Burning questions about OCS, flight school and Navy life

[CWJones411]

Don't complain, new guy. Ask SingleSeat how he likes his avatars.

Ask anyone if they like SingleSeat's avatars!


Disclaimer: the current one is good though.

 

[HeyJoe]

Thanks, gentlemen. Your answers are helping to put things in better perspective. I don't need to (nor want to) speak every day, but it's good to hear that communication is available if needed for emergencies and, from what I gather, at least one phone conversation per week. She'll have to make do!

And so will you. Best for both to "manage" your expectations. I agree that even setting a weekly time is fraught with potential disappointment. I grew up in environment sans computers, period, much less Internet or anything else deployed expect MARS and Class Easy telegrams. US Mail was the SOP method and it lagged by weeks even when it was consistent. That said, not trying to make old salts of following generations, but you have to realize that you are on a warship and operating environment may dictate shutting down of comms home.

And there's the other side of maintaining a long distance relationship. You both have to learn to function by yourselves without daily/nightly/weekly/ regular contact, period. Your spouse has to learn how to deal with life's up and downs (mainly the downs) while out of touch. Like others have said, if your relationship isn't strong enough for that, you'll find it's not going to last or be unbearable for one or both of you. If it does stand that test, it's likely strong enough for the long haul.

The wives talk a LOT, especially when they haven't heard from you in a while. They try to figure out if comms are down, or there's some sort of EMCON set or whatever. When one wife tells the others, "Joe says he can't call? That's weird - Mike calls me every single night," then you just fucked your buddies because now their wives think their husbands just don't want to talk.

Typically, they "ain't" much to write about on a deployment that is like Groundhod Day. So don't be that guy (or gal)....being the "chatty" or too regular communicator to your significant other might work for you, but cause significant turmoil in the Spouse's Club. The Club can be a marvelous support group, but that can be poisoned by a spouse who is constantly reporting to others on how often you write and news about others that cause great disappointment and hard feelings.

 

[PropStop]

...I grew up in environment sans computers...

Whatever man, nobodly is THAT old!

 

[2sr2worry]

Summer...1985...somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

Just like the monkeys around the obelisk in the movie "2001," we admired a large box in the center of the Ready Room on the mighty warship Midway.

With hesitation, we approached--boxcutter in hand.

Slowly--the package was opened. A gasp filled the void in our conversation.

Lo and behold!!! A Zenith Z-120 PC with DOS, Visicalc, and Wordstar.

Our lives were changed forever...soon we were making six foot long naked lady cheesecake photos on the dot matrix printer. And we ran the ink cartridge out in about 4 days. Couldn't get a new one for months.

[And Stalk slept contently through the whole episode] :sleep_125

And that's what it was like in the "old days!"

 

[HeyJoe]

Whatever man, nobodly is THAT old!

Not only that, calculators were unheard of until I went to college and even then, only slide rules were allowed (first HP calculators were $300 some off dollars in early 70s).

Like 2Sr alluded to, first computers in fleet were Zenith models. We got 3 Z248s per squadron in mid to late 1980s; one for Ops/Ready Room, one for MC and one for Admin. Prior to that, only computers we had were personal PCs that the "early adopters" brought with them in 1985. We had a Skeds O with a Commodore 64 who knew programming and even then, it took weeks to fashion a program to write a flight schedule. In my first squadron and all through school, all I saw was mimeograph machines and typewriters. It was a grand event when first Xerox machine arrived in the squadron in 1984. We could use a Word Processor to generate a flight schedule and then copy it vice typing it on a typewriter on special mimeograph paper.

*My first computer was a Mac Plus that I bought in 1987 and took to work and on deployment.

 

[2sr2worry]

Ah yes...the bouquet of mimeograph fluid. Next best thing to "beer day!" :icon_tong

 

[Flash]

Typically, they "ain't" much to write about on a deployment that is like Groundhod Day. So don't be that guy (or gal)....being the "chatty" or too regular communicator to your significant other might work for you, but cause significant turmoil in the Spouse's Club. The Club can be a marvelous support group, but that can be poisoned by a spouse who is constantly reporting to others on how often you write and news about others that cause great disappointment and hard feelings.

