PCS Move to Japan

Somewhere south of Japan. (May 2017) - Photo by MC2 Nathan Burke

Goodbye everyone, it's been fun! I leave the United States in a few days, headed for USS Ronald Reagan, ported in Yokosuka, Japan. It's a lot of work to get ready to PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move to a new country and I wanted to share some tips for anyone who comes after me.

* Things change all the time, so don't take this guide for gospel!

* I post way more often to I Am Your Eyes on Facebook, so get there.

If you don't feel like reading, I did a quick video showing what packing for this was like.

https://www.facebook.com/122199361139641/videos/2102478163111741/

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Permanent Change of Station is a fancy phrase for moving to a new command. 

So far I've PCSed from the Nimitz to Syracuse University to Defense Media Activity, which are all commands in this country. Going to Japan ups the game just a little bit.

Here's some quick tips:

Start early.  I'm a single Sailor with no kids or pets and it took almost two weeks to get prepared to leave. Those with families will want to start a month or two early. 

Read all the paperwork. The Navy will send you lots of good gouge to read, as should your next command. It will have important things like flight info and cultural details of the host country. 

• I posted detailed info about flying to Japan at the bottom of the page. Thanks to Reddit user TheBeneGesseritWitch!

• BE ANNOYING. If there's anything you don't understand, call people and ask! My itinerary had detailed info on my flight from Baltimore to Seattle, but very little about the plane from Seattle to Japan. I called four people before I found someone who could tell me what the check in process was like, the plane seating details, etc.

Understand the packing process. If you have large items, like furniture, you'll be assigned a Household Goods move. If you have small stuff, like me, you'll get an Unaccompanied Goods move. You could have both types! 

Breaking down the stationary bike and weight bench, hoping UG movers would take it.

My place came pre furnished so I only needed a UG move. I had a couple of larger items I wanted them to fit, but had to wait until the movers arrived to find out if they'd take them. No one on the phone would say for sure. (They ended up taking everything)

http://www.wetooktheroadlesstraveled.com/2014/08/tips-for-moving-with-the-military.html

This was the UG move items. I've been told three weeks to two months for this to arrive.

Sell Sell Sell.  Not everything should make the trip overseas. Many things are just easier to buy over there. For me, it was my Jeep, my water cooler, mountain bike, and a bunch of smaller stuff. Figure this out at the beginning so you can start selling or giving away. (I mostly gave away)

Why would I sell my bike? Because I don't want to wait for it to arrive in the UG shipment, so I'll just buy a new one.

The Navy has too many damn uniforms. Look at those sexy PO1 chevrons though.

Double check your uniforms (especially the blues or whites).  Depending on the time of year, you'll be expected to arrive to your new command in dress blues or whites. Make sure they look good, have the proper rank (did you get promoted) and still fit (did you get fat).

Take off all pinned rank and ribbon items and store them in a plastic bag, to lessen the chance of them getting torn off when some baggage handler tosses it.

Mama's vacuum bags made my uniform items super small.

Get magic bags.  They're called vacuum bags, and they decrease the amount of space your stuff takes up. Thanks to my mama for suggesting these and letting me use some of hers!

This is my checked and carry on stuff. I bought a blue suitcase so it'd be easier to spot at baggage claim. Every small electronic item I own is in here.

Carry on items, so all this is going in the backpack. Make sure you have:

• your printed orders
• your passport
• a bag with sunflower, pistachio, and pumpkin seeds

Make sure checked and carry on stuff is separate from your HH or UG move items, because the movers will take everything they see. I put all this stuff in a separate room and told them everything in there was staying. Simple.

My PC obviously couldn't go in checked luggage. I was told it was a bad idea to ship it with my high end graphics card still attached, as it could get easily damaged during a rough ride...

I didn't take this pic just to show everyone I own a Founder's Edition GTX 1080, the best graphics card on the planet.

...so I took it out and shipped it in its original packaging. I'm terrible at assembling, disassembling, or maintaining ANYTHING so this was a big win for me.

