Veterans

As a matter of fact, a US Navy Ships Serviceman provides some of the only creature comforts that can be found when Navy personnel are out to sea. It’s a job that is as old as the US Navy itself and it’s more of a jack of all trades position. Navy Ship’s Serviceman are the ones that handle retail stores on-board ships, take care of laundry, and perform other important shipboard duties. There is no such thing as an unimportant job in the US Navy. Linen, haircuts, ship’s store, vendor machines- sales and service- vending, laundry, barber. Retail specialist, manage interface between materials and crew- keep them happy on a day-to-day basis. Evidence of that is those that perform the duties of a Navy Ships Serviceman. They don’t always get the respect they deserve but it would be hard to imagine what any ship would be like without them. There would be no midnight snacks, no tasty treats, no reading materials or hygienic items and toiletries available for sale.It’s a great job for those that don’t want the stress that comes with some other Navy positions but still want to travel the world.

I served on the USS Yellowstone (AD-41), a destroyer ship, in Norfolk, VA from 1986-1988. Our tour of duty included a Mediterranean Cruise deployment- Italy, Spain, and France. The USS Yellowstone was decommissioned 12/31/96. I then served on the USS Ajax (AR-6) a repair ship, in San Diego, CA from 1984-1986. Our tour of duty included a West Pac Cruise deployment- Pearl Harbor-Hawaii, Guam, Philippines, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Al Masirah, and Thailand. This was the last voyage for the USS Ajax. Decommissioned 12/31/1986. Currently, I serve Westside Baptist Church Women’s Ministry as the conference Vendor Coordinator and Media Assistant. I also serve the community through the Tarrant County Food Bank distribution each month. This year I will be assisting in VBS as one of the Craft rotation volunteers.

I met my husband, Joseph Simon in the US Navy and we married in November 1988. We have been married 34 ½ years. We have one son, Christopher (Chris). Chris received his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M Corpus Christi and his graduate degree at Angelo State University. Chris is a coach and Special Education teacher in Jonesboro, TX. We have 2 grandchildren – Jaxson age 8 and Jaiden age 4.