So I’ve just spent the last two and a half years onboard <a href=’http://www.wasp.navy.mil’>USS Wasp (LHD-1)</a>. My time there was rewarding in a way. Being that I am an IT I need to learn how to do the technical side of my rate, not just the computer part. So I did learn a lot about what being an IT is all about. I am sure that will help me in my career for sure. I knew a Senior Chief who told us flat out that he had done computers his whole career and had never needed to learn anything about radio. I don’t want to be that guy at all!

I will really miss some of the people I’ve spent my time with. I wont go into names, because they know who they are. I will do what I can to keep in touch, but a fair warning is that I am terrible at doing just that. I have a hard time thinking of stuff that would be of any use to you, so coming up with things to say in an email is often hard for me. Sorry!

Things I have learned from the Wasp:
1. Never go to an amphibious ship again. They have no schedule, they go where and when they want to. If you’re looking for something stable to plan your life around, dont go to an amphib.
2. Large communities are tough! I came from a small boy (DDG) where I knew everybody because there were only 400 of us. Now I lived among 1,100 people. I will never meet all of them, and my job keeps me in one place 99% of the time. Not to mention an introvert like myself has a tough time making friends anyways, meeting lots of people isnt my game.
3. Officers mess things up all the time. They are all too concerned at that level about their FITREP then the intelligent way to do things. Forcing people to get their air pin because they want to have “Well Rounded Sailors” is a bunch of BS if you ask me. All that does is allow them to say that they were able to get over 46% of the division qualified in air warfare, and over 80% in surface warfare. Makes his FITREP look real good. That does not imply that particular officer was a bad person or not good at his job, just SEEMED or APPEARED that he was too concerned about how he looked than how the people performed. Anyways,….
4. Mandatory qualifications SUCK. Yes, there are some that are honestly required. You have to get your ESWS when you make E-5. But you are NOT required to get your EAWS (Air Pin). While it does look good on you, you dont need to get it. Forcing people to get it is retarded.
5. Deployments for no reason SUCK. Going on a deployment for the pure reason of aiding your CO to become an admiral is garbage. Its taxing on the sailors and affects morale. I mean, why is it we were INPORT Bahrain for 20+ days (which happens to be more time inport then we spent at home since April 07)??? No reason anybody really saw. You can ask anybody else on the Wasp “WTF were you doing over there?” and almost everybody can either A) give you a BS reason or B) say we were there for no reason.

Anyways, I dont want you to think that the Wasp is a bad ship, just that I did not enjoy my tour onboard. If life hands me the cards I want, I will NEVER, EVER go back to an Amphib again.

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