SURVIVAL TIP: Pack your electronics in their original boxes if you can, but DON'T SEAL THEM. The movers will want to copy serial numbers so they have a record on their end.

They put everything in huge boxes. Maurice and Lindsey were awesome. Thanks again guys!

Treat the movers right.  These guys are working their asses off all day. Have some snacks and drinks ready for a UG move, and give them sandwiches or pizza for the bigger HH moves. Also, tip them. I gave them $40 each at the end and they were very appreciative. That was probably more than necessary, but they were cool. (we laughed almost the whole time...good conversation)

It feels awkward to have strangers moving your stuff. I asked them if I could do anything to help and liked the response. He said "just hang out and talk to us." That's a great approach, because it's a non-creepy way to stay in the equation to make sure it goes smoothly.

I just hung out on the couch and played Stepbrothers real loud so everyone could enjoy it.

Learn the language (don't be lazy like me).  I need to get on this, because knowing some Japanese will make my 3-year tour more rewarding...and help me talk to women without accidentally saying something weird like "I enjoy tickling myself in the tub."

I just bought Hiragana Battle, an old school RPG game that teaches Japanese writing.  Might help.

Don't blow stuff up.  Be prepared for different voltage in another country. Depending on where you are, you might need adapters or even converters. This could be a post on all on its own, but check out this page for good info.

http://www.japanupdate.com/2015/02/japanese-versus-north-american-voltage-and-frequency/

Know the flight process. Going to Japan means a flight on the Patriot Express out of Seattle. It's part of the Air Mobility Command. (AMC) I'm still learning about all this, but here's a couple helpful links.

https://www.facebook.com/SeaTacAmcPassengerTerminal/ (VERY RESPONSIVE TO MESSAGES)

http://www.spacea.net/faq/patriot-express

SURVIVAL TIP: If arriving in Seattle from another flight, get your checked luggage from baggage claim. It doesn't fly straight through to Japan, so you'll need to recheck it when getting your AMC ticket.

Here's step-by-step instructions to get you through the Seattle Tacoma airport USO and flight check-in process. Individual experience will vary, especially since flight times change frequently. I'll be spending the night in the USO, so I won't follow this exactly.

Reddit user TheBeneGesseritWitch saw me fumbling around on there looking for PCS info and sent me some excellent info. I don't know this person, so taking the time to do this for me meant a lot.

"So I actually just walked my sponsee through this process:

1. Go to the USO on the second floor of SEATAC. Check in at the desk; the employees are really rude, but, whatever. They also have a storage unit there where you can check in your seabag/luggage. I checked in at like, 1200 the day prior; I have family in the SEATAC area so I promptly went over to my sister in laws and chilled. But the USO is a great place to hang out if you don't want to explore Seattle....go get some starbucks, the original is out there.
2. Chill out until roll call, which is like, at 0300 (it'll say on your orders)
3. Go back to the USO about a half hour early to get your luggage, and the directions to whichever gate they're going to issue you tickets from.
4. Go get your tickets. This is a long-ass line; have a copy of your orders handy. And don't freak out, if you're on orders, you will have a seat on the plane. If you're on leave or a retiree, you might be SOL, but yeah, you'll be okay.
5. Take your tickets and boarding pass over to the military baggage turn-in area--this is near the luggage check in where people are dropping off their pets and oversized luggage. Turn in your luggage.
6. Go through security.
7. It's probably about 0700 around now. Grab breakfast and snacks for the plane (they will feed you on the plane, but snacks are always good.)
8. Find your gate. Chill out, you've got another two hours (ish).
9. Get on the plane, put on your headphones and eyemask and sleep the entire flight because it'll help you with jetlag. Seriously, the time difference will jack you up when you arrive.
10. Land in Yokota, have your passport and orders ready; they're gonna give you an abbreviated 7th Fleet Liberty Policy Brief, and try to usher you onto a shuttle to/from Yokota to whichever other base you're really going to--if you're flying further (usually to Korea) you stay on the plane for this ~3 hour layover.

