Jerry, A great post and your gonna get a kick outta this one. I joined the Navy in 1964 for the purpose of avoiding the draft and as Jerry implied, God looks after fools and drunks. Put in a 22 yr career with the most amazing group of people, enlisted and commissioned, that could be imagined. My last tour was at COSL 84 to 86 but my favorite tour was COSL 78 to 81 with the likes of Dave Williams, Chuck Cable, Bill Tilley, Dave Custer, Joanne Loflin Gilchrist and of course, James A. Daniel Smith. But in 86, I figured I was just treading water and it was time to move on. Shortly before retiring, I was conversing with Capt Dick Porter and he told me of an Arctic Researcher (Dr Dan Ramsdale) with whom had associated during his personal Arctic ventures. He said that should I contact him, he felt the good Dr could find a place for me at the Naval Ocean Research and Development Activity (NORDA) at Stennis space Center in South MS. I did that and was hired as a Naval Acoustics Specialist and that began another 20 year run in the business. (By the way Jerry, I lived in Waveland (Nicholson Ave) until hurricane Katrina). As some of you probably know, the consolidation processes of the late 80s and early 90s caused a lot of name changes. NORDA became the Naval Oceanographic and Atmospheric Laboratory (NORAL) in the first round and then evolved into the Naval Research Laboratory @ Stennis during the second round. In 2002, Commander, Naval Oceanographic and Atmospheric Command (CNMOC) decided they wanted a Ocean Acoustics Rep at the newly established command of Fleet Forces Command(FFC). I was selected and I moved back to NORVA for a 4 year stint. Everything was going along nicely until August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina came roaring right up Nicholson ave with a 27 ft Tsunami along with ~150 mph winds. Fortunately, Pat and I were in Arkansas visiting relatives so there was no personal injuries. Wiped us out. We came back to a pile of rubbish in which 40+ years of accumulations and memories were contained. I think Military hardened people handle situations better than most and Pat and I simply rolled up our sleeves and went to work finding things that were important with the intention of rebuilding. Then came the final blow. The insurance Company(s) walked away from the area with those famous words that live on today "Your claim is denied, its not our problem". Well Pat and decided to make it their problem. So, we wrote them a letter summarily saying "We're not going away and you will eventually pay us". They had no idea who Pat was or what they were up against. For about eight months, I tried to deal with all the storm issues and do my job in Norfolk, VA. It became apparent to me in May of 06 that I was not doing an effective job at either one. So we pulled the final retirement plug in June of 2006. What Do I do today? I have the best job in the world. I spoil my Grandchildren. I take them for whatever time I can get, give them anything they want and then send them home to be straightened out by their parents. I have two educated daughters (I am proud of their education because I didn't have anything beyond some college hours). Both have outstanding jobs and beautiful families. One lives in New Orleans and the other in Ponte Vedra Florida so Pat and I burn up interstate 10 going back and forth. Since retiring completely, we have had three vehicles in which we ran up 250K+ miles in eacg. No grass growing under us. We currently live at 6488 Kalipekona Way, Diamondhead, MS and my house sits at 59 ft above sea level. If water gets it again, We're outta here.
P.S. Pat finally got her money. It took five years but we had a good laugh at the arbitrator when they handed us the check. I warned them about her but noooooooooo, they wouldn't listen. It would have been a lot cheaper if they had just payed to begin with.:joy:
