Groundhog's Day

Today is my 44th consecutive day at sea. Our last port visit in Greece seems like 44 years ago. And yes, even for a salty veteran, that's a good long stretch without dirt under your feet. The only dirt I've seen in quite a while is in the form of sandstorms that clog the demister pads (filters) for my gas turbine intakes. We have to wash them out every week during the carrier no-fly day and we fill the O4 level with mud, there's so much dirt in them. But 44 days is a while...long enough for Battle CHENG to grow an impressive Battle 'Stache. Even my mustache was beginning to become grumpy. It's time for a change.

(NOTE***I have not had access to blogger for the first few months of deployment...hence no entries since I arrived on HUE CITY in March or since I deployed in June.)

Rather than try to rehash the last few months, I'll just say we're here---here being 5th Fleet AOR, or for civilians, the Middle East. We've spent the last few weeks in the relatively cooler waters of the North Arabian Sea as our strike aircraft fly into Afghanistan to support ground troops. It's been nice. Inevitably we'll end up back in the Northern Arabian Gulf---counter-intuitively, it's hotter, much hotter and then there's that pesky Iranian problem. Yes, we see them all the time---every day is like a potential cover shot/story for cnn.com. We're always an episode away from the front page and doing our best to be on the right side of it all. It's exciting, fast-paced and mostly fun.

So what happens when you get over here? In two words, groundhog's day. Every day becomes the same---the watch routine, the food, the weather, the people, the grind. In my particular role, I'm the Force Tactical Action Officer for the Strike Group---in layman's terms, I'm in charge for a given 5 hour period, the CO's representative, to control the air space over here---Strike Group aircraft, coalition aircraft flying through the AOR---it's fun. You're constantly making calls, decisions---do I launch the alert aircraft off the carrier? is this or that aircraft Iranian/a threat? It's fun and different.

Then there's the Engineering thing...As Chief Engineer, this has been a challenging tour. New leadership challenges, people, older equipment, underfunding, no MPA, et cetera. It's been eventful, sometimes stressful, other times fun, and always keeps me on my toes. It's casualty central out here. If it's not an engine that won't start, it's a lube oil leak, or a fuel leak, or a fire, or a hole in a fuel tank or flooding...the passageway outside my stateroom flooded out just the other day. No kidding. 2-3 inches of sea water on the deck. My Engineers are working hard and I'm confident this department will head home from deployment a much better one than when it departed.

Always exciting.

Then there's home. 8000 miles away but always in the hearts and minds of 380 HUE CITY sailors. It's tough. Our deployment is very much in limbo as far as our end date...it could be as early as March 2013...or not. We just don't know. HUE CITY is caught up squarely in the vortex of a presidential election, federal budget funding for cruisers, and national policy in the Gulf---all have/can/and will continue to change our deployment return date. Until then, we humbly serve, and sweat for, this great Republic.

Well..i hope to be able to continue this effort if I can. We'll see if blogger cooperates in the future. It hasn't to date.

In the meanwhile it's a continual 24 hour cycle, not so much your conventional day, but rather blocks of time in  between watches. Block of time to read, workout (TRX), run, do paperwork, eat prison-like food, maybe catch a bit of a show or movie, tour my spaces, oversee the plant, do more paperwork, attend a few meetings, sweat, work, hit the rack, repeat. Groundhog's Day.

Speaking of which...the rack is calling my name.

Man it was a late day

So things are getting busy at work. I keep working later and later. There are structural cracks that seem to appear on an hourly basis. There are CASREPs out the wazoo. I'm managing a maintenance availability with multiple time sensitive repair jobs that MUST get completed prior to getting underway. Oh...and there's that big 'D' looming: deployment.

So I lamented the muggy hot ship. I loathed my full afternoon of admin and meetings and topside preservation. I walked to my car disgusted at the time: 1723. Then I heard my mentor and FARRAGUT CO's warning: "Dan, what type of hours are you working over there? You're not working OLD FARRAGUT hours are you?" an obvious reference to the psychotic hours that were routine on my last tour. Where I was up before 5am daily, actually dressed, shaved, and sitting at my desk working by 0545, and if I left before 2000, then it was a PTL day. Oh, and there was that whole 5 months leading up to INSURV when worked 7 days a week and lost my soul.

My point? Life is good. I'm missing my Engineers, my fellow Department Heads and close friends in FARRAGUT, but I'm grateful and loving the change of scenery...and pace of HUE CITY. A new ship. A new set of colleagues. A new Engineering Dept that is mine to lead, mold and serve.

I'm getting ready to deploy. I've barely seen my family since the New Year. I'll soon miss them for well into 2013. But I'm the damn Chief Engineer in the most formidable damn warship in the whole damn Navy. I'm about to take 70 Sailors down range. It's an honor..I love it.

I'm the luckiest man in the world.

Oh, and it's pretty nice getting home while it's still light and tucking all three kids in bed EVERY night, even if it's but a brief pause before deployment.

Like I said...life is good.

Oh yeah...comments are welcome!!!

A New Beginning

So what happened to my blog?

Well, as it turns out, early 2000s internet explorer web brower does not support blogger loading...I'm sure the next IAVA push from CSO will fix that bug...yeah, right.