Google "Patriot Express" and there are some youtube videos where you can see the inside of the plane. It's a "normal" civilian plane, 767, it's just run and staffed by military. That being said, I've done MAC flights in the back of an A-10 Warthog, so I mean, my first thought was "oh shit, the Navy's gonna fly me 12 hours in a fucking cargo transport plane," but this is nothing like that.

Oh, and my sponsee said her flight didn't have USB connections so maybe grab a battery pack for the flight, but mine did, so, YMMV."

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I read that last part about a battery pack, slapped my forehead, and went to Best Buy and got a smartphone/tablet recharger. Thank you! (And thanks to my mama for helping me research those things.)

I'll add more to this post as I learn about the process. Expect photos of the sleeping area in the SEA-TAC airport USO and of the Patriot Express plane. Wish me luck! 

This guy's hundreds of years old!

I recorded the sound in their studio then synced it with the video shot outside.

I'm helping to produce a Veterans Day video that will feature one member of each military branch in performance mode. Staff Sergeant Jeff Brooks is an elite drummer in the Army's Fife and Drum Corps. 

This was a fun shoot but damn my ears hurt. Here's the video Sgt. Patrick Doran put together using this and other footage gathered by MCs. 

Photo by a fifer.

SURVIVAL TIP: If at all possible, scout your shoot location early. Background is very important, especially when shooting a static, single subject from head to toe. I got beat up by background on this shoot.

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

Holding a teddy bear (a week in the life of an MC)

It's my future. It's very sunny.

No we don't hold teddy bears all week but I needed an interesting title.  Here's a few random photos of life as an MC!

The above shot was taken at Fort Gordon, Georgia.  I was working with their public affairs officers to produce a story on the new cyber school there.  It's important to have a good relationship with PAOs because they are the gatekeepers of their territory.

SURVIVAL TIP: Prepare to be flexible because each PAO is different.  Some are military while others are civilian. Some are super chill, like these two, while some are controlling and hover over every shot you take.

haha Someone left him an apple!

This is Senior Chief Jones. I served with him on USS Nimitz, back when he was a chief.  We happened to be stationed together now at Defense Media Activity.

He swears it's not because he missed me and had me sent here.  mmhmm

SURVIVAL TIP:  Don't burn bridges with your shipmates because you could be stationed with them again.

MC1 Bidwell, me, MC2 Church, MCCM Weatherspoon.

Our volunteer events at the Maryland SPCA continue but we had a new addition to the group today.  Master Chief Weatherspoon recently arrived to DMA and she helped us shovel turds like a champ.

When we first met she said she really liked my blog. The least I could do is give her a cameo. ;)

That's not my teddy bear.  It's for the dogs but I liked it.

A week in the life of an MC

Victory in Europe day event.  Photo by Marvin Lynchard.

Okay ladies and gentlemen, here's a quick picture-filled post about what I did in the last week or so.  I've had many requests to show what a typical day looks like.  Well I can tell you this:

There is no typical day as a Navy MC.

Cover not required when shooting.  Photo by Marvin Lynchard.

 
This day I was standing on a media camera line, thankfully not fighting for a spot.  Here I'm getting ready to shoot World War II fighter planes land and take off for a Media Day leading up to the actual event. (See my last post.)

Yes I'm the only chump in a uniform...in the hot sun.  But before you call me a chump:

Being in uniform opens doors.

Preparing for the interview.  Tiffany is writing questions while I check my microphone. Photo by Marvin Lynchard.

At DoD News we shoot in teams.  Tiffany is a DoD social media specialist. Her and I, along with Marv the expert photographer, were called over to an area that had a super badass admiral.  There was no other media there so we had the perfect interview opportunity.

This happened because I was in uniform.

Photo by [you guessed it] Marvin Lynchard.

This is the admiral.  My humble apologies to my readers and him, but I don't remember his name.  He served on seven Navy warships during World War II.  This is the Sailor to look up to.  He's over 90 years old and still going very strong.

I'm not up for adoption either. Photo by MC1 James Stilipec.

