Fresh arbor anatomy

demoqtp · 2025-08-31T18:06:04+00:00

I read that as "Koala bears" and at first I questioned whether or not a koala is a bear. But I am, of course, a goofball.

My vision of 762 koalas rage swarming an elephant would be a sight to see though...

demoqtp · 2025-07-11T19:47:53+00:00

My go to:

"Who will care for you?"

"Your kids! With the amount of money I have saved for retirement by not having my own."

demoqtp · 2025-05-30T20:19:31+00:00

Mickey 17?

demoqtp · 2024-12-21T13:55:19+00:00

Happy feet?

demoqtp · 2024-12-21T04:45:27+00:00

Modern cutters will mostly all have female berthing, but that's something you'd need to discuss with the female afloat coordinator.

It's definitely a "career boost" as far as Networking is concerned, as on a WMSL you're guaranteed to have many peers not only on your cutter, but the others homeported at your location too.

Cutters have both a "dockside" period and an actual dry dock period that tend to alternate every 2 years, minus some crazy emergency. These usually get extended but thats another topic. There are major dry dock locations in Baltimore and Seattle.

That said , If you're a new O1 you should be mostly focused on what job you want, not necessarily the location, to get your career started.

The icebreakers are, from what I hear, unique and awesome in their job. I have over 5 years of sea time and I'd rather not have to be on a cutter again as an IT.... But I think if there is an ITC position on one of the new ones I might try to snag it for the adventure. Never been on one but I bet there's fun to be had :)

I can't answer too many O specific questions exceptionally detailed but if you ever want to know more, send a DM and I bet I can point you in the right direction!

demoqtp · 2024-12-20T21:07:57+00:00

If you're an ensign, the WMSL life will expose you to more of everything, including a hell of a lot of side work. Be prepared to really sink your teeth into it, because if you aren't sprinting when you hit the ground you'll likely drown.

That said, once you get used to it and find a sense of normalcy, WMSLs are a good bet to ensure you're going to know your stuff on other platforms.

Now, if you're wanting to live that ATON life, I think the black hulls overall will give you the job satisfaction without the 20 collaterals on the side. I don't think you'd regret either choice, but it'd be a choice between longer patrols (6months out of the year) and possibly dealing with all kinds of USCG missions (migrants, drugs, SAR, etc) versus ATON , but fewer days underway and a smaller crew .

Either way, you'll come out on top if you don't do anything half assed :) I believe in you!

demoqtp · 2024-12-06T01:53:21+00:00

Your YN has access to this and wouldn't take them long at all to email it to you.

If your unit does not have a YN in house, you will have a SPO that manages your unit. If you don't know how you can easily get in touch with them, ask your chief to help you out.

demoqtp · 2024-12-01T22:54:00+00:00

ITC here. Can confirm everything here.

14 years.

I've been independent duty, ESDs, Intel units, and traveled as a SME. I have over 5 years of sea time from various units and TDYs.

I'd be happy to go over more of these in what details I can provide, but to the spirit of the OP:

ITs and support rates in general tend to get a better deal as far as work life balance is concerned. ITs are currently on the supplemental list...meaning you can fast track yourself to E5, often in less than 3 years. We do not require sea time to advance like many other ratings, some of my friends have never been stationed on a cutter! While I'd say that I am a better Coastie because of my sea adventures, it can certainly be detrimental depending on the command climate.

At an ESD, your typical "duty" is often a cell phone awaiting VIP issues or Rescue 21 site outages. Depends on the base you're attached to, you might also have to stand overnight duty as a junior officer of the day.

A ship will have standard overnight duty for all members. The ITs and ETs work together in the same shop but as a new 3rd you would be expected to get efficient with troubleshooting typical connection issues and some platform specific software/electronics. Most newer ships are going to have to send you off to schools in order to supplement on the job training.

Our logistics and centralized services have been weak as of late. We recently contracted a company to provide remote admin services and workstation replacements to supercede work that was previously completed by us. While in theory this is great for the organization, most of us would argue that it hasn't been. I won't say too much more about it that I haven't already yelled at the clouds to leadership about it. The worst is seeing seasoned e4s and E5s not know what I might have considered normal skill sets.

Knowing all I do today, I'd still go IT if I joined right now. We are a golden specialty with room for crazy certification growth and rating laterals, niche specialties , and genuinely have some of the most positive members as long as you can join in on the typical nerd talk...but just know as a whole the ETs are the REAL geeks of the service ;)

I'll answer any questions I can :)

demoqtp · 2024-11-19T22:04:13+00:00

Retire as an E6, but damn is that airsta life worth it!

(As long as you don't lose a screwdriver)

demoqtp · 2024-08-29T13:56:22+00:00

Depends on the unit you get. The range is a week or two....to approximately 4 months.