So I have checked into my next command. I checked in March 9th, got U/W March 12th and was gone for two weeks. On March 16th I relieved one of my best friends, Steve Henz, as the Engineer Officer, aka, the Chief Engineer, "CHENG", in USS HUE CITY. It's been a whirlwind few weeks full of casualties, a missile shoot, and now a brand new Commanding Officer.

HUE CITY has been a blast so far. I feel confident in who I am as an officer and have been able to implement processes that took me 18 months to develop in FARRAGUT. Day 1 I knew what I wanted and how to get there. HUE CITY is older. In short, a lube oil leak, a starter air cooler, a charlie fire, a ground in the electrical distribution system...these have been routine. However, the plant has a simplicity to it that is much appreciated. Even if the solution to a problem isn't an easy one, the cause is easier than FARRAGUT, where much of the gear was a little too integrated, with multiple ratings having a hand in a piece of equipment, or proprietary gear made for DDG99 that no one but the manufacturer could touch. That doesn't exist in HUE CITY.

Steve has left me a plant operating well. There are plenty of areas to hone and make better, but to see where the plant is from 18 months prior, I have to take my hat off to him. He inherited a plant in disarray and made it work. I will do my best to guide the men and make it great. Thanks, Steve.

Life is good right now. I'm enjoying a nice promotion. I'm enjoying sweet time with my family. But duty calls. I will soon be heading off and won't be coming back for a LOOOOOONNNNG time. Like, I'll see you sometime next year long time. That's what I do. I don't know how sometimes. I don't always know why. But I know this is what I'm meant to do. I know there are 70 men and women who are counting on me to lead them into harm's way. I miss my family. I've been gone since January....I'm here 2 weeks then gone for a month plus...then home BRIEFLY...then gone gone. When all is said and done, I'll spend most of about a 15 month period apart from Joy and the kids.

It's hard. This will be the first full deployment with kids of a cognizant age in tow. And boy are they aware, especially Aiden. Lots of drama already when I came back from a 2 month school in Newport and took off for an U/W 3 days later. They KNOW I'm gone...I miss them, too.

I stand resolved, though. I'll get through this. They'll get through this. This is my job. My country asks me to serve and I want to faithfully follow my new Captain downrange. I will.  There are repairs to be made, preservation to be done, PMS to complete, training to conduct, battle drills to execute, and lots of i's to dot and t's to cross before we sail over the horizon.

Mission First, people Always.

Lastly, during this past U/W we shot a standard missile. It was the most awesome event I've witnessed in my career. We drilled and practiced and rehearsed our firing script and conducted comms checks with the other units in our strike group...the drone flew in simulating and enemy missile and Mach speeds..when in range, the Captain turned the fire inhibit switch, the MSS operator pressed fire, and I watched from the bridge as the sky turned orange...the ship rocked...I ran to the bridge wing to watch a missile fly from our VLS at such speed, such ferocity, it seemed fake. it seemed fake...3 perfect contrails from 3 warship shot to 10000 feet then dove for a terminal intercept of the "bad guy." I'm not doing it justice. So, in short, I'd watch out adversaries of the Republic. we are ready...and willing to provide an awesome spectacle.

Thanks for your support. I'll figure out how to update this. Maybe i'll send inputs to Joy at home to update.

In the meantime, I'm here, I'm training, I'm leading, and soon I'll be over the horizon and halfway around the world. Until then...enjoy this picture of HUE CITY at sunset.

The sea is a wonderful place...I love this time of day at sea.

March Madness, Baby

And I'm not talking about the basketball.

I'm back...2 months in Newport, a tiny hotel room, then Norfolk...it's over. Well, sorta. I'm back, and now I'm gone. Yes, that's the life of a Surface Warrior.

I drove all day from Virginia on Wednesday. I've spent 3 1/2 great days with the family. Madaline has mostly ignored me and stayed on Joy's leg. But Emma and Aiden especially have just been attached to me. It's been wonderful. We all lived in the moment, ate dinners out, had grand adventures in state parks, playgrounds, tempted ridiculous winds at the beach, all in the name of togetherness and family fun. I've loved these few days at home.

A lighter moment at one of our favorite parks on Fernandina  Beach, Amelia Island

So that brings us to a new reality. I checked into my new command Friday. I was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. That's cool. But come tomorrow, I'm underway and jumping on that horse running full speed; we're gone several weeks right off the bat, and full-bore into "work-ups" for the big D---deployment. That'll be later. I'll say more when I can.

Wish me well. USS HUE CITY is off tomorrow, and by week's end I'll be the new Chief Engineer. One of the neat things here is that I'm relieving one of my best friends, and godfather to our daughter. At least I know who to blame if everything's not squared away!

Pray for my family. We've had a couple of good months leading up to me leaving at the end of January. The separation has been tough for my kids, especially Aiden.  As I alluded to, 2012 will be a busy operational year for HUE CITY, and there will be plenty of long separations in the coming 18 months---including the kids' first FULL deployment at cognizant ages. Joy has been a rock and will continue to guide this family in my absence, but I'm sure it'll be an exciting, but also challenging tour for most us.

Alright, I'm outta here---for a bit. See you on the flip side.

