As a young sailor away from home for the first time in my life, I was excited and enthusiastic about my new career. I had just finished my first training school after boot camp, and I was eager to attend my next school, which was to be the basis for my Navy vocation.
As our company of three hundred men was divided into the various schools we were to attend, we were informed that six men from each of the six schools would be required to postpone their studies for seven weeks and work in the mess halls. As you can perhaps imagine, this was considered the most undesirable work in the Navy—the hours were long, and the chores were messy and dirty. I was the second selected from my school.
I was upset, even enraged, at the prospect of having to give up the school I was looking forward to for seven weeks of cleaning garbage cans from four in the morning until eight at night (or at least that’s what the rumors said). That night I was inconsolable as I envisioned the long hours and miserable days ahead.