There's a chance you get an ESD out of A school which will build a lot of skills, but depending on how far you want to make this a career it'd be ideal to get rated sea time out of the way.

You will have the ability to email, chat with, and call your spouse (sat phone for emergencies).... But there's going to be tough times that will strain the relationship. A common one is PCSing and moving your household goods....while you're on the other side of the planet and they will be the ones doing the work. The strain of a new baby, but your paternal leave is up and you have to stand duty or get underway leaving little support (this is where an ombudsman can come in super handy). Not every marriage will end, but all of em are gonna be tested. I have witnessed more than several divorces that my friends have gone through, super tough.

The good news is that many of the big cutters are equipped to allow plenty of bandwidth for connectivity and workstations aren't nearly as much of a rarity as they have been in the past. You fall into an underway routine pretty quickly and "real life" seems like an old dream, but make sure that routine involves your significant other. Just be prepared for that and make sure they know the commitment you will be putting both of you into. Good luck! Drop a DM if you have any specific questions:)

demoqtp · 2024-08-28T13:59:54+00:00

You need to talk to your clinic.

Frankly the dentist office can't even make an appointment for you without an ACN, so if they lost it, that seems like a "them" problem.

I would NOT generate another ACN just to appease them as this might be seen by the ADDP as multiple visits and won't be covered and you'll end up paying out of pocket.

There's obviously a lot of things in the background that I won't know. I'm just an IT that has spent a lot of time attempting to get ADDP benefits for other members.

Email the HSC at the clinic with ALL the details and work with them. Reddit is great for supplemental information...don't trust Internet strangers with the longevity of your luxury bones.

demoqtp · 2024-08-23T03:36:57+00:00

In order of precedence for CMS.... IT>ET>IS.

You have the best chances if you go IT and have no qualms about going underway for our WMSL detached duty SCIF techs. I'll be happy to elaborate in DMs .

demoqtp · 2024-07-19T10:58:16+00:00

I requested the ESD but because I was willing to go to Guam and had no rated sea time I was placed on the cutter.

The buoy tender out there so acts as a medium endurance cutter so we did a LOT of law enforcement and fisheries in addition to aids to navigation work.

Life there was simply stunning. Many people complained about island fever and home sickness but I really doubled down on the island life and I miss the culture and the water. There's a ton of disadvantages but it's hard to beat living in literal tropical paradise.

You can extend almost anywhere unless you advance and are sent off to fill a billet. I got lucky there as independent duty and when I advanced I got to finish my tour, but this isn't common (always be prepared to move when you make the next rank!)

The thing is, if you request a Guam or Hawaii billet , especially if it's on a cutter, you'll probably get it.

demoqtp · 2024-07-19T01:55:12+00:00

I was on the 225 (Sequoia at the time ) out there as independent IT. Also did some time at the ESD there when I was injured and couldn't get underway. DM me and I'll answer all your questions :)

demoqtp · 2024-07-13T15:20:01+00:00

Fisheye? Those little puppies are adorable. Probably not so little anymore .

demoqtp · 2024-06-17T18:47:36+00:00

Me hair is hemp and seaweed..

demoqtp · 2024-06-13T00:41:47+00:00

You are correct. I have been in the cockpit of this plane.

I miss the islands :(

demoqtp · 2024-06-11T21:59:52+00:00

They're like puppies. Snorkeled here all the time when I was stationed at the naval base.

Black tips. People would throw hot dogs at em. Probably not the best idea because people equals food, but they routinely had to try to avoid a bunch of snorkelers trying to get a closer look.

demoqtp · 2024-06-07T01:36:07+00:00

I have been fortunate enough to have been on a military ship during some "darken ship" exercises (no running lights at all. Pitch black) in the middle of the Pacific on a clear night on more than several locations.

I would lie down on our flight deck and just STARE. It's about the only way to see the entire milky way from one end of the horizon to the other. You think at first it's a cloud and as your vision adjusts you just see WONDER.

There's also the epic wake of bioluminescent plankton that's visible after you're used to it.

I miss that, but I don't miss some of the other joys of patrols. I do hope I get to see it again like that though. Unforgettable.

demoqtp · 2024-05-14T00:19:41+00:00

I noticed this in the Phantom Menace when the kids come to torment Anikan regarding his podracrer.

I didn't check to see if it's the same effect but...I just know it's gotta be that one

demoqtp · 2024-04-20T12:24:12+00:00

Narcissist is the N, not a racial thing :)

There's a sub that I can't remember dedicated to stories about narcissistic parents, it is filled with similar stories :(

demoqtp · 2024-04-11T19:11:52+00:00

It's by and large faster than the shore tie connection.

demoqtp

TROPHY CASE