My Navy write-up!

 

I joined the Navy following the footsteps of my late Grandfather Francis W. Inch who was a World War II veteran. I never thought that I would have ended up serving a total of 26 years. I served from 1984 to 2008, and 2011 to 2013. My first command was the USS New Jersey BB-62 in which I was the Left Lower Powder Door Operator for turret 3 and how loud it was and how the ship shook when we fired those 16-inch 54 caliber guns at Lebanon. I came on board as a Deck Seaman and left the Battleship as a Boatswains-mate 2^nd class. I was in 3^rd Division, Weapons Department. I went on to work with a Science Team at Amundsen Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica for 2 weeks and then worked with Cargo Battalion Unit 5 in Sand Point Washington with the Navy Reserves. I, sadly, never made chief in the Navy and this is why, when I came back in active duty I had to start over again as a Seaman Cook – MSSN, then worked my way back up to 3^rd and 2^nd class – MS3 and MS2. I went TAD first on the USS Underwood FFG-36 where I worked on the Boarding Ops Team with the US Coast Guard, then on to the USS Richmond K. Turner CG-20 as a Pantry Cook, while there I was TAD on the USS Shenandoah AD-44 as we were doing repairs on our ship and worked as a Galley Cook with them, then onto the USS John C Stennis CVN-74 as a Stateroom Supervisor, and then Shore Duty in NAVSTA Newport RI where I cross rated to Master at Arms and made MA1 (SW), while onboard the USS Belleau Wood LHA-3 in which I got injured in a detail in Iraq, I went to Great Lakes for REHAB, and then Retired. In 2011 I got a call to be a Cadet Training Officer and was honored as a Lieutenant. I did 7 West Pac's – 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, and 2004, 1 Mediterranean Cruise 1993, and 2 Caribbean Deployments 1994 and 1995. With that I traveled to 58 countries and 116 ports of call. And 18 times I went to Singapore which became my home away from home. I served in Combat in Lebanon, Bosnia, the Gulf, and 2 tours in Iraq. I was proud to have served. The Navy has taught me to stand for the Constitution, Democracy, and Freedom. I will always fight for these values. Fair winds and following seas to all the future sailors. GO NAVY!