Madaline says, "CHEEEEESE!!!" loves wearing Daddy's boots. 

Emma not to be outdone

Kids playing at Central Park, Fernandina Beach

Emma sports a pretty dress for an afternoon walk while Aiden sports cammies, load-bearing vest, GA football helmet and a Jedi-blaster (not seen)

So I Went to the White House...AGAIN...and I met the President, AGAIN

That's a little how this 5 weeks has felt. So I went to Newport, RI...AGAIN...and met some Admiral...AGAIN...and graduated from Prospective Engineer Officer/Advanced Engineering School...AGAIN. It's been a challenge on a very different level. I passed all my tests, oral boards, evolutions, drills; I did fine in my academic performance. It was a challenge from day 1 just to be here again...to be bored, to essentially do again what I've done 3 times previously. However, I was challenged to make the most of this time, this break. Breaks are a rare thing in the military. We go and we go hard...all the time. Ship life is a grind. I work hard. I work late. We get things done. And we don't stop for 18 months, or 36 months or whatever length of tour we are completing.  It's exhausting for me. It's exhausting for my family. So, I spent time in careful reflection of my 1st Department Head tour and assessed what I wanted to do differently this next go-round.  I decided to use this 5 weeks in Newport as my own spiritual, physical, and mental boot-camp to re-calibrate myself, my thoughts, myself.

I gave my whole self to my job.  I did well, but I paid heavy consequences.  I neglected my health.  Stress, poor nutrition, infrequent exercise, sleep deprivation and the like put me in a hard place.  I found myself in  an Urgent Care on January 17th with symptoms that scared me enough to go see a Doctor even while I was on leave and not working.  Honestly, I think 18 months of killing myself caught up with me. I've dedicated myself to following my wife's lead in nutrition. She suffers from an auto-immune disease that has forced her to cut out gluten (wheat), sugar, caffeine, et cetera. I'm not diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease like her, but what I've discovered these last 5 weeks in Newport (and two week previously at home) is that these inputs in my body have had horrible effects.  I've fought and wrestled and resisted, but ultimately about 2 weeks ago, after reading an article by Dr. Hyman (http://drhyman.com/blog/2012/02/13/three-hidden-ways-wheat-makes-you-fat/ -  I just had a wake up call and realized that I need to avoid some things. Give this guy a chance. A LOT of what he says is dead-on. If you're honest with yourself, despite what you want to think, it really makes sense. I've been off wheat for about 2 weeks solid. Nothing.  I've severely limited my alcohol intake. I.e., I had a few beers after I finished this school, but I haven't been drinking at all. No beer in the fridge.  No sugar.  No coke.  No caffeine. Lots of water.  Here's what I've discovered: my body was addicted to wheat.  Without even thinking of it, I craved these super-wheat, processed products like a heroine-addict craves a needle. I really think of it in those terms now. You have some taco bell and you crave more. Then I wanted chinese food. Then I wanted Five guys.  As I weened off I discovered how addicted I was to these foods. As I struggled, I also realized how badly they made me feel. Within a week of my removal of these big 3 (wheat, sugar, caffeine---and alcohol right now), symptoms I suffered from for EIGHTEEN MONTHS cleared up: heart burn, reflux, nasal issues, sleep disorder, to name just a few. Symptoms that I had just accepted as part of getting older or something were non-issues or gone completely. Turns out, not so much "part of getting older." I suffered because of the poison I was putting in my body. As I've detoxified my body I've felt better than I have in years and I see real change. I see it. As of this week I've lost almost 24 lbs since January 17th.  Since I really took a stance about 2 weeks ago, I've really seen even more dramatic change. It's been a journey. Believing I can change. Doing it. Trusting in change.  Now, I'm not swearing off alcohol or a pizza absolutely. Every now and then...of course. I'm human. Your mind needs a treat every now and then. That's the one benefit over my wife who HAS to live this way. It makes sense to eat like she does.  I'm not going to rake myself over the coals if I decide Friday night I want to have a few beers with the guys, or one Saturday I'm really jonesing for that meat-lovers' pizza. That's not reality. But, I'm happy that I've flipped a philosophical switch and I'm confident that those sort of food choices will not be my norm ever again. They can't be. They are destroying America and I'm not going to let it destroy me. I'm feeling too good to go back and seeing healthy results that I haven't seen in 6-7 years in just a few weeks living another way. It's too good.

Secondly, I wasn't exercising like I should.  A year into my CHENG ride, I could count on one hand the number of times I had worked out during working hours. It was sad. I gave my job everything, and gave myself nothing. Long hours. Lots of stress. No stress relief.  I've worked out 45-60 mins everyday since the day I arrived in Newport. It's felt great. I've run, I've done the elliptical. I even played basketball---my first love! for the first time in YEARS.  I don't know exactly why I quit working out during my FARRAGUT days. Long hours? Yes. Deadlines? Yes. Inspections? Yes. Underway? Yes.  There were any number of real, in your face, 'produce results now' reasons why I probably prioritized it down the list. But, while in the moment I always chose the mission over myself, in the macro-sense, I look back and see that I needed to force time for exercise. So I think the benefit going forward as a 2nd Tour Department Head is that I'm more comfortable in my job. I know how to succeed. Hopefully cope with stress more effectively. Able to prioritize easier and free time for myself.  Just like my nutrition, I've discovered I need a physical regimen. I need it.

