On September 10, 1980, I began employment at Electric Boat (At that time, "Division".). I started out working for Charlie Zander in STO (Shipyard Test Organization) as a 3rd Class learner mechanic doing various propulsion plant component testing. I asked them how, considering my resume and all I accomplished in 8 years as a submarine nuclear machinist's mate, they were able to justify hiring me on just one step from the bottom. Their answer: "Well, after all, who wrote your resume!?!" Can you imagine?!? Not only were they questioning the veracity of my claims, they were, in aggressive practice (They started me out at $6.96/hour!), refuting such claims! I then explained to Charlie that, while I was on a probationary period for 90 days, after which I could be let go if my performance was inadequate to the task, so was this company; if, after the successful completion of my 90-days probation, this company did not recognize the validity of my resume and promote me, 3 steps, to 3rd Class Technician, I would be the one who "fired" me!!! As it turns out, they did advance me three steps to 3rd Class technician upon completion of my probation, and my new career at Electric Boat was underway!
I really enjoyed STO, most of the time; my only major problem with it was when we'd be "squeezin'" an oil system, all of a sudden, there'd be that same old mantra...in a multi-part chorus..."F___in' STO!!!" Like it was our fault some pipefitter or outside machinist didn't make up the joint properly...THAT's exactly why we had to check!!! Another thing I did truly enjoy about STO, though, was that it didn't involve any managerial babysitting. Since our duties made frequent runs for tools and test equipment absolutely requisite, we "brown hats" weren't subjected to the normal trade requirement of checking in and out with supervision whenever we relocated (e.g., breaks, tool crib, THE HEAD, etc)! Lots more freedom, but, as I said, the workload made it necessary...and that same workload kept us pretty busy...usually too busy to goof off to any extent that made that freedom unwarranted!!!
I managed to advance quickly under my supervisor, who gave me many opportunities to excel and, likewise, appreciated when I did. An added bonus was working the lead ship, the OHIO, during weekend overtime. I did some "live" propulsion plant testing under Jim Bell and Tommy Concannon...a couple of exceptional test engineers...among whom I was also able to find serious acknowledgment. By the time I was laid off...in mid-'81 (ON THE FRIDAY I WAS SUPPOSED TO QUALIFY FOR MY MORTGAGE!!!)...I got good enough letters of recommendation (and any other help that could possibly have been offered) to be one of 4 (out of 50 people laid off) to be relocated within the company. Laid off on Friday, I was working for Floyd Palmer, the following Monday, in the Maintenance Documentation Group of Tech Pubs (Since renamed "TCLS" for "Technical Communications and Logistic Support"), where I've been ever since. Again I managed to advance pretty rapidly until, in 1983, I was capped on the advancement scale. Then Sam Martin, a retired Captain (USN) who was editing for our group, relocated to the west coast office of EB in Bremerton. As soon as news of his impending departure was made public, I informed Mr. Palmer that I would be more than willing to consider making the shift to salary and taking over Sam's duties. Since Mr. Palmer was another good judge of both talent and ethic, he pursued it and I was made a technical editor, a position I have since held. The actual duties have changed significantly over the years, and a good part of what I do now is developmental work. I recently developed the first interactive handbook, the Material Selection Handbook, to assist entry-level engineers in coming up to speed as regards material selection for various components and applications. This is a substantial concern in submarine construction, as one could imagine, and this handbook provides a strong overview of the process and quite a bit of detailed insight into the many and varied aspects of material selection. I have also built a number of home pages for a few departments and have recently been appointed as the HTML Coordinator/Web Author for the IETM Development Team in my department (IETM=Interactive Electronic Technical Manual). I have also become a "Full Member" of the HTML Writer's Guild (HWG) which is a non-profit organization dedicated not only to the proliferation of www technology, but its "right" expansion, consistent with the goals and intentions of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), of which HWG is a member!
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