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.
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