Another day I volunteered at the Maryland SPCA.  It's a shelter for dogs and cats that saves lives every day.  About once every two months we show up to help clean cages.  It's a dirty job but very important to keep the animals healthy while they wait for adoption.

Photo by me.

 Sometimes a Sailor is there shooting a story for All Hands Magazine!

Carrying Sergeant Hossack's tripod for him. Photo by I don't remember.

Then I was given a last minute job that sent me to the Pentagon to assist a young Marine shooter.  His job was to cover an event there that showcased the latest advances in combat and medical technology.

So yes, I was the caddy.  I was the assistant cameraman.

I took a selfie after the event.  I wasn't brave enough to get a shot on the media riser.

The most stressful job that week was for Armed Forces Day.  The top enlisted leaders from every branch were at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to lay a ceremonial wreath.

If you've ever been there you know that silence is the rule.  Keep that in mind for this next part.

I show up 30 minutes before the event starts and there's already hundreds of civilians in the crowd, waiting for it to start.  There's also many many active duty military and many many veterans.

I had to push my way through this silent crowd while carrying heavy camera gear, then climb a tall media riser (think scaffolding) to get to my shooting spot.

Can you imagine how stressful it would be to climb a tower in front of a massive crowd in one of the most sacred places in the United States?

Can you imagine how awful it would be to fall off that tower while attempting to climb with three bags in your dress white uniform?

For the record, I didn't fall off.  I got the shots I needed.  You can breathe again.

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SURVIVAL TIP:

1. Show up to shoots at least an hour early!  You never know what obstacles will be thrown at you.
2. Know your gear!  I cannot emphasize this enough.  Your efficiency in setting up a tripod, camera and microphones can be the difference between a successful shoot and...not.

Hello from [hold on I need to adjust my mask I'm freezing] Alaska!

See that guy in the photo getting destroyed by a Chinook?  That's me. Photo by Seth Robson from Stars & Stripes.

The Chinook helicopter flew directly over us and landed, a deviation from the expected "fly near us and land".  That meant a -70F downdraft nailed me, the Army shooter and the Stars and Stripes photographer as it coasted over our heads on the way to deliver the top-level international and U.S. badasses that were in Black Rapids to share their knowledge.
 

"WHY AM I HERE?"

Because melting ice in the Arctic means new transportation alleys and new resource opportunities.  And also because we need to continuously talk to our allies, and we need to do it in person.
 
Never underestimate the power of showing a Mongolian officer how to blow it up after a fist bump.

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I just got back from Black Rapids, Alaska, the Army's premiere training site for cold weather survival and combat.  They just hosted a first of its kind international event that saw 12 countries flying in to share their knowledge of sub zero tactics.

I spent five years in South Florida before enlisting in the Navy.

No problem. I enlisted to serve...and sacrifice.

Back row from left to right: Finland, Japan, Norway, Germany and Mongolia.

Much of the event happened in a conference room at Black Rapids.  That was disappointing for a camera guy but it paid off eventually for the countries involved.  They bonded!

Here's one of my favorite parts of the mission.  Emily is from a local Alaska TV station.  She absolutely killed it with that camera.  I'm terrified of those things, so big ups to her!  Stand by for a link to the story she created from the event.

Zack interviews the Mongolian representative for NPR.

This is Zack from a local NPR affiliate.  This guy gets it.  He said to me, man as long as you're curious and humble, you'll get the story.

YES.

Survival tip:  Former MC Andrew Breese told me to route my wireless mic through a Zoom recorder to achieve less background noise.

LISTEN TO THIS ADVICE.

This is me using the latest technology!  It doesn't happen often but I'm pretty sure no one in the military is using the new Feiyu Tech G4 stabilizer.  It makes using the GoPro siiiiiiiiiiick!

This is my favorite photo.  This is a super high-ranking Japanese officer that loved my GoPro setup.  He was very cool considering he probably could've 1-inch death punched me at any time.

MC Perspective: How to survive Recruit Training Command (aka Navy boot camp)

SN Andrew Murray...selfie.

