Veteran of the US Navy

I am a veteran. I joined the Navy in 1989 right out of high school. I did so as it was one of the few choices I seemed to have at the time for some college money and to get away for a bit as I find it important for a young person to cut the apron strings and go try being an adult. Whether joining the military right out of high school makes you and adult or not is another story... but that was my plan back in the late 80s.

I served on the USS St. Louis (LKA 116), noted by President Bush Senior as one of the best in the 7th Fleet. We were an amphibious ship, mission was to get heavy equipment on a combat beach. You'd be amazed how handy an armored up bulldozer is when you're some Marine stuck on a hot beach. A huge truck with a fresh water tank on the back is pretty nice too. That and tanks and APCs and conex boxes of ammo and supplies. It's what we put on them beaches.

The USS St. Louis was forward deployed in Sasebo Japan - so I lived there for 2 years when I was not out to sea. I was a deck ape, a non-rated non-grunt. Lowest of the low; how I got there is, again, another story. I painted, chipped rust, swept and swabbed. I did "brightwork" (shining brass) and got into the PMS system which is a scheduled maintenance system for pretty much everything on the ship. I worked the paint locker and the Bosun locker - checking out paint and cleaning supplies to other deck apes. I also stood endless bridge watches - lookout, Lee Helm, Helm, CIC Board, Messenger, and aft steering.

I got qualified on .50 cal machine guns and was assigned on a mount for General Quarters. I was assigned as a gunner on the M8 Boats for landing operations. I also qualified on M60s, M14 rifles, shotguns, and the M1911A1 pistol.

My second ship I was on the USS Shasta (AE33) out of Concord, CA. It was an ammo ship. It's primary missions is to supply forward deployed ships with the bombs, missiles, and bullets they need to maintain operations in an area. We would physically supply those ships while at sea using UnRep. I had not taken the E4 test while on the St. Louis like I should have so I came on the Shasta looking like a booter of an E3. I learned that a lot of the "brass" didn't like the fact I was on a decorated ship prior to their's so was treated with some disrespect. I learned about that and bore it and went on with my job as a "senior" deck ape.

I learned to operate small boats and maintain them. I also worked the paint locker. I also learned about UnRepping and picked up some skills in what is called "fancywork" which is Navy talk for tying nice knots and macrame. I was doing some of the work of a petty officer but was constantly pulled back and given shit duties. They almost made me mess-crank again. Some of the brass actually hated me and we all knew it. Some of the brass was actually trying to help me but my 21 year-old-ass was too uppity to recognize that.

Some of those "good guys" trying to help me got me some training in fire fighting and shipboard security called SAT-BAF. I got to work on SAR (Sea Air Rescue) operations.

I did my duty but with a combination of my treatment, my friend Keith Reno dying in Dubai, some girl problems (all my fault), an interest in civilian life (actual freedom - I went from the home of my parents and school to the military... got tired of eating off trays), and general tiredness of military life I decided to not stay after my initial 4 year contract was up.

In hindsight I have some opinions on that... another story. I do teeter between "why didn't I listen?" and "why didn't some one help me?". Bottom line - my choice and I need to live with it.

I did good. My overall evals were on par with a college student doing well and getting some accolades for it. I even got a good conduct medal. For a career deck ape my ribbon bar is actually quite impressive. Some I did, most are from the commands I was attached to (mostly the St. Louis).

The jist of this whole thing is that I know of a guy named Sean Davis. He is a current combat vet and Portland artist. He has written the book Wax Bullet War:
 Wax Bullet War

He's knee-deep in working and organizing veterans art projects. I like what he is doing. His most current blog post is about looking for vets to help him work on some of these art projects. Here is a link:
Current Vet Projects - Sean Davis

If you are interested or know some vets share this. Art is good.

In the mean time here is Jason Isbell with a good vet song about coming home called Tour of Duty: