Fleet Plan of the Day
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- Michael Jack
- POD - SSN 680
Dave Gordon, former Sonar Tech aboard the USS WILLIAM H. BATES (SSN 680) (78-81) is currently serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army in a support role (we hope). They call it the NArmy...go figure! He went to training in South Carolina at an Army base, spent some time in Kuwait, and now is in Kabul (as of Sept. 6-7). He even had dinner at the U.S. Embassy the other night! I'm not sure where exactly he is stationed.
Dave has been active in the Naval Reserves off and on over the last 20+ years, During that time he evolved from a ST to a MC (Mass Communications Specialist), and even made Chief in 2008!! In recent years, he has stretched his annual two-week deployment to a month or more each time, traveling with and documenting/reporting the exploits of Navy and other military forces around the world as part of his new rate.
No comments- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
FOUND: one brown sweat-stained baseball style cap, in Suite 1110 at the Town & Country - somebody obviously upgraded to the William H. Bates ballcap, and in a fog of margarita or India Pale Ale, forgot the hat he wore to REGROUPEX 09.
Contact me and tell me what city and state is on the ball cap, what festival the hat commemorates, and what your mailing address is, and it will be on its way back to you faster than sailors departing the Bates on liberty.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
Well, he's not officially registered on the ssn-680.org website, and he wasn't around when the William H. Bates was in commission, but we'd like to welcome him aboard anyway as the first child born to a registered member here at ssn-680.org.
Spencer Frankel was born this morning, September 21st, 2009 at 9:31 a.m., weighing in at 6 pounds, 10 oz., and measuring 20.5" from stem to stern, at the waterline.
His parents, Al and Heather, were part of the backbone of support that made REGROUPEX 09 a success. For those of you who observed Heather's radiant complexion two weeks ago, yes, she was almost 9 months pregnant, and still mixing margaritas and generally taking care of us. Mom, Dad, and Spencer are doing fine, and will probably appreciate a shout from their shipmates in a day or two when things calm down a bit.
Congratulations, Al and Heather! We are happy for you!
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
For the sharp-eyed users among you, you may have noticed a new feature I've recently added to the Crew Gallery. It's called Image Tagging, and it let's you tag pictures of yourself with your name and a link to your profile, right in the picture.
If you are a Facebook user, then you already know how this works. Locate the image you want to tag. You need to be in the photo, of course, otherwise this doesn't make much sense, though that might not bother some of you! Next, in the upper left corner of the image you want to tag, you'll see a little label with your user name on it. Click and drag this label to your picture in the image, and place it somewhere where it does not obscure your face, or any other labels. Release, and the label sticks.
Now, go to the bottom of the image. In the center there are three icons, a magnifying glass, a LABEL, and a star. The magnifying glass zooms the image, the star adds it to your Favorites list, and the LABEL sets your user name label and converts it to your real name. Click on the LABEL icon - you'll get a message saying your label has been added, and if you look, sure enough, there it is.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
More photos uploaded! Just finished scanning and uploading a bag of snapshots that Kelvin Cook entrusted me with during REGROUPEX 09. They are posted in the Crews Gallery in The Crew >> Underway - 1983 and Crossing the Line - 1983, as well as On the Beach >> San Diego - 1983. Don't miss them - you may find yourself in there!
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
Uploaded lots of photos last night from the 82-83 time courtesy Dave McConnell. Dave sent them to the site months ago, and it was only his incessant nagging (not really) that got me into action. As with all your photos, there are some gems in there. They have been posted to the Crews Gallery under various topics, including Boat >> Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - 1982, Crew >> Underway - 1982, and Liberty Ports >> Sasebo, Japan - 1982, Subic Bay - 1982, and Pattaya Beach, Thailand - 1983.
- Details
- Brad Williamson
- POD - SSN 680
I've uploaded all of Steve Shaw's photos from 1983 - there are some classics in there. Try Liberty Ports >> Guam - 1983, Diego Garcia - 1983, Perth - 1983, and Subic Bay - 1983. Also look in Miscellaneous >> Ceremonies, Crew >> Underway - 1983, and On the Beach >> San Diego 1983.
Photos are going up so fast, that you can't keep up with them by only checking the Recently Uploaded list in Crews Gallery - it only displays 16, and we have added a few hundred in the last week or so, so you have to browse a little, but it is worth while. If you recognize previously unidentified crewmembers, please update the comments section to add your bit of knowledge.
I added a Sponsors page for those who financially supported REGROUPEX 09. Many thanks on behalf of your shipmates, and if I forgot to include you, I blame the margaritas, or Bill Byers, just because he's the one that initiated all of this. Let me know if you got missed.
