I joined the Navy in July 1987, as an Interior Communications Electrician (IC) and went to boot camp at Naval Training Center, San Diego. After boot camp, I attended Basic Electricity & Electronics School, followed by Interior Communications Class "A" School, graduating as Honorman from both schools.

I arrived at my first duty station, USS Mobile (LKA 115) in Long Beach, Calfornia in March 1988. Shortly afterward the ship deployed to the Western Pacific for a period of 6 months.

Following duty aboard the USS Mobile, I attended Interior Communications Class "C" school, graduating Honorman.

I was then stationed aboard the USS Vincennes (CG 49) in San Diego, California. While stationed aboard the Vincennes, I was temporarily assigned to duty aboard the USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) where I served from June - September 1990 in the Persian Gulf during the war. I returned to the USS Vincennes in September 1990 and deployed to the Western Pacific for another 6 months (a total of 10 months for that deployment).

I was honorably discharged from active duty in July 1993, and spent 18 months in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) before joining the Selected Reserve in February 1995.

Upon joining the Selected Reserve, I was stationed with my brother Dave at Special Boat Unit Eleven (SBU XI) in Vallejo, California, where I served until September 1997, when the unit decommissioned.

In October 1997, my brother and I transferred to Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 104 in San Jose, CA., where I cross-rated to Engineman.

In March 2000, we transferred to Naval Space and Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Unit 220, in San Jose, CA, where we are assigned as Information Technology Instructors at SPAWAR's IT21 Afloat University.

Summary of my duty stations

07/1987 Naval Training Center, San Diego
03/1988 USS Mobile (LKA 115), Long Beach
04/1990 USS Vincennes (CG 49), San Diego
06/1992 USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), San Diego
09/1992 USS Vincennes (CG 49), San Diego
06/1993 Discharged from Active Duty
02/1995 Special Boat Unit Eleven (SBU-XI), Mare Island
09/1997 Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare (MIUW) Unit 104, San Jose, CA
02/2000 Space Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Unit NRSSC 220, San Jose, CA