer communities require specialized training before choosing billets. I had been able to piece together a few of the more likely openings by looking over past billet lists from the previous two graduating classes but that was not much to go on.

We assembled in an auditorium where copies of the list were passed out to everyone and several elements of the list were explained. Honestly, I was so focused on the list, I did not pay much attention. The list was broken down into two columns, one column by platform type (destroyers, cruisers, subs...etc) and the other by homeport (Norfolk, San Diego, Mayport...etc). Since I had not paid attention to the explanation, I originally thought there were twice as many billets as students in the class.

Each supply billet list is specifically tailored to the interests of a class. There were a large number of students interested in submarines, so accordingly quite a few billets were on subs. Originally, I had thought hard about serving on board a submarine but the idea of being the only Supply Officer there and consequently a department head scared me a little. On any other ship, excluding mine sweepers, there are several Supply Officers and the department head will be at least a Lieutenant. On my first sea tour, I knew I could benefit from working with a more experienced officer. Many Ensigns were surprised by the lack of carrier billets, there were only a couple of positions, previous classes had more opportunities on this platform. That is the way it breaks down sometimes; based on the needs of the Navy.

The first Saturday after receiving the list, we met as a class to pick our top billet choices. This was done primarily by class rank. The top student could choose any billet he wanted. The second best student could chose any billet except for the top student's choice and so on. This arrangement was called a "gentleman's agreement." I was ranked right in the middle of the class so I planned several strategies. I had no interest in either Pearl Harbor or San Diego so I eliminated those homeports along with submarine billets. I had no interest in large deck ships so those were eliminated as well. First and foremost, I had decided I wanted an overseas billet. If at all possible, I wanted a billet on a cruiser. Cruisers have three supply officers as opposed to two on a destroyer. Based on those two goals, there was only one possible choice. I did not end up on the cruiser but did get my second choice and the last billet out of Yokosuka, Japan, the USS CURTIS WILBUR, a destroyer. My next choices would have been close between a destroyer in Mayport, Florida or a cruiser in Norfolk.

The billets were essentially set after the gentleman's agreement, although the choices were not confirmed until written on a form and turned in. The anticipation and sense of uncertainty were killing several people in my class, including me. If someone near the top of the class changed their billet choice then it would have a ripple effect on everyone lower in rank. The air was rife with rumors and speculation all week, right up to the Orders Reading Ceremony.

Sales and Disbursing Classes

After getting back from the class Saltwater Trip in Norfolk, we settled back into the second round of classes at the Navy Supply Corps School. Sales and disbursing were taught in a very similar fashion to food service and supply management. Not to say that either food service or supply management are any less important but for junior officers these two classes are definitely more relevant. The one exception being for those Ensigns who are still contemplating serving on board a submarine. There are no Sales or Management divisions on a submarine. Depending on the ship, the junior supply officer may be the only individual in the Disbursing division. Sales is a completely different animal all together.

Where disbursing is focused on following procedures and policies to a "T", sales is often more about interacting with the crew and improvising depending on unique situations. In disbursing an Officer can be dealing with large sums of money but is more than likely handling issues with pay, Navy Cash (basically a debit card for the Navy since most ships have gone cashless), or managing the finances for food service and sales. Unlike the government, which seems to misplace funds every once in a while, we are accountable for every dollar. At the end of every month a report is filled out and sent in, that is the main factor that establishes the Disbursing Officer's accountability.

It is a little harder to describe the duties of a Sales Officer. His/Her primary responsibility is running the ship's store but he/she also handles laundry and the barber shop. The daily routine is fluid when dealing with so many aspects; purchasing miscellaneous supplies, managing storerooms, overseeing vending machines, keeping an eye on laundry and barber services and of course running the ship's store. Many of the duties generally associated with the sales division can get quite monotonous for the crew so careful supervision takes a certain amount of time out of the day. On the other hand, being the Sales Officer can be fun, you have a certain amount of freedom when choosing what to order or how to design the store. As long as the operation runs smoothly you are one of the more appreciated Officers on the ship. If clothes start coming back wet or the store runs out of something, that is another story.