I make it a habit to hound recent boot camp graduates for their thoughts and advice for future campers.  Seaman Andrew Murray, 23, and Seaman Rachel Rakoff, 26, are fresh from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes.

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What was the most challenging part of boot camp?

MURRAY:  I realized a couple months before shipping out that my legs did not float. At all. From that day forward, I spent several hours a week in the pool, practicing my prone float. That part of the swim test turned out to be much easier than I'd anticipated, and I would've been fine without the practice. What actually turned out to be the toughest part was P-days, or processing. The first week or so of boot camp is full of paperwork, shots, sitting and standing. Mostly sitting and standing. All this idle time coupled with the culture shock of it all really sent me for a loop.

"The first couple days, I asked myself several times 

what the hell I was doing there."

Had I made a huge, 5-year mistake? The feeling passed within the week and boot camp turned out to be kind of fun...maybe.

RAKOFF:  My biggest challenge at boot camp was trying to get along with, and take care of, the kids who struggled with things like rack making, proper folding and stowing.  I can only do so much to fix someone else. Wait, I lied: my biggest challenge was staying out of the drama and fights that will happen daily if you live with others in close quarters. It's unavoidable. Related advice: please, for the love of all that is holy - don't feel the need to have the last word. It's boot camp. It is not worth your anger or your time. Know when not to pick a fight over dumb things.

SN Rachel Rakoff, center...selfie.

 

What advice would you give to a Sailor headed to Recruit Training Command?

MURRAY:  As much as you can, prepare to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. This is, I think, the most important skill I learned in boot camp. From living with 80+ people in one big room, to showering with 20 of those 80 people every day, to waking up in the dead of night for a two-hour watch, boot camp is about sucking it up and adapting.

"If you come in ready to take things as they come, 

you'll be much better off."

RAKOFF:  Don't panic about haircuts. Seriously, it's not worth it. I panicked before I left, because I was so afraid I would hate having to work out without being able to put my hair back. Honestly, it’s easier than I thought it would be. Some RDCs allow you to use bobby pins, and some don’t. Mine never did, but I managed. I would highly advise getting it done before you get there, and get it cut short enough so they never have to cut it while you’re there, because the barbers there will jack up your haircut. I promise you, it’s not that bad. 

Don't stress out about group showers. Yes, you will shower in a medium-sized room with 80 other girls around two poles with roughly six showerheads (presuming they all work). I’ve been self-conscious all my life, and I survived. The first chance we had to shower, we’d been awake for about 40 hours and we smelled horrific. I stripped down and jumped in without any shame. There’s no sense in trying to cover up and be modest – just jump in. You’ll have to do it anyway, may as well get in the shower while everyone else is too scared to be undressed in front of everyone else. It means you’ll get in and out first.

"Learn to shower quickly. Boot camp is no place 
to be high maintenance. It’s just not worth it."

The first night you get there and you get issued some of your gear, don’t be afraid to speak up if something doesn’t fit. Especially sports bras, because you will be living in them - and that includes sleeping in them. You will not get yelled at, and it will only make you miserable if you don’t take care of it then. If you wait until later, your RDCs will get mad and ask why you didn’t speak up during first issue. The same thing goes for when you get your boots fitted.

Learn your ranks and recognition and 11 orders of a sentry prior to getting there. You'll have to learn them there anyway but if you already know it, especially ranks, you will have more time to sleep and less stress.  I can't emphasize that enough. 

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I AM YOUR EYES:  Big ups to both of you!  I know you're busy with school...we really appreciate the great gouge. 

On call at the Pentagon

Training to control and switch between three remote cameras.

I'm at the Pentagon in the control room next to the Department of Defense press briefing room. I'm on call occasionally to show up if something major goes down and the Pentagon's press secretary, Rear Admiral Kirby, needs to release information outside of normal working hours. The joystick in front of me is used to control three cameras remotely.

Survival tip:  Get to the Pentagon early, because running backwards and blindfolded through a hedge maze is easier than figuring out where to park.

