LESSONS LEARNED OR AFFIRMED

Keep good company.  While the U.S. Armed Forces is not noted for gentle people, even so, many can be found.  I found several in E Division on the Forrestal and that is who I hung with.  Most were Professing Christians and one, Marv Badget, was going to Moody bible Institute upon discharge.  He, Jim Steele, Charlie Presnell, Jerry Mockma, Tom Wright, and Don Black were outstanding companions.

Romans 8:28 is one of my favorites. (''And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose'') Allow me to share but 2 examples in my life how this verse has applied insofar as the military service is concerned.

Like all young men in the 1960's, I was subject to the military draft. The ''No Fear'' attitude did not exist, at least if you had good sense. I was one of the few young men in my neighborhood who furthered my education beyond high school, at least as far as my meager finances would allow. Eventually, however, my college deferment came to an end. I did not want to serve, thought it an imposition and for some reason thought I was too good to serve in the military service. (I am not proud of any of this.) But thru a series of very fortunate circumstances I was able to enlist in the Naval Reserves before getting drafted. Due to a high score on the entry exam I was offered ''A School'' training in almost any Naval Rate (field) I wanted. At the time I was working as a structural designer at KZF, a local architectural/engineering firm. Not much use for that in the enlisted Naval ranks, so I chose electrical training. So, before being assigned to the Forrestal I received 14 weeks of schooling in basic electricity theory and hands-on training. This set me up for a rather cushy job on the Forrestal but I figured I would never use this training beyond my Naval years. Wrong! In 1971, 5 years later, I barely passed the E.I.T. (Engineer in Training) exam. I do not hold a B.S. degree in civil engineering, thus I lacked several engineering science courses that this rather comprehensive exam covered. Had it not been for the A School training I would not have passed the E.I.T. exam and thus would not have been allowed to take the Professional Engineer exam which I passed in 1973.

Secondly, I needed to be away for awhile. I was 23 years old and still living with my parents. Though I paid room and board, I was still rather sheltered. I wasn't very mature, very self-righteous, prideful, and had a bitter, unforgiving attitude. Not really fit company. I had experienced things common to all young people trying to find their way. I wasn't very resilient. The 2 years away (I understand 1968 wasn't a very good year around here anyway) showed me how to function somewhat on my own, how sweet life really is and is to be embraced, not wasted in a funk. I needed to grow up! Those 2 years helped me get started to that end. – I'm still working on it.