Jim Barnett, CAPT USN Retired, 1965-1998


Another Officer goes behind the green door.
 
My story begins in High School...Zama American High School, Camp Zama,
Japan.  My dad was stationed as the Admin officer at NSGA Kami Seya so in
1960, that is where I was as well.

I was not, however, in the Navy but rather, a pulling guard on the High
School Football team...oh, and life guard at the Kami pool.
During that tour and the previous tour at Navy 85 (any guesses???) I noted
that dad worked with a lot of really good people who seemed very smart and
totally dedicated.

So I asked him one night over dinner what it was, exactly, that he does. 
His answer started me in the right direction..."We sit around and drink
coffee and shoot the bull all day. "Now that is a career I could relate to.
So dad asked if I would be interested in the Naval Academy...my
answer..."And wear a tie to class???  No way" so that was the end of that
discussion.

We then transferred to Pensacola where I graduated high school and headed
off to Junior College...I wasn't sure why college was important but it
seemed to be a fun way to go.

I was majoring in Aero and doing ok so dad handed me the catalogue for the
Air Force Academy and I showed some interest (what isn't to like...cool
mountains and like that).

So dad said "since you don't seem to mind wearing a tie to class (the Air
Force Academy) take a look at this catalogue and it was to Navy.
Well, I applied to both and NROTC and got a lot of offeres includeing Air
Force and Navy and so it was off to Annapolis.  Not sure why, other than
the outstanding sailors my dad had served with.

Bad move...at that time (Class of 1969) you could not become go 1610 unless
you were not qualified for the unrestricted line...and I was qualified so
off I went.

Now I had Scott Parish and Jim MacFarland both advising me to go surface
and get my SWO and then look for conversion. Not so easy...Zumwalt decided 
I would be selected as one of his Mod Squaders and my course was set....
So I volunteered to SEALS (a true act of desperation) and went into the
program...until they found that my eyes were not up to speed so I was
offered a few other options... I chose Swift Boats in Vietnam...still very desperate.
Having survived a year of running the rivers, the CNO (Still Elmo)
generated a letter that said anyone who volunteered for Vietnam could go
wherever they wanted...if they survived. I chose CINCUSNAVEUR and specifially 
the cryptologic department...Don Wickstrand was there and promtly sent me a 
letter advising me that starting a cryptologic career at a CINC was not a good move.
Go for Bremerhaven so I did.  Darn if they didn't close it (I was still in
the rivers with my Confidential clearance...) so when my orders arrived it
was to CINCUSNAVEUR.

The detailer (still a 1110) indicated that he really didn't care if it
killed me since I was working so hard to get out of the Mod Squad..."Forget
about a career in the navy...enjoy London." While there I got my designator 
changed to 1610 and the rest, as they say, is history...in my mind anyway.

I retired after 29 fine years...having never done a tour at NSA or SECGRU
HQ...as a Captain.

Great career...and dad was right...just drinking coffee and shooting the
bull was exactly where I needed to be.

Be well...Jim Barnett