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

Syracuse U: Learning to be a reporter

This is our "event" reporting assignment.  I am showing you this because I believe it's valuable information for prospective Sailor-students, not because I think it's very good.  I haven't figured out this news thing, and I'm trying to detach from my documentary mentality.

My shooting partner is MC1 Sean Spratt, one of the four video students I am studying with.  We change partners every week, as per instructor orders.

Smiling as he says:  "What the hell are you doing?"

Speaking of.... this is our news reporting instructor.  His name is John Nicholson, he's worked with ESPN, USA Network, and much more.  Also, for better or worse, his personality is as big as it looks in the photo.  His class is laid back, but full of nuggets of solid gold. (interview techniques is huge!)

SURVIVAL TIP:  Listen when he tells his anecdotes, there's usually a lesson in there.

Here's a sample of his work:  WSTM Channel 3 News

What you didn't know about MC

Combat Camera pays us a visit during RIMPAC 2012

Working on an aircraft carrier means hosting visitors. A LOT OF VISITORS.  I had no idea about this part of being an MC when I enlisted.  Brush up on your people skills because you'll be meeting a bunch of folks from all over the world.

The Taiwanese media were very focused and hardworking.

We had a couple of our Sailors from Taiwan hang out with this group for a bit.  In the above photo they're being interviewed for the magazine these journalists represented.

On Vulture's Row.

Much of your time may be spent escorting media and distinguished visitors (DVs) around the ship.  These photographers were like kids in a candy shop as they took photos of jets taking off.

We're shooting at full high definition.  It's learn as we go.

A couple of Canadian filmmakers came aboard to grab footage for a documentary they were producing. Great guys, and one of them is taking time here to share some shooter knowledge.

LAID BACK.

Here I'm talking shop with a couple of Australian military journalists.  Love the accent guys.

And it's not just media.  Every day we're underway, groups of DVs can be seen around the ship.  This could be school teachers or CEOs.  They fly on, spend the night, and walk around (escorted every second of course) staring in wonder at our amazing world. 

Eat your heart out Disneyland.

SURVIVAL TIP:  Grab Rosetta Stone and learn another language, or three.

Searching for casualties

MC3 Ian Cotter makes sure I'm good to go.  The oxygen tank on my back could save my life.  Photo by MC3 Jacquelyn Childs.

Imagine your average day at work.  It may consist of you showing up, dropping your stuff off at your desk/cubicle, and heading to the community coffee pot.  After a shot of caffeine, you might check your email for a while.  Maybe you read over some paper work, and chat with coworkers for a bit.

THEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

Suddenly, alarms go off all around you, threatening to disintegrate your eardrums.  There's a fire somewhere.  In a flash, your world is turned upside down, and priorities have changed from mundane to basic.

SURVIVAL.  SELF PRESERVATION.  Your first instinct is to evacuate, to get out of the building.  This is not an acceptable decision.  Your boss runs up to you and says:

"I need you to find that fire!  Report back to me when you have the location."

This is what it means to be a United States Sailor, holding the job of Investigator.  If you're thinking of enlisting as a Mass Communication Specialist, know that you are a Sailor first.  Everyone on the ship, from the cooks to the journalists, is trained to react to fires, flooding and worse.

There is no 911 on the ocean.

Investigators work in teams, and their job is simple.  Patrol their assigned areas like a beat cop, looking for any problems.  We call them casualties, and they come in many forms.  Don't open a door without checking for flooding on the other side.  Don't leave any bunks unchecked, as an unconscious Sailor may be in it.  Locate a casualty, then report back so the proper teams can move in and handle it.

When the General Quarters alarm rings out, the crew becomes a well-oiled Damage Control machine, with each Sailor performing a specific function.  My assigned job is actually Scene Leader.  After the Investigators report a casualty, I head to the location and coordinate the teams that are dispatched there.  It could be a hose team, desmoking team, or stretcher bearers.  All of them look to me to lead them.

And I have a lot to learn.  That's why I am an Investigator in that photo.  No one told me to do it.  In my mind, the better I know the jobs I'll come into contact with, the more effective I'll be at my job, at keeping people alive.  Are the stretcher bearers moving that injured Sailor properly?  Is the desmoking team ventilating the space effectively, or are they blowing smoke all over the place, creating more casualties?

