Shellback initiation

I first crossed on way from the Persian Gulf to Darwin, Australia on USS Helena (SSN-725) on 22 February 1994 (15 years ago, wow!), Longitude CLASSIFIED!

As is Navy tradition, there were some initiation rituals and a ‘Steel Beach Picnic’ and swim call on the equator.

Now get below decks and swap – Pollywog!

Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day.

As a former submarine sailor, and son of a career Navy “Chief”, I’ve got first hand experience as to the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform.  Please take the time to thank them for their service to the country, not just today…. but every day.

If you’re a vet, please consider joining one of these or the many other organizations that support you:

If you’re a civilian, please consider contributing to one of these organizations or their respective causes.

I salute you all.

Places I’ve Lived…

I began my life as a “Navy Brat” as such, my family moved every few years… later I too spent six years in the Navy prior to settling down in the Chicago area for school and work… here’s a history of my journeys.

  • Rice Lake, WI
  • Pensacola, FL
  • Todendorf, Germany (03/1974 – 03/1976)
  • Ft. Meade, MD (1976-1979)
  • Adak, AK (1979 – 1982)
  • Winter Harbor, ME (1982-1985)
  • Adak, AK (“again!” 1985-1988)
  • Rice Lake, WI (August 1988- July 1989)
  • “Boot Camp” Great Lakes, IL (July – Sept. 1989)
  • Groton, CT (Oct. 1989 – Dec. 1990)
  • Pearl Harbor, HI (Jan. 1991- July 1995) – onboard SSN-725
  • Rice Lake, WI (July 1995- Oct. 1995) – mostly traveling.
  • Glendale Heights, IL (Oct. 1995-1996)
  • Palatine, IL (1996-1997)
  • Wood Dale, IL (1997-1998)
  • Carol Stream, IL (2000-November 2007)
  • Plainfield, IL (November 2007-present)

USS Helena (SSN-725)

I should add that I spent about 4.5 years of my life (from 1990-1995) living on a submarine. The ‘boat’ was stationed in Pearl Harbor, HI at that time and made several deployments in the Pacific Ocean. For you bubble-heads, it consisted of one NORPAC, two WESTPAC (the second one incuded some time in the Persian Gulf), and several EASTPAC deployments.
More information can be found here… http://www.skotfred.com/ssn725.php

I’ve made port calls in the following places…

  • San Diego, CA (Point Loma)
  • Bangor/Bremerton, WA
  • Victoria/Esquimalt, BC Canada
  • Nanoose, BC Canada
  • Guam
  • Yokosuka, Japan (south of Tokyo)
  • Sasebo, Japan (north of Nagasaki)
  • Chinhae, Korea
  • Pattaya Beach, Thailand
  • Singapore
  • Bahrain
  • Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Dubai
  • Darwin, NT Australia