James Austin   CTRCS  1966-1988

Enrolled at Ohio State in 1963. Partied too much and got put on academic probation in Dec 65. My draft status was immediately changed from student to “alive and able”. I immediately tried to get into the military other than Marines or ARMY. The Navy had a delayed entry program so I signed up in Apr 66 but didn’t have to report to Great Lakes until Aug 66.

During the battery of tests they gave us was a few questions about morse code. I had learned morse code in the Boy Scouts and apparently did well. At the end of boot camp they were handing out orders to guys but I was the last one and had no orders. My CC told me to go see the career counselor because they had not provided him any info on where my first assignment would be. The career counselor said all he know was I was going to Pensacola Fla from Nov to May as a Communications Technician but his book had no information on what a CT did. All I knew was Florida and I’d be there for Spring Break in 67. Shows you were my head was. The rest is history. 22 years, made Master Chief but retired as a Senior Chief. I had 6 months left to reach the time in grade for E9 but the detailer, Dick Best, wanted me at the Pentagon. I refused. He was pissed so I retired as a Senior Chief.