30 Years in 30 Days - Years six through ten

Year 6: 1989
We had another adventure coming our way during this year.  I received orders to Petaluma, CA where the ET School was moving to. So, after living in the gritty city for only a year, it was time to pack up and travel across country once more.  The three of us (Lisa, me and Anthony) had the movers come and pack our meager goods and we set out once again with our sights on California.  I had bought a Ford Ranger in Cape May and that is what we traveled in.  The back was full of our short term stuff and some camping equipment.  I don't remember much about the trip out to CA, but I do remember staying at a campground near Petaluma when we first arrived and sitting through a rain storm that completely soaked our gear.

After a short time staying in guest housing, we were told we had a house in Novato, CA about 20 miles south of Petaluma.   We arrived at Acme Ct in Smurf Village to our new home for the next four years.  I say new, but the houses were anything but.  They dated back to at least the last world war, but it would be home for a while.

Almost immediately upon our arrival, our next door neighbors came over to introduce themselves and welcome us to the neighborhood.  Sandi, Paul and their little baby girl Felicia were an Army family.  Both Paul and Sandi had been active duty and had met in Germany.  We very quickly became fast friends and have kept in touch all these years as the services have pulled us here and there.

Like the shop had been for us in Cape May, this neighborhood became our favorite place to live during my career.  Our cul-de-sac was such a mixing pot.  We had families from the Coast Guard, Army, Navy and Marines.  We mostly got along great and I know the spouses loved the support they got from each other as they all sat "in the same boat" and could relate to the hardships of being a military spouse.

We lived at the end of the street and there was a small yard like area between our house and Paul and Sandi's and we quickly set up a volleyball court.  We spent many a weekend day playing there and trying to not hit the ball over the fence into the woods and stream that ran behind the house.  

Back at the ranch.  I say this because the Training Center was on an old sheep ranch, I settled into my old job which was new again.  A brand new building at a new place for us.  We were far from the sea.  The only waves were the rolling hills of Two Rock Valley where the Training Center resided.  A lot of us instructors who were in NY were transferred out to CA, but there were a few others who had come strait here from other places.  So there were new people to meet and new things to do.

After being in our new home for around a month or so, I arrived home one day after work and was standing in the living room talking to Lisa when all of a sudden the whole house started to shake.  I reached out to hold the flimsy entertainment center steady and waited for the earthquake to end.  We had just had our first earthquake and it was a pretty serious one.  The Loma Prieta Earthquake.  It did some extensive damage down in the city, but we were left rather unscathed.  We did take the opportunity to have a neighborhood party outside where we made a fire in a Weber grill and hung out talking about the excitement. 

Year 7: 1990
Life continued out in California.  Work was good.  I moved down to the LORAN section and started teaching that.  I had never been to a LORAN Station, but I always said it was just electronics and I adjusted well and taught the technicians the basics of the system and some of the equipment.

During the Superbowl, we all went to Pt Reyes Lighthouse instead of watching the game. The Niners were in it again and they were gaining on the Steelers for number of wins, so we had no interest.  It was a cold and windy day, but we had fun.

Later that year Lisa and I went on a backpacking trip out on Pt Reyes.  We stayed out two nights.  The first night brought us to a nice clearing that had tent spots and tables (Glen).  At first we were all alone and a grey fox kept circling around the camp and checking each site for left food.  He came right into our camp while we laid in the tent and Lisa got a couple of pictures.  After a while an older lady showed up and set up here bag right out in the open.  No tent, just a little tarp over her upper body.  We thought that was cool.

The next day we hiked to the beach and stayed there overlooking the ocean  (Wildcat).  We had a nice driftwood fire.  The hiking wasn't too strenuous, but Lisa kept getting tired and the going was slow at times.  We found out later that she was expecting our first child, and the little parasite (JK lovely daughter) was sucking up all her energy.

The Cul-de-sac transitioned throughout the years as every military neighborhood does. When we moved in the street looked like this:  Paul, Sandi and Felicia, Larry and Tracy, Paulette and Mark, Ann Marie and Mark, Dave and Penny, Ken and Jean.  The other half of our duplex was empty.

Year 8: 1991
Let's see, what happened in 1991. hmmmm. Oh yeah!  Lisa and I became parents.  Shauni Lee Harold was born at 1021 on January 31, 1991.  She weighted 8 lbs 8.6 oz and was 21" long.  Lisa did a very good job of delivering Shauni and the two bonded immediately.  Becoming a parent was a new challenge and boy was it different from anything else we had ever done, but we were looking forward to seeing what we would do.

Right away we figured out that a Ford Ranger with two bucket seats wasn't going to get the job done, so we went out and bought a Hyundai.  (we probably did this in 1990, but my memory is very foggy in my old age).

