PMI sent me a math competency exam to make sure I had a basic understanding of some algebra, trig and general math concepts. It's been a few years since I've had to calculate the Cos, Sin and Tan of a triangle, so I did a little head scratching to wake things up and it quickly came back. I had to bug a math teacher friend of mine on a few things, but soon I was whipping them out. Other fun stuff included adding and subtracting Lats/Long, bearings, 24hr times and more. I did a ton of compass work and mapping in the Navy, so most of these were almost natural, but still had to dust off those archives in the brain and give them a little motivational speech.
When I attended Operations Specialist A-School, I worked my butt off because I knew that the top 10% of my class got to pick their orders of their first duty assignment. Needless to say, I studied hard and made it happen. I partied less, studied more, and the end result is some info that became ingrained for life, and luckily is getting to be pulled out of mothball and put back into service. One of the skills that is still ingrained and probably never going to be useful again, is the ability to write backwards. Yes, I can stand behind glass and right you a novel, complete with numbers, punctuation and more. It's kinda freaky that it's still natural, but I guess it's like riding a bike.. :-). These skills were taught to us for the sole purpose of being able to update radar contact information, call signs, and other fun war stuff on a plexiglass board without getting in the way of the TAO (Tactical Action Officer) within the Combat Information Center (CIC). The interior CIC picture here is very similar to the workspace onboard my last ship (USS Abraham Lincoln). It was always dark, always air conditioned and always fairly quiet. We would emerge out of there after a 6 month cruise looking all pasty and white from long dark days in "the blue".
Most of my shipboard duties as an OS in the CIC included radar work, but we all took turns updating boards, making coffee, cleaning,...which btw, is the center core of all Naval operations. When your not working, you're cleaning and even when you are working, you're cleaning.
So, I busted out all the math questions, scanned the test and sent it back into the school for grading. I think I aced it, but who knows. So, back to the waiting game and hoping to get "the call" any day with news on which company is going to bring me onboard. The most current news, is that Bay Delta Maritime is interested in me and especially my Navy experience. Fingers crossed, eyes crossed, etc. this would be the opportunity that any tug wannabe would drool over. Bay Delta is an awesome operation and I really hope it works out for to get in with them. They are based out of Pier 17 in the Embarcadero, SF. Wish me luck!
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