Playing Rip Van Winkle

 With the intent of 'selling' it when I got out of the Navy, I had been saving up my accrued leave (vacation) so I had a 'little' bit saved up, over 30 days.  So with my recent 'appointment' as Indoctrination Officer, and have a little time before I had to assume that position and start the task of 'receiving' new reports, I decided to take a vacation!  So I put in for 'time off,' 30 days worth of it, I thought for sure that  would be 'enough' time to head back home to Houston, and have a taste of 'life.'  


It wasn't that memorable of a vacation, after all, I was just going home, there were no memorable events or 'snapshot' moments worth capturing for a lifetime of memories.  The entire experience was though noteworthy and in some ways very memorable.  To say the least, it 'wore' me out!  


Having been gone from home, all the people and all the 'things' of home, my time was to say the least 'full.'  Being a sailor, life 'was all about' the party, which is pretty much the way it had been in the days and years before I went into the Navy.  So it was easy to 'go back' and pickup where I had left off essentially. Though I had been gone for a couple of years, it was not enough time so that anyone had really 'grown up.'  That coupled with the fact I was back, the trip home became one big party.  Then, as now, the biggest socializing habit seemed to revolve around alcohol.  And it was no different with me being home.


Every night there was somewhere to go, someone to see - reason for the party to continue!  My drink of 'choice' in that day was Jack Daniels on the rocks with a beer back, with a couple of shocks of tequila mixed in!  With a seemingly cast iron stomach and liver, a 'liquid diet' was often time the norm for me.  Along with all the socializing and partying came a lot of late hours and miles.


Although I had four weeks of leave schedule, at the end of three weeks, I was ready to call it 'done' and made plans to go 'home' back to the ship and a sedate and dry life!  After three weeks of 'living' the life I had left and missed, I was ready to be back to the live I had come to know, so I packed my bags and got on the 'silver bird' and made my way back to the ship and reported back on board, three weeks to the day since I had left and still with one week to 'burn.'  That week turned out to be a blessing!


Before I had left on leave, after accepting the I-Doc assignment, I had received 'ownership of all the divisional spaces.  Most notably at the moment, the small berthing space that would be that of the "I" Division staff.  As it was a Sunday and late when I got back on board, checking in could wait until the next morning, so I made my way to the new berthing compartment that was to be my 'room' for the next few months.  Since I had not 'chosen' my staff yet, the compartment was empty and I had it to myself!  As soon as I got into the compartment, I 'jacked' down the thermostat on the A/C as low as it could go!  Now thermostats on the ship aren't like 'normal' thermostats.  So when I turned it down to 50, 50 is what the temperature got down to - at least it was a good test of the A/C in the room!  And it passed.  


With the door locked, the A/C 'jacked' down, I made my way to the 'rack' [bed] and after undressing climbed in, closed the curtain and turned out the light!  Trust me, lights out there produce dark unlike anything most people ever experience until the lights 'go out' permanently!  The kind of dark, where you can put your hand in front of your face and not even know it is there until you touch your nose!


Being 'set' and ready for a nice slumber, it was a matter of moments and I was out!  'Dead to the world.'  And I slept.  And slept. and slept.  When I finally woke up, I made my way out of the compartment and stumbled to the head [toilet],  It was 'quiet' on in the passageway and I did not 'run' into anyone for awhile.  This seemed normal to me, after all I had came on board on Sunday night, the ship was in the yard so a lot of people would be on vacation and away for other things, life on board would not be normal at the time, there would not be a lot of people or a lot noise.


While I stood at the sink shaving or whatever it was that found me there - a shipmate walked in and I inquired as the time of day.  When he told me it was around 2100 on Sunday night, I exclaimed that it could not be!  It was about the same time on the same day of the week that I cam back on board ship - I know that I had to have been asleep longer than just a few minutes!  So I had to 'press' him and inquire as to the date.  When he told me the date all I could do was shake my head in amazement!  It had been a solid week that I had been asleep!


So after I finished my shower, I headed back to the compartment and wondered what to do.  After all it was Sunday night, most everyone was gone and there wasn't a whole lot to do, so what did I do?  I climbed back in my rack, this time setting my alarm to get up the next morning and went to sleep!

Indoctrination Divison

Without a doubt, my tour in the Navy was an experience, some good and some bad.  Though I would be remiss in admitting I 'hated' the first six weeks - boot camp - without a doubt and more than once found myself thinking of ways to get out!  Another story, for another time.

For the most part, Navy life agreed with me and I adapted to it pretty well in most regards.  Through my adaption and acceptance, I fared and advanced pretty well.  It wasn't without notice and reward by others either.  In as short as time as possible, I had advance to E5, 2nd Class Petty Officer and was in line for the 'next step' when I left.  Along with the advancement an an enlisted man, I also had recommendations for becoming a warrant officer and a commissioned officer.  To say the least, my Navy 'career' had proved to be good in many ways!

