Week one

All,

So, we have finished week one. I can already feel the tropical breezes of Hawaii. No more freezing rain or rough seas, I am a happy girl. Not like I really noticed, because I went outside today for the first time since we pulled into San Diego on Tuesday. I have to force myself to go topside, I spend way too much time in the dark, cold, blue lights of Combat.

We finished with a ship training inspection which made the first few days pretty busy and now we are able to focus on deployment (ULTRA-S for those who know acronyms). We have some trainers on board right now teaching us how to be an alternate warfare commander for Air Warfare. For anyone who does not know, the watch I stand underway is Anti-Air Warfare Coordinator. I love it, it is so down my alley. I finally found a place where my loud, fast talking is actually an advantage. My OPS calls me Motor Mouth Charlie because I run on turbo speed when we do our scenarios. He had the bright idea of giving me a red bull last night and I thought my head was going to explode. I could not stop, could not slow down. It was not a good idea. No one could catch up to me. I was giving orders left and right and no one could process them as fast as I was giving them. I need to learn to think in sssllllloooooowwwww motion, so the rest of the world can be on the same page as me. Think the little squirrel from Over the Hedge, just like that.

We hit the Hawaiian Operation Area and do some sub hunting (for the record, so NOT my speed, I fall asleep just thinking about ASW) and then we continue west. I am looking forward to some liberty on my birthday and a few dive trips in my near future. I will send pics.

Keep the emails coming! I love the mail! And, if I talk in too much Navy lingo, let me know, I can translate.
Linda