We "baptized" her Roots style by holding her up to the night and presenting her to the stars proclaiming "Behold, the only thing greater then yourself."

Acme Ct was transitioning again as any military neighborhood will do.  Now instead of  Larry and Tracy, we had Richard, Sonya and Ricky.  Another family we still keep in touch with (and will someday hike with on the AT).  Alice now lived in the other half of our house and Mary and Ray had moved in across the circle.

Work continued as usual.  I was trying real hard to advance to Chief and did pretty good on the test that year.  It would be quite a while until I put on my anchor, but I didn't have to test for it again.  Just wait.

I found my old journal that I used to write in sproadically back in these times, so it is helping jog my memory.  Here is a quote from the journal.  October, 1991: "Shauni is eight months old.  She has 6 teeth, crawls, will walk with help, talks to herself in her own language.  Momma is a common term.  Laughs a lot, knows where her nose is, is the light of my life."

Year 9: 1992

We went out to Pilsbury Lake a lot during this time.  One time we were sitting around and a earthquake came flowing through.  It was the most peaceful earthquake I ever felt.  Also the first time we went there Shauni developed a fever and we had to come home early.

Early in the year my brother Tom and my Dad came to visit.  My Mom couldn't come due to an ear infection.  We had a real good time.

I re-enlisted for six years and got a decent bonus.  I guess this sealed the fact that I was going to make this a career.

The court changed again.  Paul and Sandi were gone and John and Candy had taken their place. Gretchen and Rob, Scott and Becky, Joe and Nicole were the nubes.

I started brewing homebrew and Anthony was picked up by an UFO.  That is how I would explain it anyway as Lisa had heard him climb up to the roof as he liked to do and we never saw him again.  By the end of the year another cat had adopted us.  Momma Kitty was living in the woods after Rob stopped caring for her and Lisa started feeding her.  She would stay with us for around 14 years.

I got rid of my Ranger and bought a Toyota 4Runner and went to my first Renaissance Pleasure Faire.

We went to PA for the holidays and Shauni saw her first snow.  She thought it was bugs as the flakes flitted by her face.  While at home I had found out that I was going to make Chief.  There were a lot of SNAFUs with the list, but in the end I was sitting pretty.  The waiting game had begun.

One last quote:  December, 1992. "Shauni can count to 10.  Can you believe it?  Potty trained and counting before she's two."  It was Dec 22nd and I still had shopping to do.  Some things never change.  :)


Year 10: 1993
The year started off with a New Year's Party over John and Candy's with her mother and brother.  It was a pretty memorable party.

Shauni's obsession during this year was the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.  She would watch it 2 or 3 times a day and I can still recite the next line if I ever catch a piece of it on TV.  Be our guest, be our guest.  Put our service to the test..

Lisa and I celebrated our five year anniversary.  She got me another wedding ring, since I has lost my original in the Russian River during a canoe trip a while back.  

We finally received orders to leave Petaluma and I was headed back to sea.  We would head to Portsmouth, VA and I would train for a year or so and then do a tour on one of the 270s there.  It was time for a new adventure.

Our sixth cross country trip was pretty fun.  We towed the car and Momma Kitty hung out back there.  We just camped and and stayed in hotels as we made our way across country.  Camping on the edge of the Utah salt flats our tent almost got blown away as Shauni slept peacefully and we tried to hold down the corners.  I remember seeing snow in the air in Rawlins, WY on June 24th.  Gotta love those mountains.  We enjoyed some time in PA then it was time for me to head to Portsmouth and check in.

I left the girls in Philly and found an apartment to rent.  I don't remember Lisa telling me not to get an apartment, but she swears to this day that those were my instructions.  Well, I (we) regretted that decision as the apartment I found wasn't in the best of neighborhoods.  I'm pretty sure the 12 year old kid that hung out in the complex was the major drug dealer of the area.  You could just tell by looking and talking to him.  The late night gun shots were a little alarming and the constant battle to kill the cockroaches that kept coming in from the next apartment was a lost cause.  We cancelled the lease and found a townhouse to buy.

Our latest adventure was to become homeowners.  The place was near our old Cape May friends Gerry and Wendy who lived down the street.  Gerry was out of the CG now and working for NOAA.  Tom Daley also lived nearby and was stationed on the Northland which was the ship I was hoping to go to after my training.

Marty and Michele came down and helped us move to the new place and we settled in to our new neighborhood.

I went back to PA to do some deer hunting that year, but didn't get anything.  It was good being (relatively) close to family and PA again.

At the beginning of December we found out that having sex makes you pregnant (but my dad said it was because we bought a new house).  Lisa had pretty much known but the doctor confirmed it for us.  We checked the underway schedule of my likely ship the Northland and were "pretty" sure I would be in port for the birth.  We would find out how close that can be in the months to come.

