My United States Navy Career



USS Dubuque, LPD-18 and USS Peiliu, LHA-5/Phot US Navy



Well I thought I would get this blog truly up and running by disclosing the illustrious history of my career. As I said in my introduction I served 20 years in the United States Navy, retiring as a AS1 on 31 Dec 2005.  An "AS" is what is called an Aviation Support Equipment Technician.

My job description as an "AS" was as follows:

Aviation Support Equipment Technicians operate, maintain, repair and test automotive electrical systems in ground equipment, gasoline and diesel systems, and associated automotive, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. They also maintain gas turbine compressor units, ground air-conditioning units, perform metal fabrication, repair and painting of tow tractors and other aircraft servicing units.

Their duties include:

• automotive electrical and mechanical repair;
• inspect, test and repair electric generators, motors, hydraulic, pneumatic, and transmission systems;
• gasoline and diesel engine repair and tune-up;
• manufacture and install belts and hoses;
• body work, minor welding and painting;
• brake service and repair;
• service and repair refrigeration and air conditioning systems;
• train and test people in vehicle operation.

This was what I did until about the time I made Second Class Petty Officer or an AS2, after making second class I attended instructor training and that's when I found my true passion, teaching.  For about my last 10 years or so I became a navy instructor teaching Aviation Support Equipment Techs from the US Navy, US Marine Corp, US Coast Guard as well technicinas from other nations such as India, Kenya and Saudi Arabia to name three how to maintain and operate aviation support equipment.

Briefly my commands in chronological order was as follows:

• Boot Camp at Recruit Training Command San Diego, Comapny 001 of 1985.
• Aviation Support Equipment Mechanical "A" School at Naval Air Technical Training Center Memphis, Tn.
• Aviation Support Equipment Technicain "C" School  at Naval Air Maintenance Training Group 3033, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca.
• HSL-31: Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light) 31, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca 
• USS Constellation, CV-64, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca 
• Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, 900 Divison, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Ca
• USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca
• Naval Instructor School, Naval Station San Diego, Ca
• Naval Air Maintenance Training Group 3033, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca. However this time as an instructor.
• USS Dubuque, LPD8, Naval Station San Diego, Ca
• Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department, 900 Divison, Naval Air Station North Island, Ca as a Support Equipment Operator Instructor.
• Honorably retired from the United States Navy, 31 Dec 2005.

So that's my career in a nutshell, most likely I will go in more depth on some of these activities, for example I will eventually have a blog entry on my duties on board the USS Dubuque where my job description was a bit different than any of my other ships where I became a Helicopter Landing Signalman, Crash and Salvage Supervisor on the Dubuqe's flight deck and probably the most exciting a Landing Signalman for the Navy's AV-8B Harrier II jump jet, directing the jets takeoff and landings on a flight deck about the size of a medium size house.

I hope all my readers enjoy my posts, and if there something specific you want to know about the Navy's of any nation feel free to ask and I will do my best to researc the answer.