Let me make this clear out front - I am not, nor
was I ever a Navy SEAL...I'm NOT a war hero! I am
a JAPOS (Just a Plain Ole Sailor) - who does
happen to know shit about weapons :) . We have
some REAL hero's out there serving now and ones
that are immortalized forever in our hearts.. No,
I'm just a Sailor .. … Now that we have that out
of the way, I like my forefathers am a Patriot. I
am an Honorably Discharged, Disabled Navy Veteran.
I am proud of my Naval Service, and proud of my
Country. I went to Navy Boot camp in Orlando
Florida in July 76 (yea, Summer, Dumb). I was a
Radioman and went to RM “A” school in San
Diego back in 76 at NTC. I served my entire
enlistment overseas. I held a TS security
clearance and worked with Naval Communications,
Naval Intelligence, ASW…. .. .. My first duty
station was Keflavik Iceland. I spent a year there
(Actually, it was a great duty station). I worked
in the ASCOMM center. I got stuck being assigned
to GDFI - Ground Defense Forces Iceland. Because
we (the US) was worried the Soviets might invade
the Island they “Recruited” a bunch of Navy
personnel to be (for lack of better terms)
“Cannon Fodder” for 24 hours until some
Airborne Units could get up there to relieve us.
We had about 200 Marines to guide and direct
thousands of Navy (the GDFI). So, to say they were
short handed is an understatement. The first day
at GDF they gave us our weapons, M14’s, M79’s
& M60's with which we are to “Hold” the base
against the hordes of RED INVADERS!... I proceed
to break down the weapons on the table in front of
me... WOO HOO FUN!. If you read my blogs you will
know HOW I know to break these weapons down
correctly. Within seconds I have 5 Marines
screaming at me – I start screaming back at
them.. This doesnt go over well.. at all... Pretty
soon it escalates into a dare that I can take them
down and put them back together faster than any
one of them can – blindfolded (Yea, I was pretty
darn Cocky back then). The Marine Sargent took my
dare.. and Lost.. But later on Tony (The Sgt) and
I became a good friends. Because I was such a
Smart A** (and he liked that in me) He made me
Platoon Leader of one of the GDF combat Platoons
of 28 Navy guys along with a Marine Corporal named
Moody who also later became a great friend.
Teaching these guys everything about the M14, M79,
M60 including how to shoot and actually hit
something. How to clean their weapons correctly
and quickly. They had to learn all the basics,
after all, we were regular Sailors and were not
taught this stuff in Navy Boot Camp. They had to
learn all about converging/interlocking fields of
fire (and what poor sap would be POINT man). How
to clear jams, what to do with cook offs, how to
change a cherry red M60 barrel (I was really
pissed they got it that hot!) - all of it. Lots of
fun in those days!. Myself and 3 of the Marines
(Tony, Moody and another guy) would always bum
around together on liberty.... .. .After that I
was stationed at NAF Sigonella Sicily, again
working in the ASCOMM. Because of all the flight
time I got on the P3C's with the VP squadrons and
writing an SOP of the communications center I got
the NEC2359. At that time I was told that I was
only one of 11 guys in the entire Navy with that
NEC and if I Re-Enlisted I was being offered a
teaching slot at the new school for ASCOMM and a
promotion. I Said Nope. I had spent 2 1/2 years
there - loved every single minute of it but it was
time to pick up my toys and go home. Almost 4
years overseas and I had missed alot. Someone told
me about a new kind of music ~ Disco something?
(ha ha). I had been all over the Med doing all
kinds of things from Rota to Greece to Crete and
other places I cant talk about (you
understand).... ... ... What am I doing these
days? Well, I am profoundly proud of my step son
who served in the Navy and went to EOD school. He
served on two ships, the last being the USS Leyte
Gulf. He's now out of the Navy and also a Disabled
Vet. My Son in Law is in the Army and is and has
been deployed to Iraq and will be going back. My
"Foster" son Mark will be completing Army SOF
training (Green Beret) soon and has been to Iraq
and will possibly be going back sometime.... Oh,
just found out the booger is getting married!
Geez, back in country less than 6 months an
already tying the knot. Mark,Mark,Mark... . .. ..
Personally, What am I up to now?... I’m just an
old Country Boy living in rural Upstate South
Carolina. I enjoy getting out in the woods hunting
and fishing. I thoroughly enjoy going Gold
prospecting, but it is a bit harder these days as
i'm getting older and its harder to hump the hills
and valleys and dig up up the muck in the streams.
I have more disabilities but I WILL not let it get
me down and I WILL not let it STOP me! Besides
hunting I do love to shoot for fun too. I own
quite a few guns. I also have a Muzzle Loader
(Black Powder Rifle (50 cal) so I can go deer or
wild hog hunting during primitive weapons
season… … .A little more about me?
Professionally? I have a Bible College Degree, I'm
an Ordained Southern Baptist Deacon..A former
Youth Pastor. I hold Microsoft Certifications and
other Technical Certifications. I work in the
Information Technology field as an IT Manager for
a company in Simpsonville South Carolina... … ..
On the home front I'm married to a Beautiful
Woman, a WONDERFUL lady named Sheila. Because we
live in the upstate area of South Carolina we are
very near Greenville which is only about 30
minutes from the Mountains (which we both love)...
We also love music. I play Guitar, 6 string, 12
String and Bass, have to admit - BASS is my
absolute favorite. I have an OLD Fender Bass
guitar that is just SWEET!..I also can play Rythm
and Lead guitar and Sing. Sheila my wife plays the
Piano and drums and sings (better than me). We
have alot of fun playing music in church. . . . .
. . | | I have a Beagle named "Missy Girl" and two
of her pups (Greagles) "Belle" and "Spanky". What
the heck is a Greagle you ask? A mix between an
Italian Greyhound (minature greyhound) and a
beagle. Belle is the one in the picture for my
account on here. Because Belle and Spanky are part
Greyhound they have that tendecy to "BOND" very
strongy with thier master. I will say, I cant be
very far away without them going crazy looking for
me. When they find them they do silly things like
in the picture! All in all - Life isnt always
fair, but God is good and my life is in His hands
and it Always was.
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