David C. Danbom CTRCS 1965-1985 Boy it wasn't that easy to be a Communications Technician when I enlisted in the Navy in October 1965. I wanted to be a Seabee (CB) (Construction Battalion), but became a CT. When I decided to join the Navy, I was working on highway construction in Wyoming. I really enjoyed the work and thought that would be a neat job and my oldest brother was a WWII CB. So went to the Navy Recruiting Office in Casper, WY; walked in and said, "where do I sign up." I was an easy hook. The recruiter said I had to pass a test first. So, I was given a test sheet and taken into a room and was given a seemingly long time to take the test. I was astounded on how simple the test was, i.e., one question showed a picture of a wood screw and then pictures of a screwdriver, a hammer, and something else. I was to pick the appropriate tool to use. I was quickly done, and the recruiter was rather suspicious when I came out of the room so soon. He said, “we need to check this over. He seemed surprised that I had "aced" the test. So now I could sign my life away." I asked for two conditions; that I would be a CB and that I would leave from my hometown in Nebraska in six weeks. He said no problem on delaying my enlistment and having me leave from my hometown. As for being a CB, he said that he couldn't guarantee it, but he would note on my paperwork my desire and my construction experience. I accepted that with a grain of salt. So, on October 26th, 1965, I headed for Denver to the Induction Center. After passing my physical, along with about 100 other guys we were put on a plane to Chicago, destination Great Lakes Recruiting Center on the shores of chilly lake Michigan. As was the case back in the "old days" when I came in, you didn't pick your rate or job until you had taken all your vocational tests the first part of boot camp. The tests started at "O" dark thirty and I feel asleep during the language test, I scored so low I would not have qualified to be an English linguist. My highest score was in Morse code, another test I think I feel asleep taking and maybe that is why they made me a CTR. Again, I digress. So, part way through boot camp we were told to write down the three ratings that we wanted to apply, "strike" for. I chose all Sea Bee ratings. On the day that my company marched into a building to "pick" our rating, I was asked if I wanted to be a CB. Wow, the recruiter did pull some strings. I said yes and was taken aside where I was given some sort of vision test. Then I went and sat down to wait my turn. I then notice that every recruit that came through the door was asked the same question and most said no. I tasted my earlier grain of salt on my tongue. When I sat down with a classifier, the guy that ultimately picked my rating, he looked at my list of CB ratings and said we don't need any of these ratings. How would you like to be a Sonar Technician, a Radarman, or a Communications Technician? I guess he had his own list. I remember watching the Sonar Tech in movies find enemy submarines and that sounded exciting. I kind of knew what a Radarman did because my brother was one when he was in the Navy and got a good paying job when he got out. I asked what a Communications Technician did and the classifier said he didn't know. So, with little say in the matter, I signed off on the list and was told to go down the hall and talk to a Chief. He sat me down and asked me some very personal questions about my "lifestyle", any trouble I had been in, and my family history. After answering the questions, he told me I needed to provide my entire family history in two weeks. I know now that he was a Communications Technician, Administrative Chief, my first encounter with my soon to be rating. Thankfully my Company Commander allowed me to make a collect phone call to my mother who promised to get me all the family information ASAP. I got a letter a week or so later and was able to get my security forms filled out. In the meantime, I looked up Communications Technician in my Blue Jackets Manual, (which I still have), and all it said was, "Perform special communication duties under cognizance of the Chief of Naval Operations." Intriguing but not very informative. Anyway, near the end of boot came I found out that I was going to be a Communications Technician "R" branch and going to school in Pensacola, FL. I learned Morse code in my basic "Class A" school but did not know what I was going to do until I was halfway through school. I was quite surprised and excited when I found out what my role in the Navy would be. If you are interested, you can google "Cryptologic Technician" to find out, since I can't tell you. Today I live in Pensacola, only a couple miles from Corry Station where I attended school and ultimately finished my career in 1985 as a training manager. I can sometimes hear evening colors sitting in my living room or morning colors lying in bed, I am retired, you know. As it turned out, it was the best of the three ratings on my list and I never looked back. I doubt that if I had been given one of the other ratings whether I would have made it a career. I certainly enjoyed my 20 years as a Communications Technician, a rating which incidentally changed its name to a more descriptive name, Cryptologic Technician. David Danbom CTRCS RET