A Navy Man
I recently did something that most (if
not all) who know me will be extremely surprised to hear - I joined the
Navy. I report for boot camp on 11 April 2006, a little less than seven
months away, and will spend a minimum of 6 years serving my country. I
will be trained in the Advanced Electronics and Computer Field (AECF),
a field which during training feeds two navy jobs - Electronics
Techinician (ET) and Fire Controlman (FC). Here is a PDF describing what I will be doing. I’m not sure which of the two jobs I will be assigned to, though I would prefer ET.
You may be asking yourself at this moment, “Why!?!?” Well, there are a few reasons why:
- A feeling that I should - I have been as surprised about this turn of events as many of you are. Military service had never been in my plans, but one day a couple of months ago the thought came to me to look into the Navy. Many hours of research and prayer followed that convinced me that entering the Navy was a step I should take.
- Training - I’ve been in the IT world for the past two years, and while there are aspects of it that I enjoy, there are aspects of it that I really don’t like. The hours are crazy and the responsibility is often overwhelming. Committment to keeping your systems running must be total. Nothing else should come first (well, at least the boss would like you to believe that). It’s not for me.
- Travel - I’m excited to see the world. Of all the armed forces, the Navy provides the greatest access to the world.
- No Direct Combat - When a war is on, the Navy provides a supporting role. The likelihood that I would ever see the field of combat is small, and if I do, it will be with an iron hull surrounding me.
To answer a few other questions that I may be asked:
Why did enlist when you could have gone in as an officer? - I decided to enlist because the prospects for training are greater as an enlisted sailor. I’m too much of a geek to go straight into management!
Where will you be stationed? - Boot camp and much of my training will occur in Great Lakes, IL, about an hour north of Chicago. After that, I don’t know. I could be stationed anywhere.
What does your family think? - They’ve been very supportive. My father served as a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy during the Vietnam era and my brother Jacob is currently serving in the Army, so military service is not extremely new to them. I expect the distance will be difficult for all of us.
I do not fully comprehend the path that lies ahead of me. I do not fully comprehend why I have been guided to this place. I only know that this path is right. I will do my best to learn and serve during the next six years and have a deep faith that God will guide and protect me so long as I do my best to stay close to Him.