# Today Marks The 60th Anniversary of The Day I Joined The Navy



## Pecos (Jul 13, 2020)

Somehow it doesn't seem real that 60 years have passed since I joined the Navy. 
It was one of the best things I ever did. I was 17 and freshly graduated from High School. 
I was also eager to leave my alcoholic parents in the rear view mirror and see the world. 
I stayed in for over 31 years.


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## Sassycakes (Jul 13, 2020)

*It was almost 54yrs ago when my Husband joined the navy and it seems like just yesterday. We got married when he was on leave.*


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## hollydolly (Jul 13, 2020)

60 years is a very long time... I was just 5 when you joined up Pecos


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## Aunt Bea (Jul 13, 2020)

Happy Anniversary!

Many thanks for your service to our country!!!


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## Pappy (Jul 13, 2020)

Thank you for your service....


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## Ken N Tx (Jul 13, 2020)

Pappy said:


> Thank you for your service....


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## Lewkat (Jul 13, 2020)

I received my AF commission 66 yrs. ago this year.


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## PamfromTx (Jul 13, 2020)

Thank you for your service, Pecos.


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## squatting dog (Jul 13, 2020)

Pecos said:


> Somehow it doesn't seem real that 60 years have passed since I joined the Navy.
> It was one of the best things I ever did. I was 17 and freshly graduated from High School.
> I was also eager to leave my alcoholic parents in the rear view mirror and see the world.
> I stayed in for over 31 years.


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## JaniceM (Jul 15, 2020)

Pecos said:


> Somehow it doesn't seem real that 60 years have passed since I joined the Navy.
> It was one of the best things I ever did. I was 17 and freshly graduated from High School.
> I was also eager to leave my alcoholic parents in the rear view mirror and see the world.
> I stayed in for over 31 years.


Thank you for your service!  and to all our other veterans here, too.


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## Manatee (Jul 26, 2020)

I got _out _of the Navy 61 years ago, came home and married my girlfriend.   We are still together.


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## old medic (Jul 27, 2020)

Ill stand with SD on this one....
Salute to you and Manatee.


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## Pecos (Jul 27, 2020)

Manatee said:


> I got _out _of the Navy 61 years ago, came home and married my girlfriend.   We are still together.


LOL. Who knows, you might have even given me a little "guidance" during that period when our service overlapped. Thanks if you did.
Thanks for your service!


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## RadishRose (Jul 27, 2020)

Congratulations Pecos and I can see that was a smart move for you.

Thank you, and all our veteran friends here, for your courage and service!


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## Pecos (Jul 27, 2020)

Pecos said:


> LOL. Who knows, you might have even given me a little "guidance" during that period when our service overlapped. Thanks if you did.
> Thanks for your service!


Whoops, bad math on my part. We would not have overlapped. My excuse is that I tried to do some math in my head before I had any coffee.


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## Phoenix (Jul 27, 2020)

I assume it added order to your life and gave you some place to belong, a brotherhood of sorts.  Vietnam was raging when I was old enough to be in the military.  I didn't do it, although I did think about it.  At that time a woman had to have her parents permission to enter, if she was 18.  I wouldn't have been suited to it, so it's just as well.  But I wasn't suited to being married to my first husband, who I married at 18, either.  And I could do that without my parents' consent.  At one point he told me he was God in our house.  In a pig's eye.  Anyway, congratulations.


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## Pecos (Jul 27, 2020)

Phoenix said:


> I assume it added order to your life and gave you some place to belong, a brotherhood of sorts.  Vietnam was raging when I was old enough to be in the military.  I didn't do it, although I did think about it.  At that time a woman had to have her parents permission to enter, if she was 18.  I wouldn't have been suited to it, so it's just as well.  But I wasn't suited to being married to my first husband, who I married at 18, either.  And I could do that without my parents' consent.  At one point he told me he was God in our house.  In a pig's eye.  Anyway, congratulations.


