Photos-a-plenty

A very unimpressive shot of the Okinawa pier. We stayed there just long enough to sweat through a t-shirt.


Here we had a massive shooting day. We shot everything. We put a big red inflatable ball in the ocean and took turns shooting. Even midshipmen got a go.


Our VLA shoot. First one on the LASSEN ever.


Here we are doing RAS drilling with the Japanese destroyer, Harusami. I got to conn while driving 200yrds away.




We went to a Hiroshima Carp game while in Kure. It was the majoy league team in the area. Bunts got standing ovations.


Hiroshima Castle



We had the local special Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima. Pancake, cabbage, bacon, egg, green onion, cooked in front of you.






Miyajima Island was awesome. Full of tiny tame deer and temples.

First One Under My Belt

I am back in Yokosuka after my first deployment. A deployed ship not actively engaged in mission seems to train constantly. We did maneuvers, drills, weapon shoots, and took on midshipmen. Even though we weren't in battle, or even creating a presence, our main mission was to train. On the surface, there is little to do besides drive the ship from point A to point B. But everyone is always busy, around the clock. Constant drills, constant training.

The large task ahead of me is getting qualified. There are more than 20 different qualifications to get my surface warfare pin. Such as Small Boat Officer, Damage Control, Officer of the Deck, SWO engineer, etc. Some take a day to get, others take a year. Each qual requires different signatures to mark that you know/ can do a certain part of the job. There is no set schedule or program to get you qualified, it is up to you. It requires studying, pestering people, and good timing.

Apart from getting qualified, I'm learning how to run the CE division. Basically, I am relaying info from the command to our electricians, doing tons of paperwork, getting signatures, and doing admin for my division. At first, my involvement in everything has been a "UI" role where I am shadowing someone, taking notes. But now
I'm standing my own watches, conning the ship.

Conning has been fun. My second day at sea, I was conning the ship solo, during helicopter operations. So far I have conned during a sea and anchor, during flight ops, doing Drive Ex with a Japanese destroyer (in formation, doing synchronized turns), during RAS practice with that Japanese destroyer (driving up close along side to get supplies), and during torpedo avoidance. I did a Big Bird, which was tons of fun (going full speed, making sharp turns to confuse torpedoes).

We made stops in Okinawa and Kure. We were only in Okinawa for a couple of hours. We were in Kure for three days though, and we spent most of our time in Hiroshima. We got to visit Miyajima island, the most beautiful place I've been yet. Pictures are coming soon.