Previously Held NEC SR-0000-Seaman Recruit
SN-0000-Seaman
SN-9740-Seaman - Other Technical and Allied Specialists
IC-0000-Interior Communications Electrician
I retired on the last day of June, 2011, the month I turned 61,
and took my Arizona State pension, then Social Security at 62.
I spent my post-navy life as a photographer and media manager.
The Navy gave me gypsy feet, and I've enjoyed them all my life.
As a result, traveling was not just a bucket list item for me.
With the way things have gone, it was a good investment.
I'm a direct descendant, tenth generation, of Joseph Loomis.
The Loomis Family arrived in the New World on 17 July, 1638.
We have defended America ever since.
Other Comments:
"Service included boots-on-the-ground in Viet-Nam"
[ One year, 365 days, 24/7 -- 7 June 1970 to 7 June 1971 ] U.S. Naval Advisory Group, Vietnamese Naval Shipyard, Saigon RVN.
I am also a Plank Owner and Shellback, USS Harlan County (LST-1196).
During my 4 years of active duty, 3 years were credited as foreign or sea service.
Technically, I was on Active Duty, USN, 3 years, 11 months and 16 days. However, I was in the Naval Reserve before that and after that, both Active Reserves and Inactive Reserves. So N/TWS has credited me from April 1969 through April 1983, 4 years active USN plus 4 years USNR and 6 years inactive Naval Reserves, and that is why my profile may occasionally show three hash marks. 1983 was my final Inactive Naval Reserve discharge date. Also, because I worked overseas, I never managed to take the 2nd Class Exam. So, actually I never wore more than one hash mark on my dress blues. And yes... there is a "V" on my Navy Achievement Medal even without having a Combat Action Ribbon because that's the way it was awarded. For more information click on the NAM w/V ribbon in my ribbon rack.
I am glad, proud, to have been born an American.
I voluntarily joined the armed forces, and for that
matter I volunteered for duty in Viet-Nam.
What I had hoped for was to not bring the violence,
the lack of value of a human life that I experienced
in Viet-Nam, back to America. It is that simple.
During my civilian career I spent over ten years as a hospital/medical photographer, two years in Saudi Arabia with Lockheed, and then two and a half decades as the media specialist and manager for a 9,000+ student public school district in Phoenix, Arizona. I feel fortunate to have retired without ever having a single unemployment or welfare check.
Like the rest of you, I went to Viet-Nam with a good likelihood of not coming back. Uniforms were just something I wore.
Several times we swung by the supply depot at Tan Son Nhut and picked up an issue of jungle greens... shirts (jacket), trousers, green towels, underwear and hankerchiefs. I don't remember if we signed for them or not. I gave away the boxer shorts to my mamason who sewed the fly shut and gave them to her husband to use as shorts. I must have been issued at least four pairs of jungle boots, most of which I gave away.
During my year we swapped uniform stuff with Kiwi's, Vietnamese, other Americans...Shirts and especially covers. After Nam I went to the fleet wearing a blue ball cap my counterpart gave me... Nobody ever did anything about it. When I was at the end of my tour I took most of my green utilities, jungle greens including boots, out to the same supply depot where them put all my crap into an orange crate type of box and shipped it home for me (for free). As advisors we ultimately came under MAC-V, but I don't know if that made any difference with the issuing and then non-collection of "stuff" in the end.
But... as I was flying out on a MAC flight, in my jungle greens, an MP stopped me and took my wrist watch which had been in a button hole on the top pocket of my uniform. The asshole looked at me and said... "You can't keep this...it's government property" and he dropped it to the ground and stomped on it. Six hours later, during a refueling stop-over in Yokota Japao, I bought my first Seiko watch. I still have it, the shake to wind type. And I remember saying... "Made in Japan"... "Well at least I BOUGHT it in Japan". Even then, I still had that feeling about Japanese made junk.
I did turn in my M16 and 45. The rest of this stuff I gave away or left behind, including the machete and my M79 grenade launcher. I hope it doesn't show up now on my credit report.
.png?ixlib=java-2.3.0&w=100&s=d40e366bb55af1e70293eedccb148713 "Brown Water Navy (Vietnam)")
.png?ixlib=java-2.3.0&w=100&s=0cb147133885c62667d8969c50b66659 "Order of the Ditch (Panama Canal)")
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