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!