30 Years in 30 Days - The first five years

I am posting on Facebook my memories of my 30 career and the things me, my bride, my girls, my pets and my friends did during those times.  I do one year each day.  Here are the first five years.

Year 1: Aug 1983 to Nov 1984
After boot camp in Cape May, NJ I was stationed on the USCG Cutter Midgett in San Francisco, CA. (Actually Alameda). I flew out to CA with nothing but a sea bag of stuff. No car, no major possessions. 

 I spent the first six months carless. During that time I took a bus to visit my friend Turk who was in the Air Force down in Merced, CA. We went camping up in Yosemite. I did two long cruises during my 1 year and 6 days on the ship. My first cruise was to Panama and the second was to Alaska. Quite an experience. 

After six months I took out a loan (didn't get paid too much back then) and flew home on leave. My brother and his first wife drove back with me with my Camaro. This was my first time driving cross country. 

I spent a lot of time on Webster St in Alameda. It was within walking distance and had all a poor boy needed. I got my first tattoo on that street at Ricky Tattoo. $35. 

After a while I received orders to Electronics Technician A School...

Year 2: 1985
In November of 84 I drove across country for my second time. This time alone and along a southern route to avoid the snowy mountains. I spent the next six months learning how to be an electronics technician in New York City.

I received orders to Cape May, NJ and reported at the end of June. I moved into the barracks and met my room mate. The next day he asked if I wanted to go to Wildwood and I did. We went into a McDonald's where he introduced me to a beautiful redhead.

Our first "date" was that night I think. We went to the beach at night. It wasn't very long until we were going on our own dates without the other couple. I remember my first meal at their house. Esther made me hamburger gravy. 

I settled into the shop and made friendships that I still hold dear to this day. We worked together and played together, a close nit group.

Year 3: 1986
Life at the ET Shop and in Cape May fell into a very pleasurable routine. Work was great, with great people. My only fear was to arrive at work early in the morning after a big breakfast and be told I had to get underway on the 55 footer and jump on to the Large Navigation Buoy (LNB) and repair the engine controller. That was one of my jobs that I didn't look forward to. I only puked once, but the 55 and bobber like LNB didn't sit well with a big breakfast. 

I made Second Class this year and we moved from the old shop behind the small boat station to our new shop by the Air Station. We spent the summer in one part of an abandoned boot camp squad bay. No AC or running water. The porta-potty was our friend. 

We had great times on liberty hanging out and having fun. Thirsty Thursdays were epic as Lisa could get served. We also learned how to play Volleyball this year thanks to Willie and Wanda. Our team won the finals and we found a favorite sport that we still enjoy today (in the form of Wallyball). 

Other things I remember (maybe 1986, not sure): Partying at Gerry and Wendy's. Grain punch party where Jim Emery lost half his beard (and Rick one eyebrow). So many good times.

Year 4: 1987
I was going to talk about the Light House Adventures, but Lisa covered them pretty well with last night's post. Actually she cleared my memory of the events, which my mind had homogenized into one event. The fact remains that she was with me both times and I will never forget that bright beam of light revealing the giant snow flakes.

This is the year I asked my girlfriend to become my bride. I had been planning this for a while and had a ring on layaway. Lisa was upset that I had to go away to another C School, so I went to the exchange and picked up the ring and came back to ask my best friend to become my wife. Little did she know what she was getting into by saying yes. We had a year to plan.

By now I think Anthony our black cat had come to live with us. He was very skittish and almost hairless when we adopted him, but would turn out to be a very faithful and well traveled cat. We had also adopted Cleo a female black kitten a while back, but she disappeared rather quickly.

Shop life was a good routine. We would come a little early and watch Deborah Norville on NBC News at Sunrise each morning. By now I had worked my way into the Supply room. The title was call Stock Cow.

A couple other memories are the nasty smell and taste of the water in the house I rented with Chris. Hardly stayed there, but I kept a few things there and paid rent. Also, the wine & cheese nights along the Washington St Mall. We would go from place to place snacking and drinking and getting into the holiday mood. 

Party at the house. Rick, Chris, Wendy, Gerry and Tom's head

Year 5: 1988
This year had quite a few transitions.  The most important event of 1988 was making Lisa my wife.  For our honeymoon we took an actual month and traveled the country.  My bride and I drove out west stopping in places like Graceland in Memphis, the Grand Canyon in AZ, Las Vegas, NV and Disneyland in CA.  We camped out just as much as we stayed in hotels and hiking down into the Grand Canyon made us sore for quite a few days.  So that was cross country trips three and four.  It was a good time, but we got tired of driving after a while and just did a marathon drive to get back east after a while.

