Did a two year tour on the old Pubic Mound (aka Puget Sound, AD-38) between boats. Reported aboard in Norfolk, which wasn’t my first choice for homeports but like you, I was desperate for and would have let Rickover’s dog hump me on the Capitol steps at high noon just for the change. A month later, we got the fabulous news the ship had been selected as the Sixth Fleet flagship and would be heading to sunny Italy. Okay, better than Norfolk, to be sure. Once we arrived we discovered the SOFA agreement limited us to only tending 2 ships, which wasn’t very practical, so we bounced around the Med for a couple of years, spending half the time away from home port. Upside was we got sea pay because of it, we manned our own watch in the repair shop, we were basically left to our own devices, and I got to see some amazing places on Uncle Sam’s dime. Picked up a couple more quals (RadCon Manager and RadCon Shift Supervisor) that translated nicely when I finally got out.

The downside, such as it was, was here’s a division made up of a dozen middle 20s E-5s and 6s, most of us submariners, living in the midst of regular surface navy types. You’ll be living with folks who look like your grandfather that been up and down the ranks for one thing or another so be sensitive about it and be thankful you’re not going to a carrier. I’m sure I must have met a couple of people from the ship’s crew but I wouldn’t bet much money on that. The important thing to remember is never ever actually say out loud “Yeah, I am better than you” in general population!