After a very fulfilling 38-year Navy career, I completed a second career in the government. Now retired, I'm doing some of the other important things in life!
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A New Jersey native, after high school in 1968, I immediately enlisted in the United States Navy. Following basic training at RTC, Great Lakes, I was first assigned to USS ISLE ROYALE (AD 29) followed by the USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG 32) -- both home ported in Long Beach, CA. After a Viet Nam deployment, in May 1971 I was assigned to the A-6 Intruder training squadron, Attack Squadron Forty Two, at NAS Oceana, VA.
In August 1975, I reported aboard USS BORDELON (DD 881) as the Ship's Admin/Personnel petty officer in charge. After an at-sea collision with the USUAL John F. Kennedy resulting in BORDELON's decommissioning, I completed my sea rotation aboard USS SIMON LAKE (AS 33), also home ported in Charleston, SC where I was selected for Chief Petty Officer. In 1978 I was assigned to NAS, Brunswick, ME as the Asst Personnel Officer. During my enlisted career, I advanced to Senior Chief Personnelman, crossed the Equator, made several WestPac and Med deployments, and was one of the first Sailors to earn the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) designation.
After submitting three applications for a direct commission, I was selected as an Admin Limited Duty Officer (LDO) and commissioned as a new ensign, in 1980. I was immediately assigned as Ship's Secretary aboard USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC 20) home ported in Norfolk, VA. In 1982, I returned to the West Coast as OIC of PSD Lemoore, CA. From 1984 to 1992 I served several tours in Pearl Harbor, HI -- first as Executive Officer Flag Allowance, Commander THIRD Fleet on Ford Island and embarked in USS CORONADO (AGF 11); then as the Admin Officer, Commander, U.S. Pacific Airborne Command Post (ABNCP), Hickam AFB; and as the Executive Officer/Commanding Officer and Flag Secretary, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. It was during my three tours in Hawaii that I was selected for the College Degree Program (CDP) and earned my bachelors degree in Business Administration in 1988 from Chaminade University of Honolulu.
In 1992 I returned to the East Coast and was assigned as the Director of Administration in the NATO Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, Norfolk, VA. In 1996 I traveled cross-country again, this time as a geo-bachelor to Bremerton/Everett, WA aboard USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) as the Admin Officer. In 1998, I returned to Norfolk and was assigned as Executive Officer, Personnel Support Activity Norfolk, VA. In 2000, I received a command assignment as Commanding Officer, Personnel Support Activity, Jacksonville, FL. In 2002, I was reassigned to the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, TN as Director, Field Support Division (Pers-33/673). In May 2004, I returned to Norfolk as the Chief of Staff, Task Force Warrior (Sea Warrior project). In February 2005, I reported to my last Navy assignment as Assistant Chief of Staff of Administration/Resources and Commanding Officer Staff, at Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force in Norfolk, VA. After a fulfilling, 38-year Navy career, I retired from the Navy in 2006 and immediately began working as a consultant/senior analyst for a government contractor, C.A.C.I. where I accomplished a myriad of management projects.
In January 2012, I began the latest chapter in my career in the civil service as the Director Global Operations at the Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center, in Norfolk, VA in support of the 60 Personnel Support Detachments (PSDs) world-wide.
In February 2017, I retired from government service and beginning to write the newest chapter in my life.
A proud father of three wonderful children and a grandpa to seven adorable grand children, my wife and I currently reside in Northeast Florida. Life is Good!
Other Memories Sometimes opportunity does knock twice. While I thoroughly enjoyed the learning experience as a member of Task Force Warrior, I kept my eyes open on another job that was something I had been previously screened for, but didn't get because of rotational timing. But as fate would have it, the minute I learned the position was again available, I asked my boss for permission to move on. I knew it would most likely be my last tour in the Navy and I wanted the option to pick the kind of duty and location that would be the icing on the cake.
In February 2005, I received my orders to be the Commanding Officer, Staff of the Navy's sole operational test and evaluation command, Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. Our folks at COMOPTEVFOR (for short) provide an independent and objective evaluation of the operational effectiveness and suitability of the Navy?s newest aviation, surface, subsurface, communications, cryptologic, and space systems in support of Department of Defense and Navy acquisition and fleet introduction decisions. In the nutshell, if it's going to be the latest advancement to naval operational or war-fighting technology, it has to pass though our rigorous testing standards before it is deployed and/or more are procured.
Working with some of the finest Fleet Sailors and engineers from every part of the Navy, I was thrilled to get this opportunity. When I first reported, my duties encompassed command administration, physical and information security, career management, and collateral responsibilities as the command?s Inspector General. However, I was soon tasked to evaluate the command's overall organization and processes in order to come up with options as to how we could do business more efficiently and effectively. After that evaluation, I quickly gained a myriad of new responsibilities as the Director of Resources to include those as the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Director of Training, Logistics, Supply, Travel, and Contracting. I now had responsibility for virtually every command support function just short of the Chief Finance Officer's duties. The result: red tape was eliminated, accuracy improved, turnaround times shortened and staff satisfaction significantly increased since the transition. Fortunately, I also gained the people necessary to oversee these new functions and was able to quickly gain their trust and confidence to lead them in a more cohesive, team-oriented manner. What's more, I was entrusted to once again do I what I love doing most ?- taking care of our people!
As most would agree, the only thing constant in this world is change. And I believe a great deal of my good fortune has a lot to do with being assigned to the right place, at the right time, in the right organization. My job at COMOPTEVFOR has certainly proved that ?- ten times over.
