Greetings from somewhere in the Atlantic. Yes, technology has advanced to the level where I can post to the blog while floating on a giant hunk of steel in the middle of the ocean. All aspects of OPSEC (Operational Security) apply, so don’t expect me to give away any secrets or draw any maps in the sand like Geraldo Rivera. You probably won’t hear about my fantastic liberty ports until I’m well recovered from my hangover and underway again either. What I can do is let everyone know how I’m doing and what kind of antics I’ve been up to while deployed.

First off, for those that don’t know, I’m not “deployed”, deployed, just doing some training in preparation for the big day. We’ve done a couple of these already, some on land and some out on the boat at sea. This is one of the longer ones, so it’s a taste of life away from the family. For you nasty civilians out there that complain about missing shmoopie while he/she is away for the week on business have no idea what real separation is like. There’s no skype out here, no picking up a phone whenever you miss them. I am incredibly fortunate to have easy access to email though. It’s not enough to send videos, as the bandwidth here makes 1994 dial-up look like cutting edge high-speed internet, but pictures and letters work just fine and are giant morale boosters. In fact, email is how I’m posting this and any other updates.

Enough of the whining for now (more to come in later posts for sure). For those that don’t know, I’m embarked on an LHA – basically a warship that is a mix of an aircraft carrier and an amphibious assault ship. It is the epitome of the Marine Corps ethos of Air, Land, and Sea. It’s pretty neat to see grunts shooting out of the back of the ship on landing craft as Harriers and Ospreys launch off the deck for an assault. We may not be quite as big as a “big deck” aircraft carrier, but the flexibility and variety of firepower we bring is unmatched. It’s not all for killing bad guys either. While I may not play much of a role with my Harrier, the MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) winds up doing a lot of humanitarian relief missions. We have this giant ship with a full hospital, plenty of space for supplies, and ships and helicopters to deliver them. It’s not as “sexy”, but we can aide the crap out people when we want to.

I get a lot of questions about the ship itself. In Japan I was on an LHD, which serves the same purpose as an LHA, but is laid out a little differently. The ship we are on is an old one and is due to be made into a coral reef after our float. However, they have been saying that for years now, so they may wind up getting some more miles out of her after all. All we Harrier pilots ask is that we get to take part in the sinking. After 7 months on this steamer, we will take great pleasure in sending her to the depths of the sea. The most common question I get is, “How many people are on the ship?” I keep losing count around 600 or so, but according to Wikipedia, the ship can carry over 3000 people. That includes the ship’s company as well as all the embarked Marine troops. There is no catapult or wires, like on a “traditional” aircraft carrier. The only aircraft that can take off land on an LHA are Harriers and helicopters (to include the Ospreys). As an officer, I live in a 4-man room with bunk-style beds and a couple small wall-lockers. It’s tight living for sure, but nothing compared to how the enlisted guys live. They are in large birthing area with racks stacked 4 high and not much more than a couple drawers for storage. The Navy is one of those places where rank really has privileges. As Marines we also get the leftovers. The Navy personnel have slightly better living conditions, although they spend a lot more time on this steel box.

Shannon and Faye actually got to come aboard the ship when I walked on in Norfolk. It was a unique opportunity for them to see how I live while I’m at sea. I think Faye particularly enjoyed it, as she had no concept of what living on a boat was like. She probably had imagined me spending weeks and months out on a fishing boat. Now she knows exactly where I sleep, work, and eat. What they didn’t get to experience is how this thing moves out at sea. It’s big, but it ain’t no cruise ship, nor does our course vary based on sea conditions. As I write this, you can hear cabinets banging back and forth and things sliding across the deck – and this isn’t really that bad, you should see it in a storm! When the sea gets angry you can definitely feel it on the ship.

We haven’t done as much flying as we would have liked, but I still manage to stay busy on the ship. Routine is key for me, so I have a little schedule I follow with work, meals, gym time, shower, etc. My roommate makes fun of me that I’m like an old man with my exact routine each day. It’s a good crew out here. I like the Harrier pilots and get along well with my roommates. We always make fun of the helicopter guys and vice versa, but the overall atmosphere is pretty good. That’s not always the case, so I can definitely appreciate it.

Posted under Jason | Tags: 24MEU, deployed