Midway into sales and disbursing we received the class billet list. This list contained all the possible billets or positions that the Navy needed filled in the next few months following our graduation. Depending on how well you did in your classes up to this point will have a huge impact on your choices.

Saltwater Trip

Keeping in mind that Athens, GA is no where near a major body of water, the Supply Corps decided it would be a good idea for every class to visit a naval station. Up to this point, the only warship I had ever seen was during OCS and that was a quick tour. Considering that I will be spending the better part of the next two years working on a ship, I was rather anxious for a chance to spend a week living on board one. The trip usually alternates between San Diego and Norfolk, being the two largest naval stations. This trip was scheduled for Norfolk.

About midway through our training at NSCS, between finishing FSM and SM and before starting the next round of classes, one week is set aside to visit the various platforms we could be serving on in the near future. We are given group tours of as many ships as we can fit into our schedule. Personally, I was given the opportunity to see an LSD, Destroyer (DDG), Submarine (SSN), Carrier (CVN), and Cruiser (CG). I was considering several different billet options and these tours helped me rule out wanting to serve on board a bigger ship like a Carrier or LSD. The choice between a small boy (Cruisers, Destroyers, and Frigates) and a Submarine was creating a dilemma for me. This quandary deserves its own post later on, so to be continued...

Our stay on board a warship was interesting, not exactly in a good way though. I am going to let this particular ship remain anonymous, though I do not think I will ever forget its name. Most people are probably used to sleeping in a large bed at home, some may have experienced bunk beds. On a ship, berths are stacked three high, and the ceilings are no higher than at home. That can be a little tight, especially for a guy as big as I am. We were given quarters usually reserved for marine detachments so about thirty of us fit in a large room. This would not have annoyed me so much except for several extenuating circumstances. The first being that air conditioning was never a guarantee from day to day. The second was the bathroom (head). I am not complaining about the fact that about fifty guys shared one head, it was much worse at OCS. What eventually got on my nerves were the stopped up drains in the shower room. This ship was probably not the greatest example to be showing a group of new Officers, although perhaps it gave us a taste of the realities of life at sea.

The other first for me and most of my fellow classmates was interacting with enlisted men and women. OCS and NSCS are both training bases, junior enlisted, who make up the bulk of the military, are seldom seen. I could not walk anywhere without having to return at least a dozen salutes, it actually got a little monotonous. We startled quite a few of them walking in groups of a dozen or so Officers at a time. It is extremely rare to see that many Officers in one place at one time, even on a Carrier. It was funny to gauge some of their reactions, they ranged from a couple of choice words followed by an apology to walking across the street to avoid passing us.

One of the last scheduled events involved attending a social with senior Supply Officers. The ranks ranged from Lieutenants all the way up to an Admiral. They had experience serving on every platform and base imaginable. We took every opportunity to pick their brains for any new knowledge and advice. That element is something that makes me sincerely happy I chose this community. You are never really alone, there are always people out their willing and able to lend a hand.

First Supply Classes

First off, I have to issue a warning, compared to OCS, Supply School is going to sound somewhat bland. There are weeks of intense activity, anxiety and excitement but the focus is on creating a learning environment much like a college. For the most part, the classes we attend every weekday are no different from high school and college. There are some slight differences, one being the level of respect we show our instructors.

For the first two months, we studied Food Service Management (FSM) and Supply Management (SM). Food Service deals with aspects such as ordering food and supplies for the crew, managing that specific department, and auditing a massive quantity of paperwork. Overseeing a menu, keeping spaces sanitary and organized, and managing a budget are just a few of the responsibilities. FSM is probably the hardest department to oversee, feeding the entire crew is a massive undertaking and highly visible to everyone on up to the Commanding Officer.