I was lucky enough to get into electronics maintenance when I was 17, a field that I loved. I worked on some of the very latest systems, some of which were experimental. Those systems never went into Vietnam so I missed that turmoil. The Navy treated me extremely well and educated me (beyond my intelligence LOL), and promoted me every time I was eligible. 

I was lucky enough to see a good portion of the world and lived in Spain, Japan, South Korea along with visiting much of Africa, South America, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. I spent 7 years in Hawaii, 2 years in San Francisco, and 4 years in Monterey CA. 

I retired with two Masters Degrees and went right into a high tech company. For me it was a dream career with plenty of adventures, technical challenges, and leadership roles. I do know a handful of other people with similar careers, but not that many. At least one went from an 18 year old sailor to 4 star Admiral.

I do not have any idea why I was so lucky, but I loved it.


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## Phoenix (Jul 28, 2020)

Pecos said:


> I was lucky enough to get into electronics maintenance when I was 17, a field that I loved. I worked on some of the very latest systems, some of which were experimental. Those systems never went into Vietnam so I missed that turmoil. The Navy treated me extremely well and educated me (beyond my intelligence LOL), and promoted me every time I was eligible.
> 
> I was lucky enough to see a good portion of the world and lived in Spain, Japan, South Korea along with visiting much of Africa, South America, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. I spent 7 years in Hawaii, 2 years in San Francisco, and 4 years in Monterey CA.
> 
> ...


An amazing journey you've taken.  Thanks for telling us about it.  I'm glad you didn't have to go to Vietnam.  It destroyed some of the people I care about, either immediately or long term.  What was your rank when you retired?  How long were you in?  What were your masters degrees in?  Did you get the degrees while you were in the service or after you got out?


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## Pecos (Jul 28, 2020)

Phoenix said:


> An amazing journey you've taken.  Thanks for telling us about it.  I'm glad you didn't have to go to Vietnam.  It destroyed some of the people I care about, either immediately or long term.  What was your rank when you retired?  How long were you in?  What were your masters degrees in?  Did you get the degrees while you were in the service or after you got out?


I retired as a Commander (O-5) after 31 years. The laws as they applied to me would have enabled me to stay in for a total of 42 years, but my wife's career was taking off and that took priority. The Admiral I worked for offered me the choice of going to Scotland, Japan, or back to Spain. We always wondered if we made the right choice by not going to Scotland or Spain, but my career had "driven our train" for most of our marriage and her career was becoming increasingly important to her. It was her turn, and I settled into a Laboratory setting that was very agreeable. Overall, we are pretty sure we made the right choice, .... as long as we stay away from photos of Scotland.

I got both of my Master's Degrees and my BS in Engineering Science while I was on active duty. My Masters in Business Management was done at night school, but the Navy send me to school full time for my BS and for the Masters in Electronics Systems Engineering. When the Navy sends you to school "on their nickel", you live like a Monk and carry a heavy load. I had one quarter where I had four electrical engineering courses all going at the same time. At the end, they steer you into a research project for something that the Navy needs and for which they would probably have to hire a contractor. In my case, I researched a program that a big company was trying to sell the Navy at a pretty high price tag. My research lead me to conclude that their approach was not realistic, the payoff was likely to be very low, their prototype did not interface with the ship's existing electronics very well, there were better way of doing it, and the $50 million for six ships was too high to begin with. My Thesis helped kill that useless project. Later that company got in touch with me and told me that "I should not bother sending them my resume when I retired." I am still rather proud of that and had they send me something on paper I would probably have framed it.

I got to do many other very interesting things:

I studied environmental chemistry and environmental law at night school and got to lead a couple of EPA inspection teams on site inspections. I was not the expert, my role as a senior officer was to ensure that the station cooperated with the scientists and trust me, their normal preference was to cover things up.

For unknown reasons I was appointed as the Equal Opportunity/Race Relations Officer at a large station. Our sole Black Officer had a subordinate site about 90 miles away. I had a couple of ****** harassment cases that resulted in disciplinary action and one forced retirement. (We still had men who could not accept women in the mid 1970's.) I was also the station legal officer and head of the courts martial board. 

