After graduation from Upper Arlington, I worked the summer and
joined the US Navy as a Fire Control Technician (radar and computer
guidance systems for shipboard guns and missiles).
I was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hi for four years on the USS
Morton (DD 948), during which I got married and had a son. After a
year in Chicago for a Navy school, I went to San Diego for 4 years
serving on the USS Kinkaid (DD 965)and teaching Naval Gunery at the
Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado.
In 1985, I was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program
and subsequently graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S.
in Geology in '88. I
retired from the Navy in 1996 after 21 years after completing another
shipboard tour on the USS Josephus Daniels (CG 27) and serving as a
C4ISR Program Manager at the Aegis Program Office in Washington, D.C.
During that time I managed to have another son and two
daughters. Since my Navy
retirement, I have worked within the Defense Industry in support of
various U.S. Navy ship building programs.
When I graduated from Upper Arlington, I couldn't wait to leave
Columbus and see the world. Nothing felt so good as when I walked
across the stage at Vets Memorial and received that diploma.
I wanted to get as far away from Ohio as I could, and it
actually happenned. The
memories of the things that I was lucky enough to do amd to see I will
cherish forever. But at
the end of the day, I find that I miss Ohio and I miss Upper Arlington
and I think that those of you who stayed, or were able to return, are
very lucky. Nothing feels
like home so much as when I get back there and stop in at Tommy's
Pizza, which I swear hasn't changed a bit since we were in High
School! Even though I'm a very proud Kansas grad, I am still a rabid
Buckeye fan and am secretly jealous of anyone who went there :)
I've never been to a class reunion before and
I hope to ride my Harley Ultra to the 35th reunion.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can.
Sincerely,
John
Journell
Class: UA/1975
Email: jpaulj@earthlink.net