Supply Management is critical to the operation and well being of the ship or boat in the case of a submarine. Prompt and consist maintenance is always the first consideration of a warship. Every warship needs to be kept in optimal fighting condition. However, it is inevitable that parts will wear out over time. When a part malfunctions or breaks, it needs to be fixed or replaced. Depending on the importance of the part in question, it can impact the mission capabilities of the ship. Most common parts are stocked on board and issued as required but some need to be special ordered. Depending on the importance of the part and current status of the ship there are strict procedures that need to be followed.

The typical structure of classes consist of units taught in a time period of one to two weeks, followed by an exam. Depending on how well students do on the exams, they will be ranked against each other. Unlike OCS, when ranks did not matter, these do. Ranks will determine the pecking order for billet assignments later on. Since the classes are relatively easy, this is the primary motivating factor. Some ships (platforms) are plentiful like Destroyers and Cruisers but others like Submarines and Minesweepers can be scarce.

Aside from classes, students are still expected to perform collateral duties like quarterdeck watches, colors and duty driver. We are encouraged to volunteer in the community, I chose to work with a local animal shelter every weekend. Some of my classmates volunteer for the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts just to name a few. Giving back to the community is a big deal and part of the image we very much want to portray. Overall though, we have quite a bit of free time to do whatever we want. As much as I am loathe to admit it, I caught up on all my favorite TV series and movies I missed while at OCS.

Reporting for NSCS

Every Ensign is faced with a different situation after they graduate from OCS. This depends on their chosen community. Surface Warfare Officers will usually go to their ships right off the bat. All the other communities require specialized training. Pilots and Naval Flight Officers have a few months to wait before classing up in Pensacola for flight school. Nukes and Intelligence Officers have their own respective schools but I honestly know nothing about them other than rumors and speculation.

Since my community was supply, I was ordered to report to Athens, GA by the beginning of the next week. Seemed like a strange place to have a Naval Training Base but Supply School has been there for over fifty years now. Training at OCS consisted of twelve weeks, Navy Supply Corps School (NSCS) consists of about 4 months of highly specialized Supply Corps instruction. I was "stashed" in Athens for several weeks prior to starting my classes. Many of my classmates, having graduated from earlier OCS classes, had been there for months.

In this environment we are treated like Officers, not recruits in boot camp. Most of us live off base and since there is no chow hall, generally fend for ourselves. Having department (NEX) and grocery (Commissary) stores on base is nice, mostly because they are tax free. We have free access to fitness facilities and a small library. There is also a bank, barber shop and doctor's office on the base, just about everything you could ever need.

I have to say it was nice to get settled in before starting up classes. The anticipation of what was to come did start to build day by day. The class started to fill up and each day I reported in there were a few more friends and otherwise new faces.

OCS Finale Graduation

As the last week of OCS starts spirits are unusually high in the class. All arrangements have been made with families; who is coming, where they are staying and what events they will be attending. Graduation is more than just showing up and walking across a stage. Preparing for this event started many weeks before with spaces being rented and menu choices needing to be decided on.

The first part of the graduation ceremonies is called "Hi Mom's." This is the first chance families have to see their sons and daughters in their officer uniforms. Black electrical tape is still covering the gold Ensign strip on our dress blue jackets but this does not reduce the effect at all. Families meet the class chief petty officers and drill instructors as well as many of the officers who have interacted with the class throughout their stay at OCS. Refreshments are served while introductions are made and then towards the end a slideshow is presented documenting the transition from civilian to naval officer.

The next ceremony is called a Pass and Review. The class lines up in formation with drill rifles and executes a carefully planned march. Friends and family look on while candidates perform the drill moves they put so much blood and sweat into learning. The Commanding Officer looks on as the class marches in step to a band. Afterwords, the class will turn in their rifles and many will leave the barracks for good.

