I joined the Navy under the Delayed Entry Program just prior to my senior year of high school. Knowing that I wanted to go to medical school, and that my parents, nor my grades were going to be able to support that, I figured I’d earn the money while serving my country.

     On 7 July 1987, I shipped out from the MEPS Station in Philadelphia to the Recruit Training Center (RTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois for basic training. My arrival and greeting at Boot Camp was a shock. But Boot Camp, for the most part, was not that bad and I quickly adapted to my new surroundings. I served as my company (232) yeoman and graduated with honors, receiving the Navy League Award.

     Following Boot Camp I made the short journey across the street from RTC to the Naval Training Center (NTC). I spent the next 3 months in “A” school – earning my rating (job). In December of 1987, I graduated, again with honors, as a Hospital Corpsman and was advanced to Petty Officer Third Class (HM3 / E4). 

     I left Great Lakes for more follow-on training, a “C” school in which I received specialized training to take me from a general duty corpsman to a technician, a Histopathology Technician to be specific (HM-8503). From January to June of 1988 I attended school in Washington, D.C. at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) – a tri-service command located on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center compound. 

     Having graduated from school I was finally heading off to my first official duty station – Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton. While there I worked not only in my pathology specialty, but also as a lab technician (which they were very short on). I was also given the opportunity to work as a field corpsman with the Marines whenever a unit needed extra help. 

     In August of 1990, the Navy was looking for pathology technicians to man the National Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware in preparation for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Having a passion for forensic medicine, I quickly volunteered and made the trek all the way back across the states to AFIP in Washington, D.C. and then detailed to the mortuary in Dover. When Desert Storm concluded, I was sent back to AFIP where I worked in the labs performing medical research. 

     It was while working at AFIP that I finally was promoted to Hospital Corpsman Second Class (HM2 / E5) - after taking the exam 5 times!!!  It was also when I was sent on an extended temporary assignment to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. They had a need for a pathology technician and I volunteered to go (in light of how much I enjoyed being stationed with the Marines the first time). 

     In September of 1991, I was transferred to Camp LeJeune where I met Kelly and quickly fell head over heels in love with her. My tour there was short, but very eventful and I was transferred back to AFIP in January of 1992. For the next 6 months, Kelly and I would maintain a long-distance relationship with me traveling every weekend from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, North Carolina (8 hours, each way). It was a hectic time, but well worth it.

     In March of 1993 I was transferred from AFIP to Groton, Connecticut where I attended the Basic Enlisted Submarine School (BESS) in preparation for becoming a Submarine Independent Duty Corpsman. I graduated BESS and moved into the Naval Undersea Medical Institute (NUMI) building and started a year long, highly intensive school to train me to be the sole medical person aboard an isolated submarine, responsible for the 120+ men aboard no matter what happened. The training is similar to that of a Physician Assistant in the civilian sector. 

     I graduated from NUMI with honors in June of 1994 and was meritoriously promoted to Hospital Corpsman First Class (HM1 / E-6) and transferred to the fast-attack submarine, USS JACKSONVILLE (SSN 699) in Norfolk, Virginia. From July 1994 to October 1997 I made 3 North Atlantic security patrols and a Mediterranean deployment. For the most part I spent about 70% of that time away from home.

     Following sea duty I transferred to the Naval Ambulatory Care Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, located on the Naval Shipyard (where submarines were overhauled and decommissioned). Maine was absolutely gorgeous but my upper chain of command was not conducive to my my career (or anyone else's except their own) so I terminated my 3 year assignment after only 18 months and was temporarily back at NUMI in Groton, CT for "refresher" training prior to reporting to my next submarine.

     It was in September 2000, while at NUMI that I was promoted to Chief Hospital Corpsman (HMC / E7) and then transferred to the USS FLORIDA (SSBN 728) (Gold) in Bangor, Washington.  While assigned to FLORIDA GOLD I made 3 strategic deterrent patrols.

     In September of 2002 the FLORIDA was selected to be converted from an SSBN (ballistic missiles) to a SSGN (guided missiles).  So we left Bangor and changed homeport to Norfolk, Virginia.  Just prior to the homeport change I was administratively transferred to the Blue crew.  In January of 2003 the FLORIDA was officially designated as SSGN 728 in Norfolk.

     I agreed to stay an additional 2 years on the FLORIDA at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, in dry dock undergoing a refueling and SSGN conversion.  While in the shipyard, on 07 May 2004 I was advanced to Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman (HMCS / E8) and I'm now proudly sporting a new star atop my fouled anchors.

     After 5 years on the FLORIDA, serving on both the Gold and Blue crews, it was time to head to shore duty.  After a lengthy application and selection process, I was selected to serve as the Command Senior Chief of the USS CONSTITUTION in Boston, Massachusetts.  It was a dramatic change over what I was used to in the submarine community, but a very good one.  While assigned to CONSTITUTION I was selected as a Command Senior Chief, promoted to Master Chief (HMCM / E9), and then selected for conversion to a Command Master Chief (CMDCM).

     After selection to Command Master Chief, I negotiated my transfer orders and left CONSTITUTION on 01 October and reported in to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron TWO in Portsmouth, Virginia.  Yes, that's the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.  So I'm back to right where I was before CONSTITUTION.  This is now our third time in Virginia.  MSRON 2's mission is to provide rapidly deployable security (both landward and seaward) to naval assets throughout the world.  Some of our primary missions are escorting submarines through the canals, security for the oil platforms in the North Arabian Gulf, and escorting vessels in and out of the Gulf.  I thought my last assignment was a big change from submarines - this one is HUGE.  It should be exciting.