As many of you know, today marks the end of my tour on board USS Virginia (SSN 774). I met the boat in Greece back in Jan. of 10 and rode her for 4 years, 11 months, and 23 days. I had the pleasure of deploying 3 times, including 2 northern runs and 1 mediterranean cruise. I visited 7 different countries and spent over 660 days at sea, of which, 97 days was the longest stint. Over the years, I had both lows and highs, as one would expect. From the 20 months of hell that was the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in NH, to the drunken first night on the pier in the UAE and the various swim calls off the coast of Florida where we caught sharks and cooked burgers topside, we stuck by each others sides. Being a part of the best Machinery Division in the fleet was something words cant even begin to describe. Kevin Atkinson, Donnie DiPiazza, Aaron Hennekens, Nate Bollig, Nicholas Gavazzo, Chris Emens, James Lewis, and Julian Burns, you guys are real heroes. It is truly an honor to have served with all of you. I guarantee I would not be where I am today without each and every one of you. Thank you for allowing me to qualify EWS prior to leaving. It really is a reflection on the hard work you guys put in to train me and mentor me. As I start a new chapter in my Naval career by moving to San Diego, I want everyone to know that if you need anything, please dont hesitate to ask. If I learned one thing from the boat, its the camaraderie that makes it all worth it, or in some peoples cases, bearable. To the entire crew of the USS Virginia, both past and present, take care.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 22:21:46 +0000
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