On last PT session is performed early in the morning the day of graduation, although this will be the lightest PT exercise ever performed while at OCS. Friends and family can join in on a run behind the formation while drill instructors bellow their favorite Marine Corps Cadence. Then the only only task left to perform is to get ready for graduation by donning their dress uniforms. The tape is taken off the jacket sleeves reveling a bright gold stripe, never to be covered again. Uniforms are inspected for any lose lent (contraband) and shoes are polished to show a "mirror shine."

The graduation ceremony is fairly typical for any military ceremony. A guest speaker makes a speech followed by an Oath of Office. Then it is time to walk across the stage as an officer for the first time. Ensigns return the salutes from their class chief petty officer and drill instructor for the first time and shake their hands. A first salute picture is taken to celebrate the moment. A silver dollar is presented to them in payment for the expert guidance and training received. Ensigns are presented with their commissions before leaving the stage. A class photo is taken and this concludes both the ceremony and Officer Candidate School.

OCS Part 6 Candio Phase

Candidate Officer phase is what everyone looks forward to the moment they get to OCS. They have all the perks, everything from being able to yell at the new candidates to being able to actually leave the base for the first time. Candidate officers usually don't get beat and don't have to jump to attention when a drill instructor walks by. Probably the biggest exception is being able to use a cell phone, up until this point candidates should consider themselves lucky to get a five minute phone call every week. Candios are looked up to by the junior classes, and are expected to mentor those who are struggling to adapt to the OCS lifestyle. A good candidate officer can have a big impact on moral and class team building.

Not every aspect of being a candidate officer is rosy though, there are collateral duties that need to be filled. They are responsible for standing watches between several buildings on base. This usually isn't a big deal unless you stand a midnight watch and lose about four hours of sleep that night. A few of them will be duty drivers. These individuals pickup and drop off candidates anytime they need medical attention or supplies from the Navy Exchange (NEX).

Candidate officers have a busy schedule and will probably get less sleep than they did during the previous 9 weeks. They go to bed after the rest of the battalion and wake up earlier to set up morning PT. Screwing up morning PT is one of the few remaining ways to get beat. The junior classes need constant supervision until their drill instructor trusts them enough to function on their own. That supervision comes from the candidate officers working in shifts. Depending on the class and their drill instructor this can be a rewarding experience or a painful one.

There is one thing on the mind of most candidate officers at this point, graduation. Being able to see their families for the first time in months and show them just how much their efforts have paid off in the end.

OCS Part 5 Drill Competition and Victory Run

At this point, the physical and academic tests are over, the candidates in your class have all proven themselves to be officer material. The class drill instructor has mostly stopped the daily beatings, there are still occasional screw ups that merit special attention. The class is looking forward to wearing their khaki uniforms as opposed to the blue camouflage Navy Working Uniforms (NWUs). This is the uniform that sets senior enlisted and officers apart from sailors.

From about week 2 the class has been practicing drill movements with M16 rifles and has generally been getting some severe beatings for their novice efforts. Drill instructors can be very creative when a class screws up drill practice. Candidates quickly learn to loathe their rifles simply because of their added weight. There is one important rule to remember when drilling, the butt is the only part of the rifle that ever touches the ground. So when you are doing push ups the rifle is placed over your knuckles, during squats or while running it is held above your head (and not resting on your shoulders), and for the shear fun of it you may just be required to stand straight up and hold the rifle out parallel to the floor for long periods of time.

During the drill competition a class is expected to perform certain movements in sequence and together. Points will be deducted for incorrect movements or being out of sync. The slightest adjustment during a movement can cost your class. Your class will be competing against another equally prepared class who has sometimes been training along side yours. The winning class will obtain a special ribbon for their standard and may present it during the graduation ceremonies. The losing class risks embarrassing their drill instructor and this is not a good thing.