Lastly, I've undergone a spiritual and emotional trial period.  I've had plenty of time for self-reflection. Reading. Studying.  I'm a work in progress, but I'm understanding the strengths that God has given me, I'm learning to accept His purpose in my life, and striving to serve (Him and others/Navy) in the  best way I can, with the personality he has given me, the unique attributes I have, and realizing that I'm a SWO...I'm CHENG, for a purpose, and it's His, not mine. So be great at it.  That's always been tough; walking faithfully where you are and not where you want to be.  So I'm here.  This experience is molding me.  Being a Cruiser Chief Engineer is going to mold me, not early command. right here, right now...This is happening, and I want to be the best that I can be in all respects.

So I'm eternally thankful for these 5 weeks. And I have one more week away down in Norfolk for "ship-ride." I'll crawl around someone else's cruiser and familiarize myself with it. But, God is good. Life is good. I miss my family immeasurably. But this is what I'm called to do. So I'm doing it...as best and as faithfully as I can.

Lastly, I'm paying homage to Forrest Gump today.  I leave you with a picture of  "Lieutenant DAAAN."  This will be my last week as "LT Dan."  The longest rank in the Navy is almost done....Sometime next week I will promote to another rank and be Lieutenant Commander Dan. So, goodbye "LT Dan." Hello LCDR Hancock...First round's on me.

Finally, thanks for your support. I really appreciate it.  As always, feel free to dialogue, comment, share, post.

Someone Worthy of Honor

He can't bring down the house with his voice, but he is truly worthy of honor: Chief Warrant Officer Christopher G Stern.

CWO4 Chris Stern on left, my former AUXO, ENS Russ Allen on right after  the retirement ceremony

Chris retired from the Navy on Friday after 28 years of honorably and faithful service to this nation.

First, let me explain how a good Engineering Department on a warship works. You have the Chief Engineer---I played that role in FARRAGUT. You have my senior enlisted member, a Senior Chief, my "Top Snipe."  Senior McKenzie and Senior Chief Fellin both played the role for me extremely well. Then you have the MPA---Main Propulsion Assistant.  MPA is usually a commissioned warrant officer or LDO. He's my right-hand man. If I'm providing a standard and a vision, and my Top Snipe is covering training and personnel issues, then MPA is the technical expert and glue that holds it all together.  I am a firm believer that an Engineering Department cannot be great, cannot excel without all three members in synergy.  There are 68 Sailors that are counting on our ability to lead them.

That high standard that I wanted, that project that I needed done, being the bad guy, discipline and order, enforcing my standard---that was Chris Stern. He was the  finest MPA I could have ever imagined or hoped to have with me.  He was my confidante---he could sense when I needed to vent. He could read my emotions.  He knew when the CO had irked me. When I was stuck in a meeting, he knew what my priorities were without asking and acted on them.  He knew when to shut up and let me blow and he was unafraid to rebuke me in private when I was wrong.  And when I had unpopular news for my Sailors---lighting off the plant on Sunday morning, bringing the guys in to work a weekend in preparation for an inspection, he backed me without flinching and ensured the department was onboard. In short, he was a true teammate, and even better friend.

Often my Chiefs and Sailors would complain to me about him. "CHENG, he's too anal with logs." "CHENG, he won't shut up about QA." "He wouldn't let me tag this out."  "MPA always tells me to get my feet off the console." "He's always yelling about the mess in the logroom or CCS."  My response? Always a big smile---He did all the little dirty work that made my job easier.  People don't always like being held to a high standard. It's always easier to be easy on yourself.  That wasn't Chris' way.  He lived by the highest standard.  He was a Chief Engineer's dream. His integrity was impeccable and his work ethic tireless.

Chris---I salute you for your service.  You're a hell of a great man.  I'm proud to always call you 'Shipmate'.  Try to enjoy retirement a little before you get right back to work.  Fair winds and Following Seas.

Your CHENG and Friend,
Dan

A long-standing Navy tradition-the retirement shadow box. It contains all his ranks rising from an enlisted fireman to the Chief's Mess, the picked up for commission rising to the Chief Warrant Officer 4. All his medals are displayed, too.


As always, feel free to comment, like on facebook, google plus, twitter, etc listed as options below. Tks.

What is Love?

Valentine's Day is a contrived commercial holiday. One cannot deny that fact. But whether it's Valentine's Day or just a Tuesday, I don't need an excuse to tell my wife how much I love her. Joy shouldn't have to be alone on Valentine's Day. I should be able to surprise her with flowers, a night out, maybe a nice dinner at home, a bottle of wine, treats. Ah, but that's not the way it works for us. Nothing says "I love you" like T-D-Y. TDY stands for Temporary Duty Assignment...oh, except maybe deployment...but that's NEXT Valentine's Day...So, I'm separated from my wife by one completely redundant, 3x over, engineering course and 1182 miles...when I want to be holding her, I'm sitting in a hotel room. This is our life. I'm thankful for Joy. Eternally thankful. She epitomizes what so many of our military wives do: she truly "keeps the home fires burning." Yes, I miss her. I miss the kids. But while I'm lonely, she is taking Aiden to karate, home-schooling Emma, consoling an ever-teething Madaline. Her life screams, "I love you." So I don't know if you can hear me 1182 miles away, but Joy, "I LOVE YOU MORE."

