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Re: STGC CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, USN

A hearty "welcome aboard" chief! I think that Jim had a good idea introducing you here. Please do not hesitate to inform us on the unclassified news you can pass along. I assure you that the folks you will meet on this site are sincerely interested in, and dedicated to your mission. We are well familiar with the challenges faced over past decades, and know that you are facing new ones. And we know that nothing brings greater professional satisfaction than identifying, localizing and successfully executing the bad guys.

Re: STGC CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, USN

Welcome, Chief Sanders! Many of the people who have already welcomed you above are genuine heroes and legends, you will do well in their company here. And thank you for your service to our country!

Re: STGC CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, USN

Thanks all for the warm welcome. As previously introduced, I have been staring at static for a little while now and I've loved doing a job that few know about and, if they did, they would struggle to understand how we do it. I joined in '97 and my first rust can was a frigate. If you happened to be in the navy between the late '90's to the turn of the century, you understand that the primary mission of a frigate was oriented towards finding drugs and guarding oil platforms. After one tour, I felt like I hadn't gotten to experience what SONAR really was. My ASW experience was limited to a couple of Chilean 209's we trained with for a week.
I wanted to experience something I thought was lost. I wanted to live in the world of the cold war and watch the enemy that didn't know I'd found them. So I got myself into a short lived revival of an IUSS maintenance school over in Norfolk. Though I did great in the maintenance field, I missed out on the acoustics. My career took me back to a tailless destroyer. While great for my career, I still hadn't cracked into much more than basic level Russian platforms and the occasional navsurf. I wasn't ready to quit, I put in for NOPF WI again but on the "other" side.
It was an eye opener, after 12 years of lightweight SIPRTOP grams, I got to see real platforms in real time that were typically really hard to find (Thanks Mr. Walker). I was on a steep learning curve to get on track with my junior personnel. I had some great guidance though. I was struggling to drink from a fire hose though. It was awesome. It was also addictive. I wanted to stay.
After a tense negotiation for orders(none were listed and the detailer had some in his back pocket), I was accepted for orders to the "Sea Side". I find myself getting near the end of this tour and I still don't want out. I don't know if I'll get an extension or if I can move back over to shore, but I do know that in the last 6 years, I have had more impact in the Navy's ASW readiness than the previous 12 years of my career.
I'm already enjoying the posts I'm finding on the board. I'm looking forward to hearing from you all and offering what I can to help keep your perspectives fresh.
Once again, thanks for the warm welcome and thanks for your service. You left my generation with some crazy toys and some puzzles left to solve. Even now, as a new generation of Russian rolls off the line and the Chinese bolster their territorial claims and stockpile those diesels, we are more relevant than ever. Ironically, we can thank those guys for the best game of hide and seek there ever was.

Re: STGC CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, USN

Chief, It would have been a pleasure to attack Spring Ops with you! The hunt was the best best time of my Naval experience too!

Re: STGC CHRISTOPHER SANDERS, USN

Chris, Check your in box. Sending you a copy of the latest update (16 Jan 16)of "Our Book".
Welcome to the IUSS Alumni Association.
Ed Smock

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