There is a special ceremony that marks the beginning of candidate officer phase called the Victory Run. During this ceremony all the members of a particular class are assigned to different junior classes in various training phases at OCS. They are assigned according to their status within the class and perceived strengths. Those who showed the most effort and success are rewarded with a higher rank and more responsibilities within those junior classes. For example, I struggled with inspections and physically was not one of the stronger candidates so I did not merit a high rank. I was assigned to H-class, mostly because I had been in that position before and could empathize with that group. A higher rank can be both a blessing and a curse. It means you have been recognized as a superior candidate but also entails more scrutiny and less free time. These ranks mean absolutely nothing once OCS has been completed, everyone will be an Ensign upon graduation.

OCS Part 4 Classes and OLQ

The end of week 4 marks a new transition for your class. From this point on OCS is no longer focused on physical training. At this point you have proven to your Drill Instructor that you can take physical punishment and have the mental discipline to work through pain. The next step is to train you academically, your academic classes will become your primary focus. Of course you still have daily rifle drill practices and the occasional beating to deal with. These will continue until the rifle drill competition around week 8 or 9.

Your classes consist of topics like Naval History, Navigation, Mortar Boards and Engineering. Depending on what you majored in college some will be more difficult than others. I struggled with Mortar Boards the most, but most candidates without a science background had trouble with Engineering. Your overall scores in the classes are based primarily on midterms and finals. By the way, do not even think about falling asleep in class. The drill instructor will not be in the classroom with you as most of the classes are taught by officers but they will not hesitate to report you. This will get your entire class beat. You are allowed to bring in water to splash on your face and you can stand up and move to the back of the room or start doing push-ups. Just find something that works for you and pay attention at the same time. Sleep deprivation really takes its toll during these weeks.

Right around midterms, week 6, you will face an Officer Like Quality Inspection (OLQ). This will be conducted by officers and passing this inspection is based less on appearance and more on general knowledge of the Navy. Your ability to pass is all about memorizing the information in your gouge pack. This will be the first time you are allowed to wear your khaki uniform and you better be wearing it right. Depending on who inspects you, you may fail the first inspection but will have a second try. Everyone generally passes by the second attempt (this is not RLP).

Around week 8, finals will be given and overall grades will be calculated. If a candidate fails any class one of two options are presented to them. They may be allowed to retake the final exam or roll to H-class to start the classes all over again. Those that retake the classes are set back by about a month and this is obviously a major set back. It is a relief to pass all the classes because your candidate officer phase is coming up next, only one major challenge stands between you and being the senior class on deck.

OCS Part 3 RLP

The second and third week pass by without too many surprises. Your class should be wearing the Navy Working Uniforms (NWUs) by the beginning of the second week. It feels great to get out of the poopy suits! The boots are going to be painful for the next few weeks, especially if you were like me and did not double up your socks the first time you wore them. I ended up with a huge sore on the back of my heal that never fully healed until close to graduation.

During those weeks you will be assigned an M16 rifle for drill. The firing mechanisms are welded shut so it is purely a drill weapon. Do NOT ever call it a gun. You will be taught how to hold it and movements to perform that must be done flawlessly. The class will screw up these movements and this is extremely annoying to the drill instructor and will get you beat mercilessly. This becomes a fact of life at OCS.

In between learning drill moves, chow hall procedures and proper greetings you are expected to be preping for Room, Locker, Personal Inspection that will be conducted at some point around the 4th week. This will be by far the hardest inspection conducted at OCS. Not only must you have the Big 3 down pat but your uniforms must be in pristine condition. They must be ironed and folded just right in the proper measurements or hung just right in your locker. There are strict regulations on how to label each item and the condition it should be in upon inspection. Most candidates will fail this inspection the first time, that is expected. This will guarantee a horrible beating for the entire class. One class filled their hallway with about six inches of sand and then cleared it out, swept, mopped and waxed it. Most candidates will pass the inspection on their second try. If not they are sent or rolled to holding company (H-class) to be put in the next class and try again. I speak from personal experience on this one. It was a little rough preparing for RLP while I had bronchitis. I passed on my third try, that was the only time I failed at anything while at OCS.