Need another shot of caffeine?  Me too.

SURVIVAL TIP:  Don't assume your chain of command will hold your hand.  They are busy, and they're human.  If you don't feel like you know how to perform a job, ask questions, figure out the solution.

It could save your life.

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Much appreciation to MC3 Cotter for rolling with the punches and taking me under his wing.  I kind of surprised him with my request to gear up as Investigator.

I'm home!

I was excited until I realized I was standing in goose poop.  Photo by MC3 Siniff.

Well, at least for the time being.  I've just arrived at Naval Station Everett, where Nimitz will be homeported after her dry dock ends.  I'm really happy to have a barracks room, but the sea calls, so I won't be in it much.  The ship won't be here for a bit longer, but I needed check into the room ahead of time.

Sunset in Everett.  Photo by me.

Like Bremerton, this base has a great view of the water.  You can get closer to it here, though.

SURVIVAL TIP:  If a scene like this presents itself, slow down and absorb it.  It'll help balance the hectic moments that fill your days as an MC.

What's a 9 to 5?

 Photo by MCSN Andy Jandik.

Wray and I are slowly realizing how much work a long-term documentary is to produce. 

I've been in post-production for episode 4 for the last few weeks, which has left little time and less energy to blog.  Once the ship gets out of the Controlled Industrial Area, I'll be allowed to bring my cell phone to work.  This means photos and stories for the blog!  Until then, I'll get posts up as I can. 

SURVIVAL TIP

1.  Be flexible and learn to manage stress.  I'm currently struggling to balance my collateral duties (departmental training & ship maintenance) with my MC duties.  It's definitely stressful at times.  /sigh

You're going to be doing a bunch of different jobs in the Navy.  Some have nothing to do with being an MC.  It's part of being a Sailor.  

Rollercoaster

Photo by MC3 Devin Wray.

Okay I need to backtrack a little.  A few days before we left for the cold north, Captain Monger read the promotion results over the intercom.  All throughout the ship, Sailors rejoiced when their names were heard.

Photo by me.

Wray and I made E-4, which meant we were no longer seaman, but petty officers.

Photo by me.

Then everyone panicked when we were told we'd be frocked two days later.  A mad scramble ensued to sew rank on uniform.  Here, Siniff kindly sews my crow onto my cover.  I really suck with a needle and thread and that material is thick.

Photo by me.

Okay, so the next day (day before frocking), we went out to celebrate our promotions.  I walked out on the pier, or concrete slab by the ship, and got on my cell phone...

Photo by MCSA Andy Jandik.

 ...and had it immediately confiscated by security.  No cell phones on the pier.  I missed the memo.  I was told I'd have to have a chief or higher rank go with me to get it back from security dispatch.

SURVIVAL TIP  Don't get on your phone near construction equipment.  It could be a safety violation.

But the roller coaster was still plummeting.

Photo by MC2 Adam Wolfe.

I found out the day of frocking that Wray and I had missed petty officer indoctrination classes.  Therefore, we couldn't be frocked, and couldn't wear the E-4 crows.

SURVIVAL TIP   Be Proactive!!!  Don't wait for someone to hold your hand and tell you stuff you need to know.  Go find out for yourself.   I had a feeling that indoc class was coming up and I never checked on it.

No worries, though!  The roller coaster is on the rise!

Photo by MC3 Whitfield.

Like all good stories, everything turned out alright in the end.  I took the 3-day indoc class as we sailed to Bremerton.  After learning all about leadership and self-restraint as a petty officer, I was frocked by our Public Affairs Officer, Lieutenant Commander Steve Ruh.

WHEW!

The smell of linen

This is the laundrymat across the street from the ship. It's free, but you have to keep an eye on your stuff. Is this the most boring post ever? I don't care, because I love mobile blogging!

SURVIVAL TIP

Don't wait until Sunday night to do laundry!

Sent from my Samsung Epic™ 4G