Anchors Aweigh

I wouldn't say I'm much of a writer, so I never really considered writing a blog. What would I write about? Who would read it? Lucky for me, I have 9 other people who are assigned to read what I write... for a little while, anyway.

I have many names and/or titles. I am a father, a husband, a friend, a submariner and an officer; just to name a few. I think it's safe to say those ARE in a particular order.

I have two lovely young ladies who call me Dad (ages 12 and 10) and I'm madly in love with their mother, my wife Tami. Tami happens to be my best friend as well. Until recently I was stationed on board the USS Houston (SSN 713... HOOOYAH!), home ported in Guam, where I served as the Communications Officer, Chemical and Radiological Assistant and Assistant Engineer.

I graduated from Sallisaw High School (home of the Black Diamonds) in 1994. After a couple of cheesy jobs and a failed attempt to go to school, I decided I needed to get out of that town and do something. That something turned out to be the Navy. My buddy was talking to the recruiter and I figured I would see what she had to offer too. Three weeks later I was heading to boot camp in Great Lakes, IL.

After boot camp, I went to Orlando, FL and began the arduous task of training for the Navy's prestigious Nuclear Power Program. While I steeped in math, physics and all things "nuclear power", I managed to meet my wife. The final leg of training was completed in Ballston Spa, NY in 1996.

In Jan 1997, I reported to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in Norfolk, VA. Tami and I got married shortly thereafter. While on board the "Mighty Ike", I completed 2 deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf. Tami and I were also blessed with our first baby girl.

After having spent the majority of our first 3 years of marriage apart, we moved back to Ballston Spa for some much needed shore duty. Our second was born a few months after we moved. Near the end of this tour, the Navy offered us the opportunity we couldn't pass up. We were sent to Salt Lake City in order to get my degree and a commission.

I graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Physics and went back to the Navy's nuclear power cradle for additional training. All that completed, my family and I were pleased to serve on the beautiful south pacific island of Guam.

I'm now teaching Naval Science classes at the University of Oklahoma for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. I just began my masters program, secondary math education, and hope to finish in 2 years, including certification.

The Ballast Tank, started as an assignment, may just be the outlet I need. For those who are not familiar with submarine construction, a ballast tank is a void in the submarine hull where water can be taken in, or expelled, in order to control depth and keep the sub on an even keel. Hopefully, this blog can serve a similar function and keep me on an even keel.