New Sailor Finds Focus, Direction in Joining Military

American Forces Press Service ^ | Donna Miles

[SandRat]

HONOLULU, Sept. 16, 2007 – Members of Scott Harpley’s Ringgold High School graduation class in northern Georgia probably wouldn’t recognize the driven young sailor squeezed into seat 51F on an airplane yesterday headed here to his first duty assignment.

U.S. Navy Fireman Apprentice Scott Harpley, age 22, heads to his first duty assignment in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he will serve aboard the Navy submarine USS Pasadena, Sept. 15, 2007. Defense Dept. photo by Donna Miles   
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

At age 22, U.S. Navy Fireman Apprentice Harpley is much more – and in some cases, much less – of a man than the one who took more than four years to finish high school because he so often simply didn’t show up.

“I was bored,” said Harpley of his high school days. He said he spent a lot more time in front of the TV than in the classroom, and packed on so much weight the military wouldn’t consider taking him.

After high school, Harpley bounced from one job to another, dishing up fast food, working retail, stocking warehouse shelves and even driving cross-country selling magazines. Nothing kept his interest for long.

But yesterday, as he prepared to begin his first military assignment, as a weapons mechanic aboard the Navy submarine USS Pasadena, Harpley said he thinks he’s finally something he’ll be able to stick with for the next 20 years.

Harpley dropped 170 pounds over a year-and-a-half to join the Navy. He started by eating just a single granola bar each day but started to get sick. So he reverted to a regime of healthy eating and demanding workouts while pulling 10-to-14-hour workdays in construction.

“I’m a lot more active now,” said Harpley, whose 6-foot-2-inch frame now carries 212 pounds, about half its former bulk.

Since enlisting into the Navy submarine force in January, Harpley’s performance has demonstrated a dramatic turnaround, too. He’s excelled at everything he’s done. He was the top graduate in his boot camp class at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Ill., then earned the Number 2 spots in both his basic mechanic and “A” schools.

His class standings earned him the chance to choose a coveted first assignment aboard a sub homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Already, when his Honolulu-bound plane had barely left the U.S. mainland, Harpley was setting his sights on what he wants to accomplish when he arrives. The first order of business, he said, will be to earn the submarine warfare pin that means he’s a fully qualified submariner.

Although the qualification process typically takes about nine months, Harpley’s committed to finishing it in six months, max. “It’s another step in my training. I know I can do it if I set my sights on it,” he said. “I’m quick.”

Not yet with his unit, Harpley said he has “no idea” when he and his crewmates will deploy together. He said he’s ready to go and anxious to see as much of he world as the Navy can show him.

“I’m looking forward to going and doing my job and do the things I’ve been training for months to learn how to do,” he said.

“I’m going to give them the hard work they want, and they’re going to do a lot of things for me too,” he said. He rattled off the long list of benefits that will come with his service: medical and dental care and educational benefits, among them.

“I’m going to go as far as I can until I retire or they kick me out,” he said with a smile. “I’m ready to go.”

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USS Pasadena

[Conservative Infidel]

Hot-running, non-qual ping to the Steeley Eyed Killers of the Deep. This kid sure seems motivated! Hope he continues to do well.

[bikerman]

Hope he continues to do well.

Kids like him will do very well I know many kids in my sons high school who would have ended up in jail or worse and decided to join the military and today are doing very well and glad they joined.

[dk/coro]

Isn’t this story an inspiration? And, in so many ways an affirmation of what I was honored to observe in the course of my Naval Service. Our magnificent sailors embody the very essence of our senior service. Flag officers are a dime a dozen. The technical expertise and dedication to duty of our Enlisted community makes the Navy function!

As an aside, but related: One of the final highlights of my modest career was serving as best man at the wedding of my superb yeoman, an E-6 at CincPacFlt Hq at Makalapa, PH, when I had the 35 shop — way back when. *S*

And, my fellow Freepers — OJ has just been arrested, so I can consider today a very good day, indeed. *S* Cheers !!!

[Bulldawg Fan]

This fellow Georgian couldnt be more proud. God speed young Sailor. We are with you always.

[Gay State Conservative]

You've gotta give this kid credit for determination! Let's hope he does well.

And out of curiosity,does the insignia on his sleeve that looks like a ship's propeller mean that he's assigned to a submarine? I'm an Army guy and get seasick watching Gilligan's Island.

[mort56]

Gods speed, squid!

[SandRat]

Nope it means he works in the ships engine room, any ship.

[SandRat]

Nope it means he works in the ships engine room, any ship. However, he is according to the story assigned to a sub; just has qualified for his silver dolphins to wear above his two ribbons yet.

[IonImplantGuru]

You've gotta give this kid credit for determination! Let's hope he does well.
And out of curiosity,does the insignia on his sleeve that looks like a ship's propeller mean that he's assigned to a submarine? I'm an Army guy and get seasick watching Gilligan's Island.

With that kind of attitude, I'm sure he'll do fine on his first boat.
The rating insignia you refer to is that of Machinist's Mate (MM). There has been a large consolidation of ratings serving aboard subs over the last few years. Torpedomen (TM) have been superseded by MMs with job code (NEC) and training for that role; other MM's serve as nukes in the propulsion plant, or as so-called 'A-gangers' taking care of auxiliary equipment such as air-handling, hydraulic systems, etc.
The old quartermaster rating (QM) has been replaced by Electronics Tech (navigation NEC), while other ET specialties serve as nuclear reactor control types back in the propulsion plant, or handle communications systems.
Back in my time (30+ years ago) there might have been 15 different ratings serving on fast attack boats such as the Passadena; missile boats had those and 3 or 4 more.
Nowadays it's more like 9 or 10 different ratings, if that many.

[Doohickey]

Actually, he’s an Auxillaryman. They combined non-nuc Machinist Mates, Torpedoman’s Mate and Internal Communications Electricians into one rate years ago. He’ll see plenty of time in the engine room though working on quals and cleaning bilges under the lube oil purifiers...

[SandRat]

Thanks

[dighton]

Thought you might like this one.

[holyscroller]

Hope your ‘young un’ does as well. Anchors aweigh!

[Billthedrill]

Thanks for the ping. May the Chiefs and the officers of this motivated young sailor be worthy of him. That’s always the challenge, to be worthy of your people. You forget that, you might as well quit. Fair winds and following seas.

[PogySailor]

Good for him. I hope he does well.

He already seems to have the skills he’ll need in his first job as a “crank” (aka mess attendant) :-).