What’s it like to be in the US Military, and have some one really screw up bad near you? (Doesn’t have to be Class A Mishap)
People “really screw[ing] up bad near you” is in many ways a common occurrence in the military… depending on your definition of “near.” Let me give you a few examples.The PFC in your platoon who really didn’t want to deploy to Iraq, so just before the war kicked off he had a “negligent discharge” while clearing his weapon, conveniently going right through his foot. Nobody really liked him much before, but we all outright hated him after, especially after catching him lying about claiming to have been wounded in combat/earned a Purple Heart to pick up girls. On the flight to Landstuhl, he would not stop wailing “Oh Lawdy, Oh Lawdy Jesus, Oh Lawdy” the entire way.The company commander (HHC) caught fraternizing with a (married) senior enlisted platoon sergeant. It was a minor drama at the time, but I was in an adjacent company (Alpha); in the HHC itself and in her platoon in particular, obviously it was a much bigger deal.The guy who fell out of the boat and lost his weapon and body armor.The Patriot missile battery that shoots down a friendly aircraft. — my platoon was assigned to guard the sister battery to this one. No impact on my platoon, but the air defense guys (specifically the fire control platoon) were called to a bunch of emergency briefings and had a hectic couple of weeks of inspections from their leadership. I imagine things were much worse in the battery that actually fired.The squad leader in your company that got caught stealing from locals. He lost rank, lost friends and respect, and was treated like crap for the rest of the deployment.A junior enlisted guy caught stealing from the locals. He lost rank, lost a few friends, but was pretty popular so after a little while nobody talked about it and it was as if nothing ever happened.It’s just a factor of every day life that people screw up all the time in the military. Doesn’t matter the branch, doesn’t matter the rank. It’s a universal truth. In fact, one could argue that a major defining factor in people’s experiences in the military is how they — and their unit/branch/service — deals with it.
What valuable skills did serving in the Navy give you in your life, personal and career-wise?
I graduated High School 1990. On Jun 19, 1990 I enlisted in the United States Navy. And started Bootcamp San Diego RTC. November 1, 1990 I arrived at NAVAL STATION Apra Harbor, Guam. On the 7 Nov 1990 I reported for Duty on the Nitro Class Ammunition Ship USS Haleakala (AE-25). What I got out of it was mostly self enrichment. I was in designated. Which means I had no specialty. What I did get was the drive to not quit, Pride in Country, Working as a Team, Fire Fighting Skills , How to keep my mouth shut and obey orders. As far as my career I can’t think of anything except the perseverance to succeed when I started College at 26 years old. Graduated at 32 Years Old with BA In History Masters Degree and Now I teach at the High School Level.U.S.S. Haleakala (AE-25) the 3rd Unit the Nitro Class. Built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding was commissioned into service Nov 3 1959. She would go on to serve for 34 years before being decommissioned 10 Dec 1993.USS HALEAKALA AE-25 StatsDISPLACEMENT: 9,050 Tons (no cargo). 15,688 Tons loaded.LENGTH: 512′BEAM: 72′Draft: 29′ (means the hull of the ship went down 29 feet below the surface of the water).SPEED: 19 Knots (20 Knots Possible)COMPLIMENT:28 Officers331 EnlistedARMAMENT: 1959–1965 Twin 3″/50 Gunmounts1965–1991: Two 3″/50 Gun Mounts 4 25 Cal Machine Gun Enplacements. (Nitro Class was built without the flight deck. The Stern 3″/50’s were removed in 1965.)1991–1993- Two 50 Cal Machine Guns, Four 25 Cal Machine Guns and CHAFF Countermeasure systems. CHAFF a canister with aluminum particles designed to appear as a primary target or swamps radar with multiple returns.Note: Before 1974 all three Nitro Class were part of the Suribachi Class.U.S.S. Suribachi (AE-21)U.S.S. Mauna Kea (Ae-22)Nitro AE-23 ClassU.S.S. Nitro (AE-23)U.S.S. Pyro (AE-24)U.S.S. Haleakala (AE-25)
Although not likely in service, does the British or U.S. Navy have any WWI ships listed in their respective inventories?
I cannot address the Navy of Great Britain, but with the exception of the sailing frigate, the USS Constellation docked in Boston harbor the US Navy does not even have a WWII Ship in its inventory.This information is INDIRECTLY due to the knowledge of the recent history of the First Navy Union Jack.The source, is the honor of the oldest ship in the fleet flying the first Union Jack.The Sec of the Navy in 1980 designated that the WARSHIP OR FLEET AUXILIARY that had the longest active status shall display the FIRST NAVY UNION JACK until such time as it is decommissioned.Please note that the US Navy honor afforded to the oldest active ship does predate those who would use a yellow derivative for political purposes.The following information is found on Wikipedia(ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Union_Jack )One will note that the last World War II era ship, the USS Jason AR-8, was decommissioned in 1995.Ships flying the “First Union Jack” commissioned during WW II or earlier1981–1982: Destroyer tender USS Dixie (AD-14), commissioned in 19401982–1993: Destroyer tender USS Prairie (AD-15), commissioned in 19401993–1993: Submarine tender USS Orion (AS-18), commissioned in 19431993–1994: Destroyer tender USS Yosemite (AD-19), commissioned in 19441994–1995: Repair ship USS Jason (AR-8), commissioned in 1944Post WWII ships flying the “First Union Jack”s tarted in 1995 with the ammunition ship the USS Mauna Kea.1995–1995: Ammunition ship USS Mauna Kea (AE-22), commissioned in 1957The warship to fly the “Don’t Tread On Me” Union Jack was the aircraft carrier the USS Independence,1995–1998: Aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62), commissioned in 19591998–2009: Aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), commissioned in 19612009–2012: Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65), commissioned in 19612012–2014: Amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD-9), commissioned in 19682014–present: Amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), commissioned in 1970.September 11, 2001After the 9–11–2001 terrorist attack on the USA, the Secretary of the Navy authorized ALL US Navy ships to fly the the “Don’t Tread On Me” First Naval Jack to signify the fight against the war on terrorism.It has taken a long way to answer your question, but the Oldest Ship in the US NAVY is the USS Blue Ridge, commissioned in 1970, which was 25 after the end of WWII.