Lastly, if you haven't seen the previews, there is a bad-a movie coming out titled, "Act of Valor." It's a fictional movie of real Navy SEAL missions. The cool part: it's played by actual Navy SEALs. It looks like the best action/war movie ever. Check out this red carpet entrance for the Hollywood premiere last night in L.A. It's unreal. The entrance (jump) is performed by a member of the Navy SEALs' Parachute Demonstration Team, the Leap Frogs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-VWJjVoZ8

Dan

Dinner with a real Mother-_____ tonight

To be clear, I'm not just being profane...one of my officers has the surname Jones.  Stevie "Wonder" Jones. After the recent movie, "Horrible Bosses" Mr. Jones received a new nickname in the Wardroom (group of officers on the ship). If you've seen the movie, you get it. If not, sorry. Nobody ever said we were known for our tame mouths in the Navy. With the promise of no more profanity, please keep reading. And yes, Stevie has graciously allowed me to tell on him and share his nickname with the world.

Ensign Stevie Jones stars as Mr. M.F. Jones in "Horrible Bosses"

One of my DIVOs (division officers) is up here in Newport, RI, finishing up several weeks of what we now call "Baby SWOS." We call it "Baby SWOS"  because it's only 3-4 weeks as opposed to the 6 month version me and most of my peers enjoyed after graduation and commissioning. I've run into this officer a few times during our overlapping visits. He drops by the engineering classroom like a good divo to check on his old boss. We've had a beer or two at the O'Club. And prior to his graduation on Friday, we planned to have a nice dinner.

I really enjoyed this dinner because it reminded me of one of the things I enjoy most about being a leader, an officer in charge of others. I like the mentorship part, the interaction with people. I always have. Whether it was as a salty (sarcasm) 2nd tour division officer training brand new 1st tour division officers during my divo days, or certainly as a Dept Head with 68 people working for me, I've enjoyed this aspect of the job immensely.

Stevie "Wonder" and I had a nice dinner. We discussed different career options, jobs, billets, different ship platforms, which I liked, why, and there was even time to tell a few sea stories about back when I was a silly reckless Ensign, too. There might even have been a mention of the Pacific Island Club and...climbing, my ANTIETAM shipmates. To the point, it reminded me how much I cherish the opportunity to have Officers that I call my own. Officers in whom I have a stake in how their careers shape up and turn out, and more importantly, their lives. I take great pride in whatever small role I can play in shaping their lives. I cherish the opportunity to serve them. The E6 standing watch next to me as Tactical Action Officer in the wee hours of the night out at sea, the young fireman with a new baby at home, the Sailor going through a divorce, the talks with my Engineers on duty days, the young officer trying to figure out his career and if this Navy thing is for him---I love the people part of the job. It has made some of the toughest days not just bearable but fun.

It's an honor and it's always refreshing.

Because I can

So turns out it is hard following your own advice, sound as it may be. As it turns out, the four of us wise, somewhat jaded Chief Engineers feed each others' sour feelings and malcontent. There's only so much you can listen to a know-it-all GSE1. No offense, Mike. But the day is over. I've worked out. I feel better every day. I'm losing tons of weight. And...I finally got that Harpoon IPA in my hand. Life is good.

Oh, and I'm writing this from a pub on my iPhone...because I can.

Somebody Has a Case of the Mondays...

That was my day, or at least my morning. Class was intolerably boring. I became supremely frustrated with having to be at  the same course for the third time, burdened with the pain of having to "play the game" and drill for ATG, frustrated with the utterly chaotic instruction during our trainer period. Frustrated by the instructor telling me my Engineering Operational Casualty Control book was the old one. Perturbed when I asked him, "May I have a new one?" that he replied they were out. I-----DID-----NOT-----WANT----to be there today.

I had a much better afternoon. I talked to Joy and vented a bit.. As only a Navy wife can, she listened, encouraged, and effortlessly made me feel better about things. After class I spent 4.5 miles on the treadmill and burned another 1000 plus calories. I'm looking forward to my next weigh-in on Friday. Right now I'm down almost 16 lbs since Joy started our family on a Paleo diet about 3 weeks ago. I've been able to continue very careful and mostly healthy meals up here. So, after a modest dinner, I decided maybe I would have a beer or two back in my hotel room. Long story, short, Package store on based closed, the NEX was closed, and I quickly gave up my efforts. I wanted to give myself a little treat, something to enjoy while I watched television tonight.

 I wanted this:

I settled for this: 

Ladies and gentlemen, Pepsi doesn't satisfy. It's just not as good as Coke. I just felt like I was betraying my Georgia roots.

Two morals today. Life is a test. It is temporary. It's not about me. Don't let things give you a case of the Mondays. This isn't the prize.

Lastly, if you're going to give yourself a treat with two-hundred empty calories, commit to it! A glass of wine or a frosty pint of Harpoon IPA cannot be replaced by soda, especially a Pepsi.

