attempt #3
This is the 3rd time I've tried to make a post and due to technical difficulties I have had to restart my computer and lose my half written posts. I was going to just skip it but then I would terribly disappoint both of my readers.
Nothing like a fire to bring the boat in early; today is a boat holiday so I finally get 2 days off in a row! My only duty-free weekend since February was flushed when we found out we have to support another boat's inspection. This almost makes up for it.
Despite the retarded watch rotation this last underway it was pretty mild. A few drill sets, some training, nothing too bad. Our usual underway watches are 6 hours on and 12 hours off- we basically run on 18-hour days. Last underway we were in what is affectionately referred to as "Vulcan Death Watches", named after the Star Trek Vulcans who had an unusually high tolerance for pain. These watch rotations go like this: 4,4,4,6 and 6. They suck and do nothing but cycle the crew but for some reason the upper level management of the Navy thinks they are a good idea because they maximize the amount of time the crew can drill. What it really means is that the crew gets it in the ass with no time to sleep. I'll really jump for joy when the people in the high places figure out the VDW don’t' do anything but cycle the crew.
Besides the watches and the fire we had that brought us in the underway was uneventful. I had the midwatch again before we pulled in and then had duty after we moored. Ho hum, par for the course. I'll be glad when that rotation is turned over to another duty section.
Here are a few pics~
The new guy's first time wearing a SCBA. We wear this to fight fires.
Throwing a heavie.
Getting ready for an early morning underway.
Nothing like a fire to bring the boat in early; today is a boat holiday so I finally get 2 days off in a row! My only duty-free weekend since February was flushed when we found out we have to support another boat's inspection. This almost makes up for it.
Despite the retarded watch rotation this last underway it was pretty mild. A few drill sets, some training, nothing too bad. Our usual underway watches are 6 hours on and 12 hours off- we basically run on 18-hour days. Last underway we were in what is affectionately referred to as "Vulcan Death Watches", named after the Star Trek Vulcans who had an unusually high tolerance for pain. These watch rotations go like this: 4,4,4,6 and 6. They suck and do nothing but cycle the crew but for some reason the upper level management of the Navy thinks they are a good idea because they maximize the amount of time the crew can drill. What it really means is that the crew gets it in the ass with no time to sleep. I'll really jump for joy when the people in the high places figure out the VDW don’t' do anything but cycle the crew.
Besides the watches and the fire we had that brought us in the underway was uneventful. I had the midwatch again before we pulled in and then had duty after we moored. Ho hum, par for the course. I'll be glad when that rotation is turned over to another duty section.
Here are a few pics~
The new guy's first time wearing a SCBA. We wear this to fight fires.
Throwing a heavie.
Getting ready for an early morning underway.
Glad to see you're hack inport safely. I too am on a boat that sucks the life out of its crew (a cruiser near you.
ReplyDeleteOur inport watches have been mazimized (for maximum insertion) now so 3 whole watch teams miss at least one meal during the duty day (inport). We are supposed to find our own watch reliefs but how many people do you know will actually put on their whites and relieve you for chow? My guess is: ZERO.
I am praying that I get a relief soon so I can leave the USS NEVER-BE-HAPPY-IN-YOUR-LIFE=AGAIN (CG 666).
Well, I guess submariners and skimmers have the same bone jobs in common. Bubbleheads who want to cross over to the surface community will quickly find out that the grass isn't any greener.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I will not let happen to me again is to let the command get to me and piss me off to the extent that I am miserable all the time. I just grin and then take it out on my Chief in private.
My problem is that I do let all the crap get to me. It follows me around like a bad case of body odor.
ReplyDeleteI try and try to find (and hold onto) the good things the Navy has to offer, but they are so few and far between that there is enough not enough residual happiness to carry me through to the end of the day.
I've been in about 10.5 years now, and I am about 96.786% sure that I will not reenlist when this contract is up.
Wow, the halfway mark. That's a tough call. One one hand you are halfway there on the other hand, you are only halfway there. Some stick it out for the retirement check and some tell the Navy to stick it. For some, the time in just doesn't make up for the shit that goes on day in and day out and I can see why someone would go do something else they enjoy instead of staying in a job just to get a retirement. Good luck to you and may The Force be with you. (That sounds a lot better than "Fair winds and following seas)
ReplyDelete