Community Forums

w6pea · 02-21-2011, 02:51 PM

Wow....that doesn't look like my Dad's Navy Uniform......Congratulations !

Wayne M · 02-21-2011, 03:54 PM

Congratulations. I know you are proud of his accomplishment.

It's also nice to see that the USMC Uniform is becoming more of an issue for other services. If we could see his trousers (pants for navy folk) they would be black or Navy Blue, and the service cap is black.

Give him a big Semper Fi for me.

CorsairIIAT · 02-21-2011, 07:29 PM

Congrats Ken from a retired Sailor. Also guys Navy is now wearing a type of Blue cammies. No more dungarees. Also my neighbor at the stick house. She looks really good in the new cammies.

JRNOLL · 02-24-2011, 01:09 AM

Congratulations to your son. Thank him for me for serving his country.

AB7OH · 03-06-2011, 10:59 PM

Congratulations to your son and you the proud father. I went to Great Lakes in Dec of 74. It was cold and snowy hopefully it was warm when he was there.

Ken-55 · 06-19-2011, 02:36 PM

Thanks for all the well wishes!

Quick update on where he's been. Due to OPSEC, he can only share past experience, not future plans. He reported to the USS ANZIO in early May and deployed shortly after that. Crossed the Atlantic and made a refueling stop in Augusta, Sicily, Italy. There was no liberty there. They then headed up to the Black Sea with stops (and liberty) in Varna, Bulgaria; Odessa, Ukraine and Batumi, Georgia. Batumi was his favorite so far. His ship also participated in a multi-national exercise called Sea Breeze 2011 held in the Black Sea. The last I heard, they went through the Suez Canal, not sure where they're headed next??

Talk about "Join the Navy, see the world!"

One thing that may surprise Navy vets is how good communication is nowadays. There are several computers and phones available at no charge on the ship. They have an unwritten rule of limiting your calls to 15 minutes if others are waiting. I usually hear from him a couple of times a week. He took his personal laptop ashore and a McDonald's in Odessa had free WiFi, I was able to see and chat with him on Skype.

He's had his moments of homesickness (and one battle with seasickness shortly after leaving Norfolk in 10 foot seas) BUT he's learning a lot, getting qualified on new equipment and procedures and becoming part of the team. Needless to say, I'm extremely proud of him!

mccsix · 06-19-2011, 03:26 PM

"following seas"
Cdr USN ret

Cat320 · 06-19-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doc

Alright Ken!! I have a nephew that will graduate from the Naval Academy at Annapolis in a few more months. He is trying to figure out if he wants to be a lifer after his commitment is up. Right now he wants to get married and does not see the Navy in his future. I am hoping we can change his mind about the Navy - marriage will be OK.

He has a long time to decide. When I first went in, I hated it. But after being in a while, matured a bit, given more responsibility, a tour in VN...I decided to stay.

Seajay · 06-21-2011, 12:50 PM

Ken-55........ Please send my thanks to your son for his service to my great country. Tell him to keep a diary and take lots of pictures of the places he goes and the ship he may serve on. This is the one thing that I did not do while I was in the Navy and I have regretted this ever since I got out. Your memory fades and you forget but a diary and pix will keep everything fresh.
God bless your son and all our troops regardless of color or stripe....

Fair winds and smooth seas to him and all who serve ........