Since I can remember, I would catch the bus out to the
local Marine recruiting
station in Hollywood, CA. I would see recruiters
come and go and could only wait
for the day I could enlist. In October of 1988,
I got my chance and enlisted in the
United States Marine Corps DEP(Delayed Entry Program).
I was only 17 at the time so I had to have my parents sign for me.
They refused to sign until I picked an MOS which I could use in the civilian
world. On a whim, I chose Avionics (thanks dad). I didn't actually
get off the bus at MCRD
San Diego until
September of 1989 as part of
PLT 1095, 'C' Co. 1st RTBN. I graduated on December 22, 1989.
I then received orders to Marine Combat Training (M.C.T.) at MCB Camp Pendleton, CA . If there is anything to remember about Camp Pendleton, it was the colorful names given to the "sites" (The grim reaper, Old Smokey, Bitch Ridge, and who could forget Mount Mother F***er, just to name a few). It was here I received my orders to "A" School.
"A" School was held at NATTC Millington, TN where I was attached to H&HS-90 while I attended AE (Aviation Electricians Mate) school. I began school February of 1990 and graduated at the end of August of 1990. (This school has since been sent to NATTC Pensacola, FL .) At the beginning of August, Saddam Hussein decided to invade his neighbor Kuwait. Our PT intensified with the possibility of deployment to the Gulf when we graduated.
At graduation, I received orders
to MCAS New River,
N.C. where I took a couple
of more specialized classes to prepare me to receive my MOS of 6433.
I then received my permanent orders to serve with MAG-29 MALS-29 Avionics.
AH-1 "Whiskey" Cobra Gunship
CH-46 "Sea Knight"
CH-53
"Sea Stallion"
UH-1
"Huey"