I was going to say something about this but several have already beat me to it. My squadrons had this problem as well, with unnecessary drama from back home affecting deployed guys, which can be bad if you read enough Approach articles and Grandpa Pettibone. We had two or three guys that were 'embargoed' to various degree on deployments while I was in my first squadron because either they, their wives, or a combination of both caused just a bit too much drama. 'Oh, sorry we didn't tell you where we were going last night, too bad.' This was only in extreme cases though.

P.S. No cameras allowed either past sundown, period (unless in the jet). Enough said.

...soon we were making six foot long naked lady cheesecake photos on the dot matrix printer. And we ran the ink cartridge out in about 4 days.

Wow, I am in awe of a true master!

 

[stalk]

Summer...1985...somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

Just like the monkeys around the obelisk in the movie "2001," we admired a large box in the center of the Ready Room on the mighty warship Midway....

...Our lives were changed forever...soon we were making six foot long naked lady cheesecake photos on the dot matrix printer. And we ran the ink cartridge out in about 4 days. Couldn't get a new one for months.

[And Stalk slept contently through the whole episode] :sleep_125

And that's what it was like in the "old days!"

Damn, G's (I mean 2sr2) don't you forget anything? If I remember correctly the one you printed out was a LBFM and only 4 foot long so you didn't run out of ink. At least you had somebody to sleep with for the next three months.

 

[Lobster]

I hadn't really intended to invoke such a strong response but thanks for the heads up.

ps. How do you get your call sign? If I want to be "sonicboom" for example (don't worry, I don't) could I choose it, or is it chosen for you. I recall watching Flight of the Intruder and Danny Glover gives the new LTJG the call sign "Razor".

"You look 12. Did they teach you how to shave at the Naval Academy?"

Boom, you're making me cringe...just because you're from philly, and being someone who's also not even a nugget yet or a spec on anyone's radar I'm going to say this as nicely as possible . I'd be more worried about how bad the traffic is on 95 going north though CT on your way to Newport than phone calls to "Snookie Bear". But seriously this stuff will work itself out and you've got other stuff on your plate right now to deal with like OCS.


And as far as the Call sign thing goes, someone will always remember and it looks like you just did your self in...I hope you don't have a finger that glows in the dark too .

 

[MIDNJAC]

If you get to primary and manage to get a callsign I will be impressed. Most all of us are just no name wannabes....get used to it for a while

 

[OUSOONER]

Boom, you're making me cringe...just because you're from philly, and being someone who's also not even a nugget yet or a spec on anyone's radar I'm going to say this as nicely as possible . I'd be more worried about how bad the traffic is on 95 going north though CT on your way to Newport than phone calls to "Snookie Bear". But seriously this stuff will work itself out and you've got other stuff on your plate right now to deal with like OCS.


And as far as the Call sign thing goes, someone will always remember and it looks like you just did your self in...I hope you don't have a finger that glows in the dark too .

Take me!

 

[Lobster]

Take me!

See, case and point, someone always remembers.

 

[bubblehead]

Thanks for the new avatar you jerks

Well played, MB.

 

[propwife]

Classy avatar..
Not even 'one of the guys' and for some reason.. just saw that one a'coming..

 

[sonicboom]

It's women like her that make me wish to build a time machine and go back to when there were no women aside from nurses.

That, and the worst thing you could get from a hooker the doc could cure with a shot. That would be cool too.

Nice! (the mod's have forgotten about me and moved on to a new unsuspecting prey...)

Ps. I kinda like the new avatar, so thanks to whoever changed it (MB?) but I'll pass on E.T. as a callsign. I appreciate the thought and all...but I'd prefer something more fitting...something cool like "hotshot" or "awesome" or "beast slayer" if that can be arranged... :icon_tong