USN enlisted 1968-1972, boot and radioman A and C schools San Diego; USS Gallant MSO 489, Operation Market Time DMZ Vietnam, two lengthy patrols; trans-Pac return to homeport at Long Beach; changed to Journalist rating and reassigned Midway Island; Milwaukee Recruiting, two month early-out for grad school. (They were trying to downscale personnel.) Military not a natural fit for me. People who have known me for years don't know I'm a vet, and are incredulous when I inform them. I bore them with a few sea stories and they tentatively begin to believe. Some of that shipboard lingo you cannot invent nor learn from a book. Received a Navy Achievement Medal for my newspaper reporting, writing, and editing on Midway Island. My favorite quote, from the shipboard intercom, heard while having lunch on the mess decks: "Standby for heavy rolls." Yes and yes. After underway replenishment, the corpsman broke out little bottles of airline brandy (the sea was cold that day and we were soaked). I visited some of my non-drinking shipmates and had several more than my share. Likely not legal, but it was the combat zone. Thank you guys for all your service. I know some have paid some harsh dues. All respect.