Where was your "fortress of solitude" while deployed?

PO2 Christopher Morehouse — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:16:06 -0500

Regardless of how OORAH you are, everyone had that "time consuming" maintenance or job or even just an empty space that they'd go to in order to escape for a bit. What was yours?

Personally, as an electrician, I'd occasionally go visit a wardroom galley to "tinker" with stuff just before lunch. The cooks would always serve me up a plate while I was there. It didn't hurt that the CS2 was a cute blonde either.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 5 at 2015 11:27 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:27:44 -0500

I'd actually go back up to my office. After 1800 on most nights, no one was there. Could just sit there and read a book, and be left alone. Best part is no one could get mad at you, if they couldn't find you when you are actually sitting in your work space.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 11:28 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:28:11 -0500

my computer and online shopping. I spent a lot of time on my laptop researching parts and upgrades for my car at home. I spent countless hours doing math to figure the best stroker kit for my ride and everything required to safely handle it. I have sketches of what i want it to look and sketches of things I want to try like running a remote loction turbo, meth/water injection, etc...I know it might sound like a different language if your not into cars...haha

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Feb 5 at 2015 11:46 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:46:33 -0500

After LSA Anaconda was established, it was still kind of wild west land. At night another guy and I'd sit out side and watch the tracers flying at night accented by a few mortars once in a while for the bass section.

When I finally got to Victory Base, I'd go to the roof of the Palace and have a cigar after dark, while watching the fire works. Was pretty cool to watch the AF planes take off with all the flares flying out the back as they did combat takeoffs.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 12:09 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:09:50 -0500

Watching movies, the gym, people watching, but music was the greatest escape. My laptop was loaded with DJ music software which I could compile and experiment in creating personal music mixes

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Feb 5 at 2015 12:12 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:12:24 -0500

I spent my life with my helicopters. I was wound pretty tight and preferred to focus on work. But in 2003 (first trip), I had a "vicious" guard dog and he was a pretty good listener. In Iraq, I preferred the animal kingdom.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 12:31 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:31:53 -0500

I'd decompress on the port quarter and watch the wake. At night a lot of times it would glow from the phosphorescent plankton in the water. That is surprisingly relaxing and very hypnotic.

Also I liked to go to the small observation deck on the island and watch flight ops. It was always exciting and dangerous working on the flight deck. Sometimes it was relaxing to step back and watch it from above. It's a ballet really.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Feb 5 at 2015 1:15 PM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 13:15:20 -0500

I was Battery Records Petty Officer on board my sub. As such, I could go into the battery well at any time we weren't drawing off the battery.

100% solitude
100% silence

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 8:09 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 20:09:09 -0500

The joy of being an IT guy, is that there is almost always a room that you have to keep everyone else out of for security's sake. Very easy to get away.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 8:41 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 20:41:49 -0500

Iraq was with the guys playing Halo or Wii Boxing, Afghanistan was out on aircraft fixing some random broken line that someone over torqued. Put me at peace.

Response by SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA made May 24 at 2015 2:46 AM

SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA — Sun, 24 May 2015 02:46:02 -0400

Our IDF bunker, it was cool when it was 124 outside, warm when it was 11 outside, and the social life and rumor mill was second to none.

Response by CPO William Ridgeway made Jul 2 at 2015 6:33 PM

CPO William Ridgeway — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 18:33:18 -0400

I usually found solitude in the battery locker or tool issue room on three different ships. Very much left alone when needed.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jul 2 at 2015 6:41 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 18:41:45 -0400

My favorite as enlisted was the after EW tower compartment. Only two people had the key and we were on port/starboard watches in CIC/EW. We'd get hit up every now and then to let others chill but having sensitive equipment that required frequent calibrations won out over wandering hands.

When I was burning out down in Antarctica, I'd grab one of my tracked vehicles and just go out on the ice a few miles, park, and just veg. Had to keep the MAC Center net up though but nobody would be beating me up for something.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Jul 2 at 2015 6:49 PM

SFC Stephen King — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 18:49:11 -0400

Gym "the sound of iron"

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2015 10:29 AM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 10:29:08 -0400

Mine was either our parts room that was a complete mess when we got there, since it was just music and mindless sorting that no one wanted to do so I was left alone, or the gym super late at night. Nothing better than some kickass lifts and music with an empty gym.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2016 10:36 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 22:36:40 -0400

Every so (rarely) often, when there was a real lull in flight ops on the MIDWAY in 1971, while we were in the Tonkin Gulf, I would go to the round off at the forward-most leading edge of the flight deck, take a gander at the ocean some fifty odd feet below, sit down, drape my legs over the round off, lie back on the deck, and gaze into the darkening West Pacific sky and...ponder. Everything about life that entered my nineteen-year-old mind. I was a far way from Missouri, and so very much about my surroundings and all that came with being in the Navy was very foreign to me...places, events, people. The roll of the ship was cathartic in and of itself, but matched with an hour or so looking at the heavens, I was able to get a lot of thinking done. I miss that peaceful event very much.