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Life Afer Spinax: Ron Atkins When I left the Spinax in
the spring of 1965 my wife Linda, our son Mark and I headed
for our first shore duty, an assignment in Pendleton,
Oregon. We arrived in June and left in July.. shortest shore
tour on record! Captain Davis had recommended me for the
integration program and as a result by December 1965 I was a
lowly Ensign on a DD
out of San
Diego.
1966-72, included three Vietnam deployments, Destroyer
Department Head School, three different ships (DDs) and time
for the addition of a daughter, Ronna. Went back to Newport
in 72 as an instructor at Descol in the PCO/PXO course. The
navy gave me a year off "with pay" to complete a college
degree followed by a two year CO tour, and then a year as a
student at the War College in Newport. This was followed by
a two year sea tour Carrier Battle Group staff for fun in
the Indian Ocean. Then it was back to Newport and the
War
College for a
three year shore tour. After a number of truly humilating
years floating around on "targets" and faced with a desk job
in Washington, I decided to retire. Left the navy in May
1985 and used a PhD and a line of BS to obtain a faculty
position at a university in Newport. Ron Atkins Cmdr USN (ret) |