 My tour at ESMT Cape May, NJ was coming to an end.  I still hold a special place in my heart to that shop and the people I worked with and for.  Mr, G, Willie, Tony, Rick, Tom, Chris, Gerry, Dennis, Brad, Korey, Jim, Mike, Al, Mark and others made this the best shop I worked in during my career.

My next unit was going to be Governors Island, NY where I would learn to put aside my fear of public speaking and become an instructor.  I made First Class shortly  after reporting aboard and qualified in the classes I was to teach.  

We lived in the high rises on St Marks Place on Staten Island and taking the two ferries every day back and forth became a skill.  Anthony came with us and even though pets weren't allowed, no one ever made us get rid of him during the short time we lived there.  Lisa got a job at the exchange on the island, so she too got to live the joys of commuting by water in the Big Apple.  

When I accepted the orders to NY, there was a strong rumor that the school would be moving to CA soon.  That hope would become reality and a new adventure would be starting for us.

ET Rating Review - Day 1

After a pleasant travel day on Monday, we got to work reviewing the data gathered from the recent occupational analysis for the ET Rating. After a review of the rules and introductions all around we got started on the meat of the issue. The Subject Matter Specialists were encouraged to take each question and note the percentages that each task is performed. They would then vote to either keep the task as an EPQ or to remove it. Any task that presently is not an EPQ, but had enough evidence of technician usage was discussed and either recommended to become a new EPQ or not.

The Review Team has a good make up of technicians from Second Class to Master Chief, all with well rounded careers and plenty of experience. Everyone is talking freely and offering their opinions and input as we work through the tasks, and having fun doing it.

We made very good progress in the first day and almost got completely through the first run through.

It was a busy, but fulfilling day and tomorrow should be even better as we shape the future of the ET Rating.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

This Journey Begins...

As I lie tossing and turning at 2 am this morning, while random thoughts flashed through my mind from one subject to another seemingly at random like surfing the Internet, one of the things I decided was to get started on this blog.

Right now my goal is to post entries, hopefully a few a week; maybe more, maybe less. But I want to record what I am going through professionally and personally as I roll down that road towards the next gatepost in my life.

My career has been going good and I will soon be entering my final billet. I will be taking over as the Electronics Technician Rating Force Master Chief. I didn't know I wanted the job. In fact, I thought I didn't want the job until just a few months ago. We had a meeting of the Senior Enlisted ETs down in Yorktown. We try to meet annually to discuss the ET Rating and what is happening in our world of work, share ideas and solve problems. Of course, since I was tour complete (my second full tour at HQ, although with a one year break to do a quick stint as CMC in New Orleans), one of my goals was to talk to the other Master Chiefs, especially the tour complete ones, to see where we all could go.

As we discussed the various jobs that were coming available, I learned a few things. One of the Master Chiefs had decided to retire and he said to me, "there just aren't any more jobs that I want to do". It struck a cord and I decided that there wasn't much more I felt I needed to do around here before it was time to pack it in too. As the current ET RFMC was talking about his job, it came to me that his job is really the only thing I wanted to do. The job has tremendous challenges and I was looking for a challenge. With 26 years of service on the near horizon, I needed something that would take me to 30, but be hard enough to keep me interested and active. I didn't want to go ROAD (Retired On Active Duty). I wanted to work.

So after going through the application process, I was selected. There was one major gap in my package. I am one of those Master Chiefs where the CPO Academy requirement revolved around my advancements. It was never essential for me to do my job... until now... I made a promise that if I was selected, I would complete the school before reporting aboard. This became a condition of my selection and I now prepare to attend the CPO Academy in the spring.

Attending the CPO Academy is one of the reasons I started this blog. I want to try and record an online diary of my experience there. I want to show all the trials and tribulations and hopefully achievements that go with the experience of attending the premier leadership school of the Coast Guard.

I am already well on my way in the preparations that go into attending the CPO Academy. I have completed a lot of the prerequisites and am ready to submit the paperwork required beforehand. I don't actually have orders yet, but am on a waiting list and am hoping for an opening to the one class that would be the best fit for me and my still busy schedule. I am also ramping up my workouts. Fitness has always been a part of me ever since we used to head to the gym after work in Cape May for some lifting and trash talking. I am just concentrating on my weak areas and getting more intense. I will very likely be the oldest guy there. I don't plan on being the last at the finish line.

Well, I'm going to close out this post as it appears rather long. I hope those of you who find me here, enjoy my rambling and also contribute your thoughts.

Some topics I have ideas for:
Why not Warrant?
My Fitness Routine
The Preparations for CPO Academy

I will see you down the road,
ETCM Joe Harold