Well, I graduated in 1984. Wow! So many years ago. I joined the Navy between my Junior and Senior years. I was in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) for 364 days. The maximum was one year. I Left for Boot Camp in Great Lakes, IL. just three weeks after graduation. It seemed fast then. The good parties were just getting rolling for the summer and I had to leave for the 8 week long party in Northern IL. Looking back, I think it was the best thing I could have done. It kept me from getting into any trouble before I went to Basic.

Basic, as I said, was 8 weeks. My uncle had told me that it was best to lay low for the first part of Basic. I did as I was told and just over half way through, one of my fellow recruits asked how long I had been in the company. I told him, the same as him. He couldn't believe that I had been in the company for 5 weeks and he didn't remember seeing me before. Mission accomplished!

I left Basic and went to NATTC Millington, TN. I spent the next 10 months there learning about electronics and aircraft. I attended four schools in that time. I left Millington as a Third Class Petty Officer.

I transferred to NAS Lemoore CA for more school before continuing on to NAF Deigo Garcia. Where? you say... That is a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I do mean, THE MIDDLE! It is a 5 hour flight to the closest destination and that is Kenya, Africa. The island is 38 miles from one tip to the other (accross land) and about .5 miles (across water). The island is shaped like a horseshoe or a foot. In fact, it is nicknamed "Foot Print of Freedom". I spent a year on the island with one "leave period" of two weeks. I spent that in the states with family. Many people speak of "cutting apron strings" when someone leaves home. Well, the year on Diego Garcia ripped them out. I had very little contact with family due to the high costs. Mail was the only contact, except for the one phone center on the island. The long distance charges were prohibitive. $4 per minute. That makes a 15 minute call worth $60. Thank God that they required us to buy a phone card in advance. It would give you a warning at one minute and simply end the call when the time was up.

That's it for now.