Several, OK a lot of years ago I was a snotty nose kid in the Navy. I tried and tried to become a Navy Diver but kept getting turned down. You're way too small. You have a bad leg and won't make it. You're a Boilerman so what good will you be underwater? You're on a Destroyer and one excuse after another.
So after around a year of denied requests one of the ships officers went to bat for me. I was already the Ships Swimmer and been through Rescue Swimmers School but he knew I wanted to dive. So after convincing the CO to send me to school I got orders to SCUBA School in Pearl. But who went with me but the officer that went to bat for me.
Several weeks later we were both back on the ship as Navy SCUBA Divers but I wanted more. So once again I became a pest about going to Second Class School. A few months later I had open orders to a diving command via Second Class School in San Diego and the rest is history and my life changed forever.
Today I open up my e-mail and my wife thought I had suffered a heart attack with a Hurrah or two. That officer that went to bat for me and was my diving partner contacted me. He's 66 doing well and living in the Midwest. One of our other shipmates got out of the Navy and returned later to become an Admiral. He would have been voted less likely to succeed and be the ships screw up by the crew.
What a small world
Gary D.
So after around a year of denied requests one of the ships officers went to bat for me. I was already the Ships Swimmer and been through Rescue Swimmers School but he knew I wanted to dive. So after convincing the CO to send me to school I got orders to SCUBA School in Pearl. But who went with me but the officer that went to bat for me.
Several weeks later we were both back on the ship as Navy SCUBA Divers but I wanted more. So once again I became a pest about going to Second Class School. A few months later I had open orders to a diving command via Second Class School in San Diego and the rest is history and my life changed forever.
Today I open up my e-mail and my wife thought I had suffered a heart attack with a Hurrah or two. That officer that went to bat for me and was my diving partner contacted me. He's 66 doing well and living in the Midwest. One of our other shipmates got out of the Navy and returned later to become an Admiral. He would have been voted less likely to succeed and be the ships screw up by the crew.
What a small world
Gary D.