Smiling Eyes

I don't know what I'm going to do today. It's too cold to do anything outside. I'll probably go run at the gym. I have some laundry going. But what about the other 22 hours of the day? I don't know, but I do know how I started my day.

Joy woke me up (yes, Dear, I was still sleeping at 0930---there have to be some benefits to TDY travel, right?).  We went to "Facetime" on our I-phones and Madaline, my youngest, greeted me with the  biggest smile I could have imagined and proceeded to serenade me for 3-4 minutes with a thunderous, boisterous performance of "Da-Da!!! Da-da!! DA-DA!!!!"  Smiling from ear to hear the whole time. I was, too.

So I don't know what I'll do today. But I know it will be filled with the extra joy and love that little girl put in my heart this morning.

Thanks, Maddie pie. Daddy loves you, too.

Madaline this past winter at Fernandina Beach playground

They're just little babies...

My study chair

So I've finished my first week of Cruiser Prospective Engineer Officer School/Advanced Engineering. Here's what I can report: You still have to draw lots of system diagrams. Propeller blades still  move when the OD box receives an electric signal to the electro-hydraulic servo  valve, "control" oil is ported into the OD box fwd or aft of the aux servo piston, that actuates the valve rod assembly that runs the length of the shaft to the Hub assembly, the valve rod positions the reg valve pin, this positioning introduces "power" oil to the hub fwd or aft chamber to the Main Servo Piston, the main servo piston pushes the crosshead, crosshead moves the sliding block, sliding block moves the eccentric pin, and the eccentric pin moves the propeller blade...

I know, hold your excitement. I was excited to learn it, too...for the fourth time. So anyway, week 1 is in the  books. I'm studying a lot probably because I don't know how to just relax and not study...that being said, diagrams do come back easier, though they are slightly different from ship to ship, and for me, always are a wretched chore to get every little valve and system parameter correct.

This is a drawing of a Fuel-oil system. I have to produce about of 4 like this every week.

It's interesting...there are 4 of us CHENGs in this class. The other 8-9 students are all young...YOUNG officers...leaving their first division officer tour going to be 2nd tour engineering officers for other CHENGs. I've been in 10 years...they've been in ten minutes. They're just little babies...The four of us 2nd tour CHENGs sit in the back, swap CHENG stories from our first DH  tours, how tough our LOAs were, who did better at INSURV, who's CO was craziest, and generally ignore the curriculum.  We try to pull as much useful info out of the instructors as we can while these young officers fret over rpm and numbers for a GTM Start Sequence. In other words....yeah, yeah, yeah...cruiser, smart ship, new plant....whatever. For us, we want to know what material issues do they have? what evolutions do watchstanders cheat on? where does x or y leak? why is this a class-wide issue? I saw this on a DDG, have you seen this on a cruiser? What areas need greater attention in walk-arounds?  Tell me what REALLY matters. I guess that's the wisdom gleaned from 18 previous months learning, toiling, and figuring out how to succeed. I don't care about numbers, parameters, new systems... Of course any good officer, especially a CHENG, should be technically competent. At the end of the day, though, I want to know how to make my ship excel. Period. Standards. Leadership. A solid plan. Understanding your milestones during your tour. Learning a ship's rhythm. sticking with yours.  Sure, I love sitting and explaining to a young junior officer how I can reverse thrust with the Controllable Reversible Pitch Propeller system without changing the direction of shaft rotation. In the heat of it, for the success of my ship and my department, that doesn't mean jack. You have to lead. You have to motivate. You have to understand people and what the real issues are on a cruiser, or any ship or in your sailors' lives. You have to learn your Captain and communicate to him. Communicate clearly to your Sailors. No doubt I'm learning more and more, and polishing the things I learned the previous 3 times in this course. But I find myself anxious to get to a real ship, figure out what hand I'm dealt, and get going. Mission accomplishment. That's what I love about engineering...the more it changes, the more it stays the same.

Postscript: I've run into several classmates up here for Prospective Commanding Officer School---these are others who were also selected for Early Command (command smaller ships as an O3 or O4). Fortunately for them, they were slated to a Patrol Craft or Mine-Counter Measure Ship. Me----well, I obviously didn't get slated, hence the name "Cruiser Cheng" for this blog and not "PC Command" or the like. "Timing didn't work," as my detailer said. It's all big-navy timing, ship timing, and a myriad of other complicated personal factors well out of my lane and reach. This happens. 9 of us were screened for early command, and the 5-6 with the favorable timing got the billets. This isn't a major career milestone. O5, Commander-Command is the career milestone. I can't stop my career path waiting for a PC to open up. So I didn't get a PC ride. Those are the breaks. It's a little tough to see good friends and peers enjoying the thrill of getting command so early. Naturally, I was initially envious when I saw them around the building, but, I know that is what they're meant to do. On the flip side, I know in the end, this is the path God put me on. This is what I'm supposed to do. That makes me content. So I'll do it the best I can. I'll get to where I want to be one day. I believe that. And this is part of that journey. Until then, I'll be down below decks walking my plant. I'm a CHENG...and I love that.

 Newport Chalet. This is my home for 5 weeks. It's not bad except for the paper thin walls.

