Previously Held NEC BM-0164-Assault Boat Coxswain
RM-0000-Radioman
RM-2343-Communications Maintainer
RM-2318-Communications System Technical Control Operator
RM-2319-Communications System Technical Control Supervisor
9515-Equal Opportunity Program Specialist
9519- Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor
RM-2350-NAVMACS(V)5 Ship System Operator
Before I retired from the navy, I swore I would stay away from any type of Military work for at least 10 years. I made it, plus one I think. Ha! Went to work before I was completely on the retirement list for a company called PTC Aerospace, later changed to Aircraft Products Co. Started as an Expeditor and Moved to Production Supervisor in less than a year. Main product of the Co. was building Aircraft Galleys, Military and Civilian. I stayed there 5 years, ran the Night Shift for 3 of those years. I got caught in a manpower reduction lay-off and moved on to an Inventory Service as Southeastern District Marketing Manager in training for Southeastern District Supervisor. I left them after either 8 or 9 months. They wanted me to move to Virginia Beach and take over Training & Scheduling for the Co. I had to say no to going back to that area of the country -- so, we parted ways. I moved immediately to the Di-Centenial (I think)Census Bureau, Data Entry Div., in Jacksonville & stayed with them until they finished up, about 8 months. I started working with Gibson Greetings, Inc. about a month before I was completely through with the "Senseless Bureau," as the Jacksonville Division Distribution Manager. I handled distribution of Greeting cards and all the ancillary products involved for all the Winn-Dixie Stores in the Jacksonville Division, a few in the SC Div. of W/D & later added 20 stores from the Montgomery, AL, div of W/D. I had a warehouse in Jacksonville and had to add a small one in Tallahassee, which I later had to change over to a larger warehouse. I have to say the job had it's fun times along with it's hard times. I was picked to open and train all the personnel for the Tampa, Div. of Winn-Dixie's, while still running my own Div. Then, one of my old driver's that had left and went to Contractor work on the base finally convinced me to put in an application for the company he was working for. And, here I still am 11 years later. I guess I like it. I've worked my way from Equipment Specialist through Data Entry Technician to Warehouse Floor Supervisor to Operations Manager. Having the Associates Degree didn't hurt, I guess. And, if I had pushed myself a little harder and finished about 9 more credit hours I might've gotten the big bucks but, that just isn't what I wanted. I either shine for what I do and rise to what ever level I am capable or I do the best where I am at 'til I decide to leave.
Built by New York Navy. Laid down 1 July 1955, launched 6 June 1958, commissioned 10 Jan 1959. Redesignated as a multimission carrier (CV 62) 28 February 1973. after being modified to operate ASW aircraft. SLEP at Philadelphia Navy Yard 4/1985 to mid-1988.
Replaced Midwayas forward-deployed carrier in Japan, 1991. Island was extensively enlarged during SLEP and other modernizations. Replaced by Kitty Hawk in July 1998 and decommissioned to reserve on 30 September 1998. Struck from the Navy list on 8 March 2004.
Status:Stricken, to be disposed of (Maintenance Category X).
Planned disposition:In April 2004 Navy officials identified ex-Independence as one of 24 decommissioned ships available to be sunk as artificial reefs. As of February 2008, however, she was scheduled to be dismantled in the next five years.