Steve C. Larson, CDR USN Retired, 1974-2005 How I got into the Navy was probably no different than a lot of guys wasted away my time in college partying and playing and lost my student deferment. Was still hanging on, hoping for the low lottery draw. The time came, me and my friends at school made up our own pool whoever got the lowest number would get the cash and a free night on the town. The day of the lottery, I had a 1500-1800 chemistry lab on the other side of campus, so it was already over and announced by the time I got out. When I turned the last corner on the way home, I saw all my friends lined up on the sidewalk leading to the door, and as I walked up the old Beatles song I'm a Loser started blasting out the window of the house. Knew I had to go see the recruiter right away. When I got to Des Moines and finally saw BMCM Wally Myllykangas, he dutifully gave me the BTB and I just as dutifully took it. In fact, I aced it don't know how, just luck I guess. The Master Chief asked me what I wanted to be and I told him I wanted to be a Boatswain's Mate, a real sailor (I was about as naieve as they come). He laughed in my face. I finally ended up enlisting as a nuke ET. Right after I took the oath, though, they came and got me and ran me right back up the stairs. Told me I was color blind and couldn't be an ET. I told them they were full of it, because I'd worked on the railroad for awhile and had been a paint tinter in a lab at another stretch; they said, no, the tests showed I was not red-green color blind, but spectrum deficient, and couldn't be an ET. I asked them what could I be, they gave me the options of PN, DK, and JO, and I told them I didn't want to push paper, couldn't handle my own money let alone someone else's, and I'd already worked for a newspaper once. They offered the choice of CT. When I asked what that was, they said we can't tell you, it's classified. Yank hook set, and I was off. What was meant to be a four-year enlistment, turned out to be a little over 30 years and the best move I've ever made. TKS Swede Larson 1974-2005