An ABOT Field Trip

That's right, I'm going on a field trip! And it's not to the Nimitz (not yet at least)- although today they said it looks like most of us should be back on the carrier by the end of November just in time for a Nimitz Thanksgiving (and the subsequent port visit to Dubai!!!). To be safe, I would not mail any more packages here to ABOT since I don't want to miss them and not get them. If you have recently sent something, fear not, I have at least another week here and so should probably get everything.

However, my new contact info will be as follows:
LTJG Molly Laufer
COMDESRON Two Three
Unit 25073FPO AP 96601 4722


molly.laufer@cvn68.navy.mil

I will have an exact date here in the next few days but til then, I'm going to take advantage of all of the blogging/skype I can! I will still blog from Nimitz but it will be hard due to a real shortage of UNCLAS computers (here on ABOT we have normal internet so you can use your own computer in your CLU).

So where am I going now? I'm going to having a little sleepover on a mighty, mighty, DDG! Why, you ask? Well apparently the Navy has decided that while on orders to ABOT, we forfeit our sea-pay since we're not really "underway".  Ok, they're right, ABOT definitely doesn't move through the water. However, we are part of a sea-tour squadron. On deployment. For EIGHT months. Yet someone, coming to ABOT stopped our sea-pay since we're not on a ship. Seriously? Really?

Ahh yes, government bureaucracy at their very best! Apparently, ABOT used to be manned by DESRON 50, which is based out of Bahrain. DESRON 50 is considered a shore tour since you are on land, never deploy, and work out of an office. Their people used to come out here for a few weeks rotation. This makes sense and they wanted to prevent DESRON50 folks from getting their sea pay while not on a sea tour rotation.

Of course no one re-wrote that rule and now as soon as you come to ABOT, you lose your sea pay. For me, it's not a ton, I have less than 3 years so mine is around $100- however higher ranking offiers & enlisted who have been in for many many years get $400-600/month while attached to a sea command (one that goes out to sea and goes on deployment). So it is a real smack in the face that despite being away from our families for 6-8 months, the Navy doesn't consider ABOT "sea time". In order to prevent us from losing out on a bunch of money that we rightfully work hard for, we have to spend the night on the ship.

And this is why ship's think that DESRON's are worthless; to them we are the "boss" a faceless person on the other side of the computer in a chat room known only to them as "ABOT STWO"- and then have to come to their ship, mooch their food and their racks for a night. And to do nothing but sleep!

So I am taking a RHIB over to the DDG out here for the night around 5pm and coming back at 6am. No skype, no blog, no Gossip Girl :( I plan to take one of my new books, read and get like 10 hours of sleep. YESSS!

I will bring my camera but can't promise there will be anything picture worthy as the seas are generally really rough at night and it will be pitch black out when I am riding over.

Stay tuned though, hopefully I'll have some good stories.