Bruce A. Uberti, CTRCS USN Retired, 1968-1994 I was getting into a LOT of trouble during high school. Since I was so skinny and scrawny, I joined a gang so I wouldn't get beat up so much. Didn't know what I was going to do after school, but Selective Service made my decision for me. I received a 'greetings' before my 18th birthday in 1968. The SSS office told me it was a mistake, but I didn't want to take any chances. One fine day found me taking the Air Force entrance tests at the recruiting center. I did well, and they put me on their 'list'. The list, I found out, wasn't going to keep me out of the draft, so I headed for the Coast Guard Recruiter. Their office was closed. Walking quickly past the Army and Marine Corps offices brought me to a first class gunners' mate, resplendent in his dress blues. He said, "Looks like you have a problem. Want to come in and talk?" I signed up for delayed entry with a guaranteed school in April, and got on the bus for San Diego on August 5, 1968. We went through all the ASVAB testing and then got to talk to a real person. He asked me what school I wanted. Since my step father had been a printer, I wanted to be a Lithographers' Mate until I found out it was OJT, usually on a Carrier. The Classifier said - "How about Communcations Technician? They don't go to sea unless they volunteer, and the school is 20 weeks long in Pensacola." I asked what they did. He handed me the Classification Manual and I remember the short job description to the last word: "Performs communications related functions under the direct cognizance of the Chief of Naval Operations." My kinda job. Washington DC working for the CNO! Pensacola was good. I did a LOT of night school in basic, then went to SAC (Student Awaiting Clearance) for two months. I remember CT1 Sage dragging me out of the shower while getting ready for another long mid watch at one of the security gates. He had my security badge and just wanted me to sign it so he could get it back to the SSO. The rest is, as they say, history. A lot of good tours. Quite a bit of sea duty, and more friends and shipmates than anyone could ask for. My kinda job. Our Navy. Bruce