"Any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, 'I served in the United States Navy'" - President John F. Kennedy, 1963

I served in the United States Navy and Naval Reserve from September 1993 until September 2007.

I began my naval service at RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND San Diego on September 14, 1993. After recrtuit training, I attended seaman apprentice traning program at NAVAL TRAINING CETNER San Diego and was meritoriosly advanced to the rank of Seaman Apprentice (E-2).

I served aboard the rescue and salvage ship USS SALVOR ARS-52, stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from January of 1994 until the end of my active duty enlitment in September 1997. During this period I was rated as a Quartermaster, reached the rank of Petty Officer Second Class (E-5), and qualified as Ensisted Surface Warfare Specialist.

I continued my service in the Naval Reserve, beginning in January 1998. I was assigned to several different units at the reserve center in my hometowm of Everett, Washington. During this period I performed montly drills, including courses in shipboard damage control and submarine firefighting, and performed a two-week annual training aboard the destroyer USS FIFE DD-991. In 1999, I advanced to the rank of Petty Officer First Class.

I transferred to HARBOR DEFENSE COMMAND UNIT 113 in Seattle, Washington in 2000. I drilled actively with this naval coastal warfare until October 2001, and participated in the Small Arms Firing School at Fort Lewis, Washington; exercises SEAHAWK 2000 and 2001 at Indian Island, Washington; and exercise NORTHERN EDGE 2001 in Ketchikan, Alaska. I re-enlisted for six more years when my initial service obligation ended in September 2001.

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I was mobilized to active duty as part of OPERATE NOBLE EAGLE and assigned to augment the security detachment at NAVAL STATION EVERETT as a patrol officer and harbor patrol leading petty officer. I demobilized in September 2002 and returned to reserve status.

From 2002 until 2004 I drilled with a reserve detachment of AFLOAT TRAINING GROUP PACIFIC, in Everett, Washington. While affiliated with this unit, I served as part of a force protection training team during montly drills, attended a naval leadership course, and performed a two-week annual training period in Pearl Hearbor, Hawaii.

I ended my active participation in the reserve in August 2004 and served the remainder of my service obligation in individual ready reserve (IRR) status. My service obligation expired completely in September 2007.