Gym 109. Here's what's fun about Newport: it's different, new roads, new buildings here and there, but it's always the same. This is my 4th time here either stationed or TDY...Gym 109 has been a fixture for me since I showed up as a newly-minted Ensign in June 2002...and it will probably still be standing strong the NEXT time I come here!

Ready, Set...and Wait

somewhere in the Carolina low country---MPG would rise to 47.8 around VA/MD but ultimately succumb to the Northeast weather/traffic. Boo.

So after 1180 miles of travel and $50 plus dollars of cash and exact change later I reached Newport, Rhode Island Saturday afternoon. My final fuel economy was 46.2 mpg for the trip---metro NJ/NY killed me! Most of Saturday I re-acclimated myself with the base, a few new roads, a new bridge, new buildings, ran a few errands, got a few groceries. Lay low. Sunday night I went to bed early and was ready for a new course. I even shaved my beard. I got up early today, showered, shaved, put on a clean, crisp set of NWUs (cammies), boots, parka (it is Rhode Island, folks), tidied my room for the cleaning lady, and headed out...

I found my room with ease. After all, I've been to SWOS (Surface Warfare Officer School) for various courses at least 6 times. SWOS is like home base for a SWO. You're going to end up in Newport numerous times in your career: Division Officer Course, Engineering schools, Dept Head School, CHENG School (what I'm doing now...again), and PXO/PCO school for command---By the way, if you're just tuning in, that's what I am.. there's Aviator (pilot), SEAL, submariner, etc....SWO. I'm a SWO. It stands for Surface Warfare Officer. In layman's terms, I drive ships...warships. Anyway, I'm slightly familiar with the SWOS layout. I've been to some variation/iteration of this particular engineering course 4 times. So I confidently strode into the Cruiser classroom and the Chief looked at me and said, "Who are you?" "LT Hancock---I'm going to HUE CITY." "You're not on the roster:"....Hmmm.

So, SWOS has no record of me in the Navy-wide program that tracks courses, enrollments. My orders say to be here...classic Navy. Now, in fairness, I was originally scheduled to be at this course in October. I was ORDMOD'd (order modification) to change my PRD to January detach from last ship due to EOC (engineering certification). After I was extended on FARRAGUT, I did make every effort to extricate myself from the requirement to go to this course...I just wanted to get to HUE CITY. Last I heard, though, even the HUE CITY CO's pleas to big Navy were denied...LT HANCOCK MUST GO, says the man. So, the cruiser CHENGs are joining the Prospective Engineer Officer Course mid-way...the new DH CHENGs and division officers were finishing the "Common Core" portion of the course today. By 0845 I had filled in my travel paperwork, received my badge to enter the building, and headed off to my room.

Not a bad first day---plenty of time to kill it on the cardio and rage against the odds: CHENGs and PT. Rarely do the two mix. But that's another post...

A Morning in Washington

I'm here. Here is the illustrious Newport Chalet at the Naval Station in Newport, Rhode Island. This hotel (laugh) is my home for the next 33 days. It'll work. Anyway, I'm safe and sound but worn out from travel. I just briefly wanted to share my Friday morning with you.

With no pressure to reach stop 2 (Matt Kavanagh's in Roseland, NJ by 6 pm), I had hours to spend away from I 95. When I woke up Friday morning I knew there was only one thing I wanted to do that morning: visit my friend. My friend resides in a special place. His address: 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, Va.

Friday I spent an hour or so with Joe, just thinking about him, remembering him, talking to him, praying, reflecting. Enjoying a quiet moment. It had downpoured that morning, but I enjoyed a crisp, rain-free visit. Joe was a special friend. We instantly hit it off as friends because our upbringings were remarkably similar in discipline, faith, school, etc. We just sorta knew each other well from the beginning.

Joe died serving his country. He was a special pilot, a better friend, and a devoted father. He was a champion for his family until his dying breath.

I miss Joe every day.

Finally I said bye to Joe and hopped in my car. Still had time. I decided to play it safe and head North to Matt's.  A few miles down the road I saw a familiar exit, Highway 50 East. I instinctively took it and headed for my second detour of the day: Annapolis.

Annapolis is a special place for me. It's just a special place period. Unshaven beard and all, I drove onto The Yard, found a parking place, and quietly, inconspicuously made my way to Memorial Hall, weaving between Midshipmen strolling to their 1300 classes.There, too, in venerable Memorial Hall, Joe is now honored. His name is etched along the finest collection graduates to die in service to this nation.

4 2002 classmates have died serving

I hear Don Calkin's voice even now. He was my Plebe Summer detailer. He dragged our squad into Memorial Day one afternoon in between training events...There he lectured our squad on Memorial Hall, the seriousness of what we were there to do, to become. It was an impressionable speech that has stuck with all of us from the squad. And here, so many years later, I find another name. My friend's name. Joe's name etched forever, memorialized.

 This picture probably doesn't do Memorial Hall justice. It's awe-inspiring. You walk in to a breath-taking room where fellow alumni who have made the ultimate sacrifice our honored. You're just silent. Without being told you're humbled to silence.

Another view

Finally, when I was leaving, I observed this easel displayed at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to Memorial Hall. I must have missed it entering.