You can breathe a big sigh of relief at having passed the RLP, this is the biggest hurdle for most candidates. It also secures your place at OCS, by this time your class is no longer the most inexperienced. You will be expected to serve as a role model for the newest candidates, this will continue until you graduate.

OCS Part 2 1st Week

The first week at OCS is often referred to affectionately as hell week. From the first moment you report in, all the stuff you plan on bringing into the barracks is searched. You have a bunch of paperwork to fill out and sign about your background and qualifications. That is the last time you are treated like a civilian and all freedoms and self expression start to disappear one by one.

After you get all your personal items that can not be brought into the barracks taken care of, you are taken into the barracks in small groups. Upon entering the building, and still in the stair well, you are read a standard introduction and given some basic information (which at this point you really are not paying attention to). The second after the speech is over a large bass drum starts to beat and about a dozen candidate officers from the senior class rush in and start yelling at the top of their lungs. They concentrate on one person at a time until everyone is thoroughly freaked out. You are rushed up the stairs to be fitted for your first "uniform". I use the term "uniform" lightly because these clothes consist of a green one piece coverall, metal blast helmet and utility belt. The coverall is called a poopy suit and the helmet a chrome dome.

The poopy suit goes over your civilian clothes as soon as the candidate officers find your assigned room. If it takes them forever to find it, as in my case, they just continue to yell at you for being an annoyance. Once the poopy suit is on, you are told to stand at attention (hands clenched into a fist at your side, standing straight up, eyes staring straight ahead at a single point on the wall). You will continue to stand there for at least a few hours, do not even think about moving or looking around. You will be handed a sacked lunch and told to eat it while continuing to stand.

The rest of the day is devoted to medical paper work, basic instructions, some advice is given on how to succeed at OCS (pay attention no matter how badly you think you are being treated), your physical training (PT) uniform and basic necessities are issued and then you get your first buzz cut that you pay $8.00 for upfront.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday progress fairly smoothly, more instructions are given focusing on procedures like formations, proper greetings and most importantly chow hall. Morning PT starts and will continue for the next three months. You will be fitted for your real uniforms, some of which will need alterations. You will be given a "gouge pack" consisting of pens, paper and a small booklet of information you NEED to memorize as soon as possible. You will take this pack EVERYWHERE you go. If you are ever found without it, there will be repercussions. During meal times you will hold the pack out straight in front of you once you reach your seats. You will continue to hold it there until the entire class has set their trays down and gotten out their packs. This can be very very painful, it does not pay to be the first in line. The last people are encouraged to move quickly.

Thursday is a different matter entirely, today is the day you meet your class petty officer and drill instructor. It is guaranteed to be a painful experience. The candidate officers will have followed your class throughout the week and given daily reports to the drill instructor. You will be exhausted by the end of the day but the week is almost over and Friday is not particularly bad, unless your class screws something up, which they definitely will. Then you hear one of my favorite expressions, "get on your face."

OCS Part 1 Getting There

I am going to start by saying that OCS is experience unlike anything else. There are different types of people who attend OCS. There is no way to stereotype the average candidate. They come in all ages, both genders, unique backgrounds, and have different interests. The first thing you need to realize about OCS is that the Navy pools all their future officers (except those in the Naval Academy and NROTC) into the same classes. These future officers encompass every area, a majority of them will become Surface Warfare Officers (those who drive and command ships). There are also Pilots, Naval Flight Officers (navigators), Intel Officers, Engineering Officers, various other communities and last but not least Supply Officers. I decided to save the best for last!

I came from a science background so I researched and absorbed all the information I could find. Every candidate should memorize the dreaded Big 3 (General Orders of a Sentry, Articles of the Code of Conduct, and Chain of Command), I believe most Officer Recruiters give these out in guides. There are other aspects that you are not told about that can be found in various Navy blogs like Chow Hall Procedures and what to expect from day 1 to the last week. Much of the OCS schedule changes, partially to keep people off guard and discourage the approach I took. The advice you can get from current officers is priceless though. You might need to look up a few acronyms, I will try to avoid using them here.