I did a lot of JAG Investigations during my career including one after the hanging death of a military dependent in on-base housing. Very sad.

I briefed President Reagan's Science Board on a particular project that I was focused on. I also had a one-on-one with Admiral Gracie Hopper when she was still on active duty at the age of 72. What an impressive lady and scientist. She is one of my heroes.

So I never suffered from boredom, and I wish that everyone who served had as much fun as I did.


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## Phoenix (Jul 28, 2020)

Pecos said:


> I retired as a Commander (O-5) after 31 years. The laws as they applied to me would have enabled me to stay in for a total of 42 years, but my wife's career was taking off and that took priority. The Admiral I worked for offered me the choice of going to Scotland, Japan, or back to Spain. We always wondered if we made the right choice by not going to Scotland or Spain, but my career had "driven our train" for most of our marriage and her career was becoming increasingly important to her. It was her turn, and I settled into a Laboratory setting that was very agreeable. Overall, we are pretty sure we made the right choice, .... as long as we stay away from photos of Scotland.
> 
> I got both of my Master's Degrees and my BS in Engineering Science while I was on active duty. My Masters in Business Management was done at night school, but the Navy send me to school full time for my BS and for the Masters in Electronics Systems Engineering. When the Navy sends you to school "on their nickel", you live like a Monk and carry a heavy load. I had one quarter where I had four electrical engineering courses all going at the same time. At the end, they steer you into a research project for something that the Navy needs and for which they would probably have to hire a contractor. In my case, I researched a program that a big company was trying to sell the Navy at a pretty high price tag. My research lead me to conclude that their approach was not realistic, the payoff was likely to be very low, their prototype did not interface with the ship's existing electronics very well, there were better way of doing it, and the $50 million for six ships was too high to begin with. My Thesis helped kill that useless project. Later that company got in touch with me and told me that "I should not bother sending them my resume when I retired." I am still rather proud of that and had they send me something on paper I would probably have framed it.
> 
> ...


You've had an impressive career and educational accomplishments.  No, it doesn't sound like you were bored.  I would imagine Gracie Hopper was hassled a lot by men who thought she'd be better off barefoot and pregnant.

There was a lot of sexism directed at me when I was in college and in the work-a-day world.  One professor, who I went to to get help with in chemistry, since I did not have a background in it in high school, told me that going to medical school was something I should not do since I was a woman.  At that point I wanted to become a psychiatrist.  In a job interview I was turned down because I was female, and this guy told me that women were not welcome in the investment fields.  Now, at the time I was turned down for the job, the ACLU might have backed me, but I didn't want the job that much.  It was after the murders and I did not have the energy to deal with a bunch of male jerks.  I was probably smarter than he was in the field of math.  It was my best subject in school.

Most men I've known would not have given up their career goals to allow the wife to pursue hers.  That means that you are one of the good guys.  What was her career?  Did you have kids together?

As for Scotland...are you Scottish?  I'm an American mutt and part of that mutt-ness is Scots-Irish.  My family name is Scottish.  There's even a family castle that is rubble at this time.   My dad's family moved to this country in the 1600s.  Mary Queen of Scots sought to behead some of them.   I'd often thought I might like to see the area, but I don't like to travel, so that's out.  I figure where ever I go, there I am.  I'd rather see it on tv or in photos

Thanks again for sharing your story with us.


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## squatting dog (Jul 28, 2020)

Part Scottish here. Clan MacAlister and Clan  McLellan, according to some searching we've done.


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## Pecos (Jul 28, 2020)

Admiral Gracie Hopper might have been pushed around early in her career, but she became a National Treasure and nobody would have been foolish enough to give her any grief. Those of us who knew this distinguished scientist and what she had done were very grateful to even have the chance to talk to her. She gave me some useful steerage on my thesis.

It really bugs me when I hear of the crap some women have to put up. My wife and my daughter have both recounted numerous incidents and they anger me every time. Men need to get their heads on straight since so many families are strongly dependent on the income of the wife. It certainly makes a difference in my retirement life style.