It's hard to read, but it says that a 2006 graduate, a young Marine Captain, was killed 19 January in  Afghanistan. So his name will be go up by Joe's.

It was a wonderful visit with Joe. It's important for all of us to reflect and honor the fallen. I miss Joe all the time. Remember the Mark Garners, the Joe Houstons. They were great men who served with honor and a smile. We all need a reminder, especially those of us serving, grinding, toiling...it means something to wear the uniform: wear it with honor. Cherish it all. it's a nasty business, and it can be gone instantly. I hope I can serve with the joy, integrity, and smile that Joe did.

Continue to rest in peace, my brother. Many of us continue the watch, and we always remember, honor our fallen. We honor you, Joe.

Things I like about my job

So here I am...sitting in a hotel in Fredericksburg, VA. This morning, a little after 7 AM, I pulled out of my driveway and left everything I hold dearest in my life behind me. I'll be gone all of February. Home for one weekend in March then gone all of March. Start a new job. CHENG again. That means long hours by the way. I.e, when I'm home, I work later than everybody else. Home in April but in a maintenance availability. Gone in May. Gone in June. Home in July. Deploy. It's going to be a long 12 plus months for the Hancocks. This is my life.

I hate leaving my family.  Tonight Aiden and Emma played on iPhone Facetime for me. they blew kisses. they hammed it up. I loved every minute of it. But it breaks my heart I have to spend pretty much the next year apart. Aiden is so brave. Emma misses me a lot, but doesn't comprehend the time. Aiden knows EXACTLY how long I'll be gone. He's a brave little boy who misses his Daddy. I miss him, too. I miss them all a lot. So, I sat in the Hilton Garden Inn bar and had a fine pale ale...then another...then an India Pale Ale. But I miss my family. We spend a lot of time apart.

Service.

It sucks but it is part of my job. I'll go to Newport. Again. I'll study. I'll learn bout the cruiser engine plant. I'll mentally prepare. I'll work out and physically prepare for another 18 months. But I hate being apart from my family. I'm gone. Occasionally I'll be home, but I'm basically I'm gone for the next  year plus.

So let me tell you what I do love about my job. In 2010, in the middle of the Suez Canal, I got to spend several hours with one of my good friends and colleagues from the Defense Language Institute. Sean is an Army FAO-Foreign Area Officer. What a treat to be thousands and thousands of miles from home, weeks into a brand new job, and get to hang out with a good friend.

It was a special time. This was one of those special military moments---two officers, one Navy, one Army, connected by the unique bond Arabic (I'll get to that later)---meeting up halfway around the world. Unreal. It was an awesome day. Thanks, Sean.

Sean and Dan on bridgewing of USS FARRAGUT during our Suez Canal transit

So today sucks. But I'll remember one awesome Navy day. You develop life-long friends in the military. When you meet up by chance like this, it's just special. You never know when or if you'll ever see you friends again. 2009 I lost 5 friends and classmates, all KIA or in the line of duty. You never know when you'll see your military buddies again. Especially when you're in different services. This was divine. It was a special time to show Sean what I do and just fellowship with him. And there will be many more. God willing.

A New Direction

Emma and Daddy inside a Gas Turbine Module

One typical day last year  I was driving home and called my mom because I needed someone to talk to. At the time, I was working 7 days a week from 5AM 'til 9PM getting ready for a big inspection called "INSURV"----Board of Inspection and Survey (This is one of those inspections where COs and XOs and CHENGs get fired when things don't go well. The INSURV Team makes a report to Congress and basically states that USS XXXXXXX either is or isn't fit for sea duty still. It's a big deal. For 4-5 months after I returned from deployment last August, one day after another felt like a miserable groundhog's day. My job was sucking the life out of me. As I dialed Mom I looked down the empty black highway, I was certain nobody in America appreciated what the Sailors of FARRAGUT did---were doing, FOR THEM. Nobody. Somewhere in the mix of that phone call my mom mentioned that my younger brother, Edward, asked, "What does Daniel do again.?" I should note that I had been commissioned 9 years at that point, and counting my Army ROTC and Naval Academy days, had been in the military 15 years. So maybe the Navy does a bad job of selling itself. This is my attempt to sell America on what we do, what I do. This blog is so my brother, Edward, never has to ask, "Mom, what does Daniel do again?" You can laugh at me. I do a lot of stupid things. You can cry with us. This job wears on me and the family at times. And you can curse the vile name of INSURV with me. Maybe you'll learn something new.

This blog is going to be about the life and times of a Chief Engineer, his beautiful wife, and their three children in Jacksonville, Florida. Inspired by my Army buddy, Kyle, I want to engage the American public about what the Navy does, specifically the Surface Navy, and what I do as a Chief Engineer...I hope you enjoy learning about my narrow slice of the Navy with plenty of personal vignettes mixed in, too.  I haven't removed a lot of old content that was family-centric, but from here on out it will be more my personal day to day life, not that I won't write plenty about my family---we're all in this together. Not much here right now---just wanted to re-focus the blog. There will be much more to follow in the coming days as I leave home tomorrow...I will be gone for most of the next 18 months. This is Navy life. This is the life of a SWO. This is a CHENG's life.  This is my life. Enjoy.