Was a guided missile frigate named USS Sides (FFG-14) after World War II Admiral John H. Sides, the "father of the guided missile Navy." I served as Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer for the first two years and as Auxiliaries Engineering Officer the last year.
While no real war stories to speak of, those three years were extremely pivotal for me from a leadership growth perspective. I was 22 years old when I reported aboard, and was immediately handed a division of 12 men and multi-million dollars worth of sonar, computers and weaponry. My senior enlisted person had entered the Navy a year before I was born! I had to earn their trust as well as the trust of my fellow officers quickly.
It took me a full year to get comfortable in my role. I did, however, qualify in shipboard combat and operations duties ahead of schedule - a feat I was most proud of. I have to say that those three years still stand out as one of the largest professional and personal development periods of my life.
