Criteria The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achieveme... The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Navy Commendation Medal or higher. It may not be awarded for service involving participation in aerial flight after January 1, 1969. MoreHide
Comments
FBM Operational Test Support Unit 2, embarked on USNS Range Sentinel (TAGM 22), Telemetry Officer and Operations Officer.
Criteria The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, f... The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, for 12 months accumulated sea duty, or for duty with the Fleet Marine Force that includes at least one deployment of 90 consecutive days. MoreHide
Description
Only one shore duty tour in 20 year career.
Criteria The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, f... The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, for 12 months accumulated sea duty, or for duty with the Fleet Marine Force that includes at least one deployment of 90 consecutive days. MoreHide
Description
Only one shore duty tour in 20 year career.
Best Moment
Standing OOD entering and leaving many foreign ports in WESTPAC.
Worst Moment
Accident during hangar draindown and diver lock-in training operation while bottomed in a cove near Subic Bay. One Navy diver and four SEALS drowned. The Navy diver was in my Engineering Dept. I accompanied the Chaplain to notify his wife.
Chain of Command
Served as DCA for 3 months, followed by Engineer Officer for 2 years, then OPS for 9 months due to extended tour. Grayback was decommissioned several months later.
Other Memories
Subsequent to the Diver accident the FITREPs of every officer in the wardroom were revised downward regardless of whether they were connected in any way with the accident. In my opinion, this action was unwarranted and intended to direct responsibility away from inherent system/equipment design deficiencies. Politics should have no place in Naval Leadership.
Criteria The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achieveme... The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Navy Commendation Medal or higher. It may not be awarded for service involving participation in aerial flight after January 1, 1969. MoreHide
Comments
USS Grayback (SS 574), Engineer Officer and Operations Officer.
Criteria The Humanitarian Service Medal is an individual award, presented to individuals who are physically present at the site of immediate relief and who directly contribute to and influence the humanitarian... The Humanitarian Service Medal is an individual award, presented to individuals who are physically present at the site of immediate relief and who directly contribute to and influence the humanitarian action. The Humanitarian Service Medal is only awarded for service during the identified "period of immediate relief;" eligibility for the Humanitarian Service Medal terminates once (if) the humanitarian action evolves into an "established ongoing operation beyond the initial emergency condition." MoreHide
Description
USS Grayback (SS 574) rescued Vietnamese refugees at sea, enroute Hong Kong from Tialand.
Criteria The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achieveme... The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal may be awarded to members of the Armed Forces in the grades of lieutenant commander (or major) and below. It is awarded for meritorious service or achievement in either combat or noncombat based on sustained performance or specific achievement of a superlative nature but which does not warrant a Navy Commendation Medal or higher. It may not be awarded for service involving participation in aerial flight after January 1, 1969. MoreHide
Comments
USS Tecumseh (SSBN 628 Gold), Missile Division Officer and Sonar Division Officer.
Best Friends
Mickey McHugh and others on the DASO Telemetry Crew.
Best Moment
Making FTB1(SS) at last, receiving my BS in Math & General Science from Rollins College Extension at Patrick AFB in 1976, selection to attend OCS, Newport, RI, the birth of my two children.
Worst Moment
Days when the surf was flat at "Picnic Tables" or the "Second Light" at Patrick AFB. Taking Calculus I & II.
Chain of Command
Served as Telemetry Supervisor for submarines undergoing Demonstration and Shakedown Operations off Cape Canaveral.
Other Memories
Never ending night school classes at Rollins College Extension at Patrick AFB. I completed my degree with 148 accumulated semester hours over ten years.
Criteria The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 r... The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 required four years of service. MoreHide
Comments
Naval Ordnance Test Unit, Cape Canaveral, FL, completed eight years enlisted service as FTB1(SS).
Best Moment
Liberty in Sidney enroute Guam from Pearl Harbor. Purchased a 28 ft trimaran sloop, scuba diving, surfing, off duty classes at the University of Guam, TAD for a few months to drive the ski boat at Trader Andy's Hut (submarine RNR facility).
Worst Moment
When a few guys off one of the subs decided to take my boat from its mooring at Trader Andy's Hut for an unauthorized midnight cruise and ran it up on the reef.
Chain of Command
I was assigned responsibility for planning and coordinating SHIPALTS on the subs coming in for refits.
Other Memories
Passed but not advanced the FTB1 rating exam every time for my whole tour. Reenlisted for four years for orders to Naval Ordnance Test Unit at Cape Canaveral, FL.
Criteria The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, f... The Sea Service Deployment Ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy and Marine Corps assigned to U.S. homeported (including Hawaii and Alaska) ships, deploying units, or Fleet Marine Force commands, for 12 months accumulated sea duty, or for duty with the Fleet Marine Force that includes at least one deployment of 90 consecutive days. MoreHide
Description
Only one shore duty tour in 20 year career.
Best Moment
Qualification in Submarines at the end of my second patrol without the benefit of having attended Submarine School enroute from Polaris Electronics 'A' School and Mk 80 Polaris Fire Control System 'C' School.
Chain of Command
Missile Control Center Supervisor
Other Memories
6 Blue Crew Patrols operating out of Rota, Spain.
Criteria The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not suff... The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not sufficiently to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation). It may also be awarded to a unit that distinguishes itself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat (but in support of military operations), which renders that unit outstanding when compared to other units performing similar service. MoreHide
Description
USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN 610 Blue) completed six deterrent patrols.
Criteria The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 r... The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 required four years of service. MoreHide
Comments
USS Thomas A. Edison (SSBN 610 Blue) completed four years enlisted service as FTB2(SS).
Criteria The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service... The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service during the current War on Terrorism. In addition, all members of the National Guard and Reserve who were part of the Selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995, are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. In the case of Navy personnel, Midshipment attending the Naval Academy during the qualifying periods are eligible for this award, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Midshipmen ae only eligible if they participated in a summer cruise that was in an area which qualified for a campaign medal. MoreHide
Lt John Bifoss, LT Mike Donker, LCDR Frank Decker and many others.
Serving as Flight Safety Officer on two occasions when missile destruct parameters were exceeded.
Port calls in Saint Johns, Newfoundland, Bermuda, Canary Islands and Fleet Week in New York City.