I've only been in the navy for about three years and have been on shore duty in Korea for the last two. What can I expect when going to sea for the first time? (I'll be going to CG-56 USS San Jacinto out of Norfolk).

- IT2 Wesley Matulis

My experience on a CG was CG-63, USS Cowpens for 5 yrs.

Get used to hearing "Under way, shift colors". You'll find out CG stands for Constantly Gone. Especially if picked for Carrier Escort.

Also expect alot of Combat Systems Training Team (CSTT) training, ESWS quals, collateral duties, inport watches, 3M, DC Maint, Antenna maint, deck preservation, fan room cleaning and preservation, along with doing your job in Radio Central (if it's still called that).

Make sure you have a full seabag. Never know when the powers that be might pull a seabag inspection on you.

Get your pin and use the experience to your professional advantage. Have fun and enjoy the port calls!

You should start looking over your ESWS book. If you need on for CG-56, just send me an email, and I will send it to you.

Hi!!!

Just like what everyone else is saying,get your pin. dont sit on it because there wont be a relaxed time for you to do it. I tried to wait towards the end of my deployment (IT2 on a DDG) and ended up awake for almost 72 hours and when i finally passed my final i had hit my rack for a few minutes and almost slept through my pinning ceremony. I managed to run to mess decks a few seconds before the Capt came. Dont overdue it, give yourself time to learn and dont get mad if you dont remember every single detail. It just like that phrase you might hear, "whats the difference between a med student that graduates with a 3.0 and a med student with a 4.0? Nothing, their still doctors."

Full seabag is a must. You might hit a port where they might still be in their whites while your in your blues, and you might do some color guard stuff.

Goto medical and get sea-sick pills ya never know. Pack yourself snacks, i mean a ludicrous amount of snacks. Theres been times when new day and lunch ran at the same time and i didnt get a chance to eat. Also midrats suck, on any ship.

HTH

if you have anymore questions i can answer for days. i was on a 6month deployment to the gulf, my first and only westpac.

Good luck!

Get underway. It's great on a small boy (or was when I was doing it). Small crew and everyone helps out. You don't get lost in the crowd. Better liberty too! Pierside vs anchored out!

Learn all the RF side you can if you've been tied to the networks. Makes you even more marketable when you decide to hang it up.

No one really tells shore stories anyway!