The good news: Learning that your number one son will join the crew of a guided missile destroyer for his summer NROTC cruise, during the course of which he will work, eat, berth and enjoy time ashore with the enlisted mess.
The rest of the story: Said man-o’-war will be at the time of his joining located in Thailand, where the crew will spend some number of days enjoying the local sights before returning home.
Those who know, know.
Does his mother “know”?
Ahh, the joys of fatherhood.
It’s not so much that what might have been good for the goose would not be good for the gosling. No. Instead, it is the question of how to impart the hard won knowledge that comes from long experience, personal and otherwise. As one of my XOs once taught me, and which I continually observed as I reached that exaulted position and beyond: “Young men (and often old ones) loose all sense of depth perception when viewing the world through one eye.”
The best you can do after giving them guidance is hope for the best and expect the worst.
Good luck Lex. Those of us who have gone before you, salute you.
Woo Hoo!
Since Olongapo went away, this is now the ultimate ” Welcome to WestPac Sailor”.
Hope he has fun.
Dave
He will never be the same!
Bet he comes home with a different look at his dad;)
Oh boy…
Ohhhh boy!
‘Nuff said…
Go see a doc at your local clinic. They all have (or could get the PPT) a little “training” presentation for those heading to Pattaya or Phuket. Not that it will/should keep him from checking out the place, but it may “moderate” his liberty shenanigans.
Despite said pictures and descriptions, we still had some wayward lads that did a few too many things in a bit too “reckless” a manner and wound up with a permanent reminder of their liberty in Pattaya……but it did keep most of the folks from going too far off the reservation. They were able to learn about and experience liberty in such exotic locales, without bringing that reminder home with them.
Look at it this way, he is going to experience the sights and sounds of Thailand at some point…..why not now?
Maybe Skippy can give him an itinerary…just kidding.
Don’t know what to tell you Lex…I couldn’t imagine having a week there at age 20. The Patyya “In-Port Guide” probably covers the pratfalls pretty well. If he is anything like you he’ll be fine. I’d compartmentalize this one.
B2
As one who ‘knows’, Just a few phrases of advice:
Let’s be careful out there.
One night in Bangkok (or Pattaya Beach), can make a hard man humble.
What happens in WestPac, stays in WestPac.
I can neither confirm nor deny…
Cap’n,
SNO will be in good hands. Just don’t tell him about Snipes or Sea Bats. Let him learn on his own.
He should also be aware of dealing with future Chiefs so he should make good contacts.
It was a great time, many, many years ago, on a GEARING class DD, that I got to hear what the men thought of their officers. I also got to see the hard work the sailors do, and, sometimes gundeck a little of it, for later, when I’d the guy handing out orders.
Oh, and not to mention their graciousness during the guided tour of the Black Angus…heh….
Just maybe, he’ll get a different view of life.
“Grumpy”
After reading this posting, I asked my son who has been to Thailand, what he did there. He responded, “Mom, that’s where I bought you that pendant you like so much”. I asked, “But what else did you do there?” His response was, “Mom, I bought you jewelry, that’s ALL you need to know”.
Oh.
First, get a great water-buffalo steak at the Carlyle Restaurant on Rama Road in Bangkok, then up the street to just behind the coca cola bottleing plant,,,,,,, a place with double doors made of what I think is welders goggle glass….Gives me palpitations. He sould have fun.
First, in Bangkok, get a great water-buffalo steak at the Carlyle Restaurant on Rama Road, then, second, walk up the street to just behind the Coca Cola bottleing plant, , , , to a place with red double doors made of what I think is welder’s goggle-glass. He should have fun.
AHHHHHHHHHHHH HAAA!!! JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE . . . THAILAND!!! VERY NICE. AND HE GETS PAID FOR THIS, RIGHT??
Sorry for the schaudefreude, but I can’t help but snicker. Karma strikes again. *heehee*
Seriously, it sounds like some of the commenters above have good ideas. And since you survived your younger days, I’m sure he’ll be just fine.
Me too! Me too! Me too! Pretty Pleeeease!!
I had a sailor deploy to Thailand and came back. She called her dad who had been stationed there during the VietNam War, and said, “Dad, I just got back from Thailand.” His reply?
“Shhh, don’t tell your mother.” That sums it up.
I have just found the downside of the Milbloggers Conference. I have met all kinds of people who post here and read what’s posted here………….now I have to edit what I say.
*Maggie goes off to a corner and sulks!*
The benihana in Pattaya is 1/2 price the US version and pretty much exactly the same. So at least he can eat well.
Don’t tell him about Marilyn’s, Walking Street or and of that other stuff though.
Interestingly, last time I was there in ‘02, there was a strong eastern Euro presence – in all aspects of commerce. Now there’s a choice of LBFM’s or TBFM’s (Tall blonde).
Make sure he takes a 12 pack of his own wrappers with him. I woudn’t trust the free no-name brands they give out on the quarterdeck.
Sounds like a win-win scenario to me! This is what the Naval Education is all about.
I would have killed for a Westpac midshipman cruise. Instead I got sent to a Nuke in the med instead. All it showed me was that nukes work too much and A-7 pilots sure knew how to have fun……….
And concur with Kevin’s recommendation. In this case Buy American, is good advice.
Oh, how the gods have conspired against you on this one
Well, he’s gonna be a helluva lot more worldly then most of his classmates when he returns, that’s for sure…
Does SNO “know” he’s hit the jackpot yet? Better give him a little up-front warning ’cause I suspect the crowd he’ll be running with as a 3rd class will have more than a few fun-filled places they want to take him.
And, yes, *definitely* use American-made for best protection.
I can’t wait for your post describing SNO’s return from his big adventure.
*chuckle*
I can empathize with you Lex. A couple of years ago my young Marine’s first duty when he reached his unit in Okinawa was 1.5 months in Pattaya in support of Cobra Gold.
He had a blast and everything went well but he definitely bought American when he was there.
Wow, talk about mixed emotions!
My Navy son has been a couple of times and I didn’t fear for him; but I didn’t share any “knowledge,” either.
Like everyone else here, I believe he’ll be fine. I’d worry more about Mom worrying about him than anything else!
I’m not a sailor, but I know Cobra Gold.
Snerk.
“Hello, hansum maa-an!”
Nope, best not to think about it.
How’re his connect four skills?
You can get any thing you want….
At Marylynns restaruant….
No, you can’t tell Mom that he won the lottery.
Snipes are what your mother warned you about.
Underway, Shift Colors, set the regular underway watch;ON deck condition 4 watch section 1
It’s 1968. Transient barracks at Subic Bay. Spent three weeks there and they would not let us off base. Meet the USS King there and went down town that evening. Most interesting!
Before joining the Navy I sailed merchant marine on the East Coast. Our electrician had been in the Navy and took me to the Black Angus.
And to follow John up…I’m not military but *I* know Cobra Gold as well.
God help you!
LOL at LBG’s “Connect Four” skills! AHHH Phuket!
I also hit Olongapo on my first westpac in ‘91. We did a lot of humanitarian aid then, after having been given a double whammy from Mount Pinatubo and Super-Typhoon Yuri. We still had pleny of time to sample the “culture” of Magsaysay Ave though.
[...] The Phuket thing fell through, alas. His government sponsored passport didn’t come through in time. A disappointment, to be sure, but not the first. It isn’t all beer and skittles, is it? I cannot tell you how many “round the world cruises” I sailed out on that ended up stalled in the North Arabian Sea. [...]