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.
This took place a few years after I got out of the Navy and as I was not Army or Navy Air or Air Force I am just telling this story because it was such an odd thing to have happened to me in England.
I was working for Lockheed in Saudi Arabia and needed to hire an assistant and Lockheed's London office was to line up a couple of candidates for me to interview. One application came in just as I arrived and Lockheed gave me his phone number to call if I could see him. As I was also taking some vacation I was in the Ramsgate and Margate areas of Kent and when I called him and found out he was in Portsmouth to the south I agreed to see him. He knew the area better than I did and asked if I would meet him at the Manston Airfield south of Margate. I said sure and we arraigned a time to meet the next morning.
My wife and I drove over to Manston. It turned out to be one of those old airstrips where the bombers took off during WWII, right over the cliffs of Dover. We had no trouble entering the complex and although the place looked maintained, it looked like 1940 and abandon. We drove around looking for a likely spot and drove past a long single story building with at least a couple of cars parked in front. We stopped and I went inside. To the left was a corridor and I walked past several empty offices. I came back and as I rounded a corner I could see two guys in uniforms and heard another behind a counter. The guy behind the counter stuck his head out and said, "Is your name Steve Loomis?". A little surprised, I said, "Yes, that's me" and he said... "This call is for you" and handed me the phone.
Sure enough, it was Chris. Fogged in at Portsmouth. He had asked his brother-in-law to fly him up to Manston and they could not get out. We arraigned for him to drive up the next day and meet me in town. I hung up, handed the phone back to the guy behind the counter, thanked them and left.
I got back to the car and Rod Serling was standing there.. no I'm kidding but would have believed it. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone as I told my wife the story and how odd it made me feel to be here in the middle of nowhere and have... well I guess you read the story I don't need to repeat it to you. Chris and I met the next day and before he could start the begging act, I hired him.
.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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