My wife has a Masters In Public Administration and as a Government Contracting Specialist focused on large High Tech purchases and contracts. Her thesis focused on the transfer of government developed technology to the private sector and resulted in us moving from the DC area to South Carolina. I went to work at another High Tech Electronics company the day I moved down here.

I had the pleasure of working with a fairly large group of brilliant women in the early/mid 1970's when women were first coming into the Navy in larger numbers. They were largely recruiting women with high IQ's, and I had about 25 of them working for me in a technical group. That was a real eye opener. I also had about 25 male sailors and 25 marines. The marines and sailors were above average IQ, but those women were all over 130 and several were above 145. Their job performance was off the charts. The Senior Chief (E-8) that I pushed into retirement had some kind of an issue with them and was a threatening absolute jackass. I offered him the choice of putting his request for retirement on my desk or I would move forward with the process of reducing him in rank. I had that paperwork in about 45 minutes.

We do not have any children together, but my wife and my two adult children get along exceptionally well. My wife and my daughter are very close. When they get on the phone, the conversation goes on for hours. My son is a high school teacher coach and my 50 year old daughter is in the watch industry. She worked her way up to Senior VP at the third largest watch company in the world and spent 8 years managing two production plants, one in Hong Kong where she lived, and one in mainland China. Her stories about having Chinese men working for her are incredible. In the end, she got the respect and cooperation she needed. Our relationship with China has impacted her company and she returned to NYC and continued to run things from there for another year before she was "downsized."  Now she has a consulting business of her own.

Ancestry tells me that I have some Scottish and Irish blood in me. My mother's maiden name was McCormack, but I have not explored it beyond that. To the best of my knowledge, none of my ancestors were ever beheaded, ... and that is an awful way to go. I am predominately Norwegian and Finnish.


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## Phoenix (Jul 28, 2020)

squatting dog, I don't know the name of my family's clan.  I could guess but it would only be a guess.  I have a family history in books that goes back to the 1600s, but it never mentions a clan.


Pecos said:


> Admiral Gracie Hopper might have been pushed around early in her career, but she became a National Treasure and nobody would have been foolish enough to give her any grief. Those of us who knew this distinguished scientist and what she had done were very grateful to even have the chance to talk to her. She gave me some useful steerage on my thesis.
> 
> It really bugs me when I hear of the crap some women have to put up. My wife and my daughter have both recounted numerous incidents and they anger me every time. Men need to get their heads on straight since so many families are strongly dependent on the income of the wife. It certainly makes a difference in my retirement life style.
> 
> ...


I'm Scots-Irish, German, French and English.  I had a guy tell me I had French ankles once.  That was a line I'd never heard before.  Guys come up with all kinds of things to get into one's pants.  Sometimes it's amusing, sometimes tiresome and sometimes it's flat out rude.  Of course, if one has been raped....  I was raped by a guy I worked with when I worked for a school district.  I thought he and I were friends.  I was 110 lbs at the time.  He was a 330 lb heavy weight lifter.  I won't go into the details, but I trusted him.  He pinned me into place and did want he wanted.  Afterward he said he didn't know why I was upset, that he'd wanted me for a long time.  My husband at the time didn't believe a woman could be raped.  If I'd turned this guy in, I would have lost my marriage and at the time, I could not afford a place on my own.  I was living on a clerk's salary.  When I told the guy our friendship was over, he didn't understand.

So you just wanted to go to Scotland to see what it was like to live there?  I look at places in Scotland, and I don't see many trees.  I like trees.  I live in an area that was rain forest before it was stripped of the trees and became plantation farming of Douglas fir.  The men in my family were loggers.  That's the work there was, back then.  Women had very few ways they could earn a living out here, back then.  My mom told me and my sister that for a woman to have job was a sin.  So I was raised to be a subservient wife.  That didn't work. 

Interesting that you got to work with so many intelligent women.  For me it would have been nice to be around them.  I had to take college classes to find them.  Glad your wife and kids get along.  Thanks for sticking up for women.  My husband feels the same way as you.  It took me three times to find the right one.


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