.JPG)
I reflect back on occasions to my time as a Navy Nuke. One of the best times during my tour of duty was the final days on the submarine. Your hand is wrapped firmly around SNOT rag. For those not familiar with Navy terms S.N.O.T. means Shortest Nuke on Topeka. The rag is held by the nuke on board who is closest to their E.A.O.S. End of Active Obligated Service date who had not reenlisted. After four long years my E.A.O.S. would soon be a reality.
I was doing final checkout where I had turn go around my boat get a checklist signed off documenting I had spoken with required personnel. I had covered the front of the boat and I was making my way through the back portion.
The Engineering Department Master Chief EMCS Jeffrey Birch(at the time) said to me in effect, “you may be thinking how things are going to be when get back in the civilian world there will be days where you will wish more people operated in military fashion ”. My initial thought was,” Could you sign off my checklist so I can get off of the tin can for last time?”
Once the topside duty announced on the ship’s 1MC(loudspeaker), “ET2/SS Green departing” and I walked across the brow in Guam, took a plane flight back to Hawaii, and spent some time in X-Div my enlistment in the Navy would be finished.
Almost ten years later after my time working in Silicon Valley I have noted various instances where problems or issues existed and no one wanted to admit they were wrong. In addition, nobody wanted to take action while everyone waited for someone else to resolve the problem.
I wished someone would either step up or “volunteer” someone address and resolve our problems. It was then I thought about my last days on Topeka. I must admit being a touch embarrassed when reflected back on my thoughts on my days of my enlistment.
Time has proven Senior Chief to be 100% correct. Honestly, I wish I had the chance to tell Senior. I think he would want to know. Wait, I published this blog on the Internet, I already did.
P.S. I served in the U.S.S. Topeka S.S.N. 754, a nuclear powered fast attack submarine. Currently she is based in San Diego but was stationed in Pearl Harbor while I was a Reactor Operator from 1996-2000.
I was doing final checkout where I had turn go around my boat get a checklist signed off documenting I had spoken with required personnel. I had covered the front of the boat and I was making my way through the back portion.
The Engineering Department Master Chief EMCS Jeffrey Birch(at the time) said to me in effect, “you may be thinking how things are going to be when get back in the civilian world there will be days where you will wish more people operated in military fashion ”. My initial thought was,” Could you sign off my checklist so I can get off of the tin can for last time?”
Once the topside duty announced on the ship’s 1MC(loudspeaker), “ET2/SS Green departing” and I walked across the brow in Guam, took a plane flight back to Hawaii, and spent some time in X-Div my enlistment in the Navy would be finished.
Almost ten years later after my time working in Silicon Valley I have noted various instances where problems or issues existed and no one wanted to admit they were wrong. In addition, nobody wanted to take action while everyone waited for someone else to resolve the problem.
I wished someone would either step up or “volunteer” someone address and resolve our problems. It was then I thought about my last days on Topeka. I must admit being a touch embarrassed when reflected back on my thoughts on my days of my enlistment.
Time has proven Senior Chief to be 100% correct. Honestly, I wish I had the chance to tell Senior. I think he would want to know. Wait, I published this blog on the Internet, I already did.
P.S. I served in the U.S.S. Topeka S.S.N. 754, a nuclear powered fast attack submarine. Currently she is based in San Diego but was stationed in Pearl Harbor while I was a Reactor Operator from 1996-2000.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment