Allow Me To Introduce Myself

Howdy, Its Me!

August 30th, 2008

NCCM Tom Goering First off, thank you for visiting my web site. Navy CyberSpace is a hobby for me that dates back to my time stationed at Navy Recruiting Command. My wife calls Navy CyberSpace my “other woman” because of the time I have spent working on it. When I started I knew absolutely nothing about HTML, PHP or any internet programming whatsoever. I really knew very little about how the internet worked. I am still very much in the learning stage, it is a “science and art”. When someone links to my web site I find that to be the best compliment, it is so cool when someone finds your stuff interesting enough to do that! To the many people who have, Thank you!

I joined the Navy during my senior year of high school, Valentines Day of 1980 to be exact, and shipped to Recruit Training Command Orlando November 3rd of the same year. I kinda knew what I was getting myself into as I had completed four years of NJROTC at Crystal River High School in sunny Florida and had the privilege of attending mini-boot camp just a year before I was actually getting paid to be there. Boot camp was a blast for me – I remember one person in my company ask me if I was home sick and my reply to him was, “No, I am sick of home!” – one of the first quick and sarcastic responses I was able to generate during my time, there have been countless since… Anyway…

After boot camp and Electronics Technician A and C schools I was on my way to the USS Forrestal, checked aboard and 8 days later we pulled out for the Med. (Feel free to read about some of my experiences in other posts). After the deployment we arrived back in Mayport only to pack everything up and head to Philly for a two and a half year overhaul, fun fun.

It was while stationed in Philadelphia I met my wife, I’ll keep this short story short – we met and five weeks later we were married. We have three boys (men now…) – Tommy, Kevin and David. David is pursuing a degree in the culinary arts. Kevin is currently serving as a Nuke on the USS George Washington and Tommy completed six as a Nuke, served aboard the USS Nimitz  and is now almost an ambulance chaser lawyer.

You may have noticed by now that my family has gravitated toward aircraft carriers. It all started with my father who served aboard the USS Enterprise – he made a couple of deployments on her, most notibally as part of Nuclear Task Force One’s (USS Enterprise, USS Long Beach and USS Bainbridge) Around the World Cruise, steaming 31,000 miles in sixty-five Days during Operation Sea Orbit back in 1964.

My Wife and I

My Wife and I

During my 26+ years in the Navy I have served as a shipboard communications technician, satellite ground terminal tech, Leading Petty Officer, Recruiter, Recruiter in Charge, Region Trainer, Zone Supervisor, Chief Recruiter, Career Recruiting Force Program Manager and Region West CR/CMC. I retired in December 2006 as a NCCM and proud member of the CPO Mess. If you have any questions about joining the Navy or suggestions about this web site feel free to contact me (email is in the nav bar – upper left of the page).

Now? In retirement from the Navy, living in Bartlett, TN, I am extending my hobby and spending as much time with my wife as she can tolerate :)

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Read Comments (20)

20 Comments »

  • Followed your link on SA New York to here. Welcome to blogland! :)

    I am going to bookmark your site, and visit as often as I can.

    Thank you to ALL your family for their service in the military family. Thank YOU!

    Brat

    Comment by brat (1 comments.) — September 7, 2008 @ 8:54 pm

  • Thank you Brat! Welcome to my site :)

    Comment by Ouch — September 7, 2008 @ 9:06 pm

  • NCCM, Thank you for commenting on my website! You are once again, my first! Well, you know what I mean…

    As you can see I have a very early work in progress on my website, but that so called “news report” got me riled up and felt I had to respond!

    Aside from responding to that, I am definitely in the R&D stages and being part time, have been for some time. Your bio reminds me of where I am now. Little knowledge about all of this, but a desire to blog away anyway! I see news reports here and there and this has prompted me to find an outlet to speak out when I feel I should! I also plan on presenting a perspective that is a little more edgy, when it comes to my take on things. It’s just more the “true” me, and maybe my style when I feel that’s what I need to do.

    Again, thanks for checking out my blog, and maybe sometime you can shoot me a few pointers on the technical side!

    p.s., if my html or something is jacked up in this comment, feel free to delete it.

    Comment by Marvin (1 comments.) — September 14, 2008 @ 1:42 am

  • Dear Sir,
    Your web site is truly an inspiration to all those who wish to join the American Navy.

    As an European, I found myself fascinated by the passion, knowledge and commitment you put in your articles — I also found them to be both educative and informative.

    I would therefore like to thank you for sharing your knowledge with the World Wide Web :)

    Your efforts are appreciated.

    Comment by European — September 27, 2008 @ 7:21 pm

  • Greetings! Thank you for the comment. Actually quite impressed you found it somehow seeing it’s only the start. I do plan on continuing to and writing in it after boot camp and through my journey in A school. Although I know Nuke School is challenging I want to make time for my blog. The reason is like I said, I googled a lot, and found answers here and there but never quite a full blog with process and procedures etc. Especially coming from a woman’s perspective. And if I did find information it would not be updated.

    Thank you again for your comment. AND of course I have come to this site many times, I have it book marked ;) .

    Comment by Kim (4 comments.) — September 27, 2008 @ 11:09 pm

  • Oh wow so both of your sons in the Nuclear Field! Amazing.

    Thank YOU for serving this Great Country. I can only hope to do the same. Also thank you for posting my blog on your website. It is much appreciated! I hope we keep in contact. I’m sure we will.

    I hope all is well with you and yours.

    Comment by Kim (4 comments.) — September 28, 2008 @ 2:43 pm

  • I and my readers look forward to hearing about boot camp, A school and of course Nuke school and beyond!

    Comment by Ouch — September 28, 2008 @ 3:55 pm

  • Thank you for the comment! A whole Navy family, that is something to be proud of!

    I come from an all Army family, so they were definitely proud that I qualified for Nuke and didn’t go grunt. I am looking forward to having this challenging rate and the opportunity to serve my country!

    I set up that blog so that other people can be a part of my experience along the way, I hope to fill it with many adventures.

    Thanks again for stopping by!

    -Chuck

    Comment by DEPJones (1 comments.) — November 7, 2008 @ 4:31 am

  • Congratulations on an impressive website!
    You are really providing a great service for Navy folks and those interested in the Navy.

    I’ve recently ventured into website building myself. What a steep learning curve it was, and is! I found your website because of a Google Alert on Hammelburg, where the chess tournament is being held.

    I was in Hammelburg in September; visited the town and went out to the former Stalag 13. I posted info and photos about it on my website.(I was stationed in Germany years ago as a JAG officer)

    Best wishes for you and your family for the new year, and great job on the site!

    Karen

    Comment by Karen Woodbury — January 4, 2009 @ 3:37 pm

  • Master Chief:
    Hopefully you will respond to this. I found on your website that those who pass the DEP PQS and meat all requirements will be advanced to E2 at their active duty start date. Well, I’m in an argument with PSD right now because they seem to think that the advancement is to take place upon completion of bootcamp. I have been surfing the web to find the instruction but your site is the only place where I’ve found that information. Master Chief, do you know where I can get the official instruction on that so I can take it to PSD and get this fixed? I’d ask that you’d please respond via e-mail or this forum.

    Very Respectfully,
    CTNSA Sawicki

    Comment by CTNSA Sawicki — January 13, 2009 @ 4:08 pm

  • I have sent you an email with the instruction attached.

    Comment by Ouch — January 13, 2009 @ 6:38 pm

  • Hello Sir!
    Thanks for stopping by my lonely blog! you are only the second to comment on anything, and you are right when you say, it is neat when people actually take the time to give you some feedback!

    I did reenlist, like you advised would be smart. And I will probably gain the next Tech.sgt.[E-6] stripe in my shop, as i’ve recently passed my 7-level requirements, and everyone else has either gotten hired as a pilot, or hurt their back and on their way out. So, yes, i knew i’d stay in, just wish i could change shops in a year or so. I’ll stick it out until then.

    I wished now, that i’d joined the Navy! i have grown to love all things Submarine and naval history, but i am not a young lad anymore. I am resigned to late night campaigns in the awesome Silent Hunter III, and IV. heh :)

    Thanks again and good luck! I will be stopping by to read more on your site as well!
    -Ssgt.Matt
    http://mobias.blogspot.com

    Comment by mobias (1 comments.) — January 23, 2009 @ 1:11 am

  • Hi Tom,

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m curious as to how you found my post so quickly? We’re you doing a search on navy recruiting?

    If found your thoughts and experiences with parents and recruiting quite interesting. It’s nice to get a perspective from the recruiting officer. I appreciate that you took the time to share that insight.

    Comment by Embe (1 comments.) — February 26, 2009 @ 1:45 pm

  • I am glad you are writing this blog about the Navy. I just happen to be writing my own Navy Story series on my own blog. I am going to write a full recap of my experience in the Navy.

    http://benmoreno.net/navy-stories-episode-1-introduction/

    Comment by Ben Moreno (1 comments.) — March 26, 2009 @ 10:27 pm

  • I have been a regular member in recieving the millitary.com messages and will like to enlist in the UK military service.
    How to i pursue my ambition or dream.
    thanks for understanding and was very ineresting going through
    the background information .
    Best Regards
    Michael

    Comment by Michael — April 10, 2009 @ 7:24 am

  • @Michael – follow this link for information about enlisting into the UK armed forces – http://www.army.mod.uk/join/join.aspx

    Comment by Ouch — April 10, 2009 @ 8:23 am

  • Hello sir,
    Thanks for all the information well simplified. I really want to say that, you’ve done well by putting all this stuff together. I really want to ask if it is possible for residents from outside the U.S.A (Ghana) to be able to be recruited into the U.S army. If yes, what are the prcedures involved and if no why? thank you.

    Comment by GOODWILL ELORM TAKPO — May 7, 2009 @ 9:58 am

  • GOODWILL ELORM TAKPO,

    Thank you for your kind comments and welcome to my web site!

    To answer your question you need to be a United States citizen, permanent resident alien, or U.S. non-citizen national and possess a Social Security Card. Contact your local US Embassy for details on gaining one of the status’ I have listed. Good luck!

    Comment by Ouch — May 7, 2009 @ 10:44 am

  • I have an acquaintance who accepted command of NRD New England. I recently pulled up the website to see what it looks like. The NRD New England website has not been updated to reflect him as Commanding Officer. It still shows him as Executive Officer. Perhaps changes could be made to reflect this?

    Comment by Helena (1 comments.) — June 5, 2009 @ 12:24 pm

  • Helena,

    Thank you for the comment!

    You may want to give him a call and poke him to update the info, his command is responsible for keeping their site up to date. :)

    Tom

    Comment by Ouch — June 5, 2009 @ 3:17 pm

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