The 'biggest' and most prestigious accomplishment of my 'career' had to be my appointment as the Indoctrination Division Office [I Doc].   This position was normally assigned to a junior commissioned offer, but I had been recommended and given the position. It turned out to be not only a privilege, but in many ways and indoctrination of my own in a whole 'new' world!  I Div was the place 'everyone' reported when first reporting aboard the ship and being in the shipyards meant a bevy of new reports, some 'old hands' and some still wet behind the ears!  

There are probably a 'million' stories I can tell about experiences encountered during my time as I Doc Officer, the important thin, for now is for you to know that I was, as it sets the 'stage' for some other relevant events that occurred before I 'left' the Navy. Now my appointment to I-Div officer, came about the time that I 'seriously' considering my fate and whether to 'stay or go.'  While it was a warranted assignment and one which I was and proved to be more than capable, it was also meant to be an 'enticement' to assist me in deciding whether to 'stay or go.

Probably more than providing me with the opportunity to hone and add to my organizational skills, it gave me a door to understanding and dealing with people on a level and in a way that I never had before!  Though previously I had supervised, I had never managed others and now had the opportunity to do so! 

The first 'order of business' was to 'hire' or identify my staff which would be comprised of six 'junior' [E4 - 3rd class petty officers].  An interesting and challenging task, to say the least, to find six sailors with different backgrounds and interests, to compliment my own personality and methods.  

Before we 'all' reported to our new assignments if was first time for me to take 'vacation' [leave] and 'get ready' for it all.  Before I departed on leave, compartments [rooms] were assigned to me for use in the I-div assignment - office space, staff berthing, 'student' berthing and heads [bathrooms].  With space assigned, as well as expectations and duties assigned, it was time for me to depart for my 'vacation.' and to return and play Rip Van Winkle, before assuming the assignments of I Div Officer....

Getting Shorter

As I approached my EOS [End of Service] date during my time in the Navy, the anticipation of getting out grew within me with each passing day!  My experience and time in the Navy had been an experienced filled time and as I approached my EOS, the need for a decision to 'stay or go' was paramount and grew with each day as well.  While the prospect of getting out and returning to civilian life was exciting and inviting, it was at the same time scary in many regards.  'Navy life' has been good to me and the possibilities were endless, or so it seemed. At the same time to continue to live and succumb to the regiment of military life was daunting and in some ways unappealing!

As I counted the days and approached my 'double digits' to the end of the 'tour' the decision of what to do, reenlist or become a civilian 'tore' at me.  The decision was not made any easier with the prospect of what awaited me at home.  Even with all that, the prospects of leaving the Navy, returning to the civilian world and all the questions it presented loomed heavy on my mind.  The decision was not made any easier by the fact that my 'seniors' wished for me to stay and offered many reasons and incentives why I should reenlist.

While my mind was filled with all the prospects, made perhaps even more difficult by the fact it was 'down time' and the ship was between cruises in the shipyard.  At the time, a number of my friends, peers, shipmates had been shipped off for class on a 'new' system - a Wordstar word processing system.  While they were attending school for the new system, I was left behind to 'tend to the ship,' all the thoughts and decisions playing in my mind, and a new Wordstar system!  

It was no secret, I have the propensity and desire to learn all I can, though I am much more astute at learning 'hands on.'  Give me a manual and the 'object' and I can soak it up and most likely learn it 'inside out.'  The new Wordstar system was no different and I became intimate in my knowledge and operation of it!  Actually, when the others returned from class, my knowledge and abilities of the system surpassed their own in many ways.  

This did not go unnoticed by my seniors and soon I was putting together and holding 'advanced' training classes for those 'educated' in the operation of the system.  At the same time, there were discussions about me extending on board the ship for a year.  The purpose of my extension would be to administer the new system, which was to be networked to allow communications between all offices having the system installed.  Along with the extension, should I decide to do so, came numerous perks to entice me in reaching the decision to extend on board and administer the new systems.  

As enticing as it all was, the decision was not any easier and especially from because of the 'pressures' from those at home to 'get back' and return to the mix!  As the day loomed closer for me to make a decision, I decided to abstain and not extend on board to assure the position of system administrator.  Of course my decision was 'applauded' by many of those back home, many of those on board the ship were in disagreement with my decision to 'leave' the Navy and the 'sweet' deal that had been presented to me!

My days were not over yet, and the 'pressure' to change my mind, both about extending on board, or at least 're-upping' in the Navy continued...  With my decision made, or so I thought, I 'eased' into life as a 'short timer' counting my days to depart!

But then came the wager....