I would recommend taking a car when you travel to OCS if at all possible. One, the Navy will pay for your travel expenses whether you choose to drive or fly to Newport, RI. They will give you so many days to get there based on where you started from. From the first day you start your travel, you will begin to collect pay. When you get to OCS, if you have not brought a car, you will get all your additional stuff i.e civilian gear put in someone else's car. This idea was not very appealing to me. I brought additional gear just to make life a little easier latter on during the experience which I was able to retrieve on our first Personally Owned Vehicle (POV) run. I am not going to tell you what to bring, there are far too many lists already on blogs and they change.

I would recommend staying at the Navy Lodge the night before you report. The Lodge is on base and within walking distance of OCS. Make sure you book your reservation early since it will fill up quickly. OCS is one small part of a massive naval base located there in Newport. Make sure you report early, you do not want to be the first but you definitely do not want to be last either. The candidate officers who run check-in will take note of anyone who seems different. Being labeled at this point could be hazardous to your health.

The Recruiting Process

After coming to the realization that teaching just wasn't going to work for me, I started to look for new opportunities. This search took me in many different directions but ended up with me sitting down in front of a Navy Officer Recruiter. I had no idea what I was in for from the very start. The first real step in the process to become a Naval Officer involves taking an test called the Officer Aptitude Rating Exam (OAR). If you want to become a pilot or go into intelligence the exam has twice as many sections to complete. As I had no interest in either designation, I took the easier portion. My questions were based on three core areas; Math, Reading and Mechanical Comprehension. If anyone reading this is contemplating taking the OAR at some point in the near future, spend some time studying and taking practice sets. You want a high score as that is one of the major factors in deciding whether you are officer material.

After I took the OAR and submitted all my paperwork (there was a lot of paperwork) all I could do was sit back and wait. The officer selection boards meet on average once a month at different times for different designations. My three choices included supply, surface warfare (SWO) and oceanography. Sometimes, as in my case, the boards only review a certain number of applications, so you are tabled for the next month. This was probably the hardest time in the whole application process because nothing I did was going to make a difference at this point. I used my free time to lift weights and run since the next big step after being selected was a physical readiness test (PRT) also known as a physical readiness assessment (PRA). I am still not sure why the same test goes by two different names.

Upon being selected as an officer, I underwent an intensive medical screening, which was not fun but definitely necessary. After the screening, I reported for the PRT and actually ended up having to complete it twice before reporting for Officer Candidate School (OCS) in October. My recruiter was there for me through the whole process, he was a tremendous help in guiding me through each of the steps.

Introduction and Build Up

So this is going to be the first time I have ever put words to paper (or internet) in trying to describe my life and experiences. I hope I can do justice in describing my life past, present and future.

I will start with a little background and see in what direction my thoughts take me. I grew up in the Midwest, central Indiana to be more specific. To this point, that still feels like home to me since I spent the first 23 years of my life there. I was never that popular in school and I didn't play any sports, at least not particularly well. My focus was and to a large degree still is on academics. I was the quintessential nerd going through high school and college. I filled in my free time with academic teams and clubs, student politics and a zeal for current events. That stuff is all rather boring though so moving on.

My life got interesting after I graduated from college and started my first year of teaching high school biology. I had the goal in mind of imparting my knowledge and experiences on a new generation. Needless to say it didn't really work out that way. Anyone interested in teaching needs to realize that they will spend most of their time in either managing the classroom environment or dealing with crazy administrators. My experience as a teacher was that education is no longer student centered, but driven by standardized test scores and the need to institutionalize the process of learning. I will spare readers the grizzly details of my weekly fights with department heads and administration. So my total time spent as a teacher lasted for less than a year.