Welcome to the NEW USS Truxtun!

 

1. Hello, Fellow Nuke! i was fully qualified and ready to go at Great Mistakes to go into that field, but when I got there, I was disqualified for medical reasons (eyes), and I was sent home. 17 when I went in, 17 when I got out, and I served 17 days.
   Oh well.

   Posted by Macker       04/21/2009  at  05:17 AM  



2. They tried, Macker.

   Turned out that, unbeknownst to me and my family doctor, (who knew that Navy doctors were smarter than my family doctor, who’d treated me since birth?) I had flat-feet. Great Mistakes tried to disqualify me during boot camp. I stuck with it, and enlisted my Dad, who reminded the USN that I was under contract and they had to prove I was physically unsuited for the Navy nuclear program, or pay mucho dinero for contract violation… (a little Spanish lingo.)

   Dad was very helpful during my enlistment process. The Navy wanted me to go under an ‘open contract’. Dad was the one who went with me and got a nuclear-guaranteed contract. The only bad part was that I had to leave in two weeks. No summer vacation that year!

   I passed boot camp with flying colors. Ditto BE/E, ET ‘A’ school, and NukePower school Orlando, NTPU Ballston Spa, etc.

   Eyes disqualified you? Why? I’ve worn glasses since my freshman college year. Unless your vision wasn’t correctable to 20/20… even then, it’s not like you were going to be a pilot.

   Posted by Christopher       04/21/2009  at  05:44 AM  



3. Yep, my eyes.

   Posted by Macker       04/21/2009  at  08:00 AM  



4. Ah, yes, it does bring back memories..... (shudder)....

   But I will admit, I’ve told more than one person that until they’ve been over the horizon from land, they’ve never seen the stars.

   Posted by GrumpyOldFart       04/21/2009  at  09:46 AM  



5. Not quite that bad, yet. I took my wife camping here in Ohio. Once we got away from most big city lights…

   She was awestruck. I’ll never forget her saying: “The stars have colors...”

   Well, duhh!

   BTW, if you’re in Ohio, and it’s warm enough, you too might experience what I did that night…

   My wife took the requisite amount of clothing off and did her best…

   And only the stars will tell…

   Posted by Christopher       04/21/2009  at  10:30 AM  



6. Great Mistakes!  Love that and first time I heard it although I was there. Not for boot tho.

   Actually, if I weren’t married, I’d go back to being a sailor.

   Yeah, I hear that loud and clear.  But Christopher, I don’t really think you and I would take to this ‘new pol.correct navy‘ at all. Do you?

   I was at G.Lakes in dead of winter.  I rather enjoyed it. Boot camp at San Diego tho.

   Plank Owner ... USS Columbus CG-12 Good ship and good food and NO roaches (that I could see) but they were everywhere aboard the Maddox DD731.

   Posted by peiper       04/21/2009  at  10:33 AM  



7. Wow! Peiper is a plank owner! That is a rare honor.

   Not me, but I called the wife and she said ‘go for it’.

   So, I’m waiting for Triple A to call me back about ‘round trip tickets...’

   One of my fellow office workers put it into prospective: “it’s an honor to be invited to a commissioning ceremony.”

   Thats’t what he said. He’s also sorry he voted for Obama.

   I’ved decided that I’ll never ever be invited again…

   Go for it!

   I’ll be supplying BMEWS with pics…

   Posted by Christopher       04/21/2009  at  11:34 AM  



8. I’ll be sending this along to my friend since 6th grade (1972), the sub commander.

   He’ll get a kick out of it. Regards, DC Handgun Info

   

   Posted by hagbard45       04/21/2009  at  01:17 PM  



9. Ahhh, I remember the long night on ball to 12 or mid watch, sitting on the signal bridge, looking at the stars, between sweeps of the horizon. It was awesome on a FFG, if a little noisy. Much better on the Wisconsin, where we were a lot further from the stacks, and those noisy gas turbines… We had a little group that would lie on top of one of the main turret and discuss life when we weren’t on watch, otherwise it was the signal bridge for me.

   I would be back like a shot, if they wanted me, and my rate wasn’t made obsolete, and I wasn’t too old to re-up..

   btw, Christopher: GLOW-WORM!

   I did boot and A School in Orlando after I was disqualified from Corpsman training in ‘86.

   Respect to all, and a hearty Thank You!
   Bill

   Posted by Doctor DETH       04/21/2009  at  06:48 PM  



10. Any more NavVets out there?

    I haven’t been called a ‘Glow-worm’ for decades. It kinda lost its sting since I pointed out that being a ‘glow-worm’ meant that the blondes could find you in the dark!

    Not that I care if blondes could find me, I’m happy with the red-head I married.

    BTW, I’ve now got airline tickets and RSVP tickets from the Dept. of the Navy.

    Posted by Christopher       04/21/2009  at  07:21 PM  



11. Christopher ...well done and enjoy yourself. Hope all goes well and don’t forget PHOTOS!

    Cheers ..

    Posted by peiper       04/22/2009  at  08:47 AM  

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