Navy Individual Augmentee

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Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on October 8, 2014 at 12:31pm

Comment by NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary on January 31, 2014 at 10:04pm

My Spartan Brothers
IA, Individual Augmentee, MCM Crew Spartan, USS Sentry

SURFPAC Sailor Returns from IA
By EN2(SW) James Howes, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet

It’s been a year since I left for an Individual Augmentee (IA) deployment with MCM Crew Spartan. I was proud to relieve the Sailors who were waiting to come home after being deployed for eleven months. I had the jitters that Sailors normally get when reporting to a new command. Once we checked in with our prospective crews, we were addressed by LCDR Edward Pledger, a seasoned MCM sailor who would be our new CO for the year. The first thing he did was warn us that it would be hard at first; we’d work long hours, and were in for a long training cycle. But he also had hopes that someday while reminiscing with our grandkids, we’d look back and remember this year as the best of our lives and Navy career. Most of us laughed, but as time went on, it all became true.

Our training cycle became one of the shortest in Navy history. In just four months we were certified and ready for the next part of our tour. We took some leave, said our goodbyes, and were on our flights heading to the sunny Kingdom of Bahrain and USS Sentry (MCM 3). Most of us knew what we were getting ourselves into. We had plankowners from other minesweeps, ATG inspectors, instructors, and even a couple of aviation-types that by the end of deployment became “snipes” in every aspect of the word. We were Crew Spartan, the originals.

All of us have been asked during our career why we joined the Navy. Like most, I was trying to pay for college, wanted to see the world— but most of all—I was looking for camaraderie, that family feeling, and the brotherhood you can only get by serving your country. And for the first time in my 11 years of service in this great Navy, I found what I was looking for. MCM Crew Spartan became my family. If there was a new addition to a Sailor’s family, or an unfortunate loss, the entire crew felt the joy and sorrow of our fellow shipmates.

There was not a single goal that the crew set out to accomplish that we didn’t achieve—from 100% for ESWS and SWO qualifications, to over 95% in every area of our warfare certifications. I truly feel we lived up to the motto, “the best damn crew.” We made every call to sea that we were ordered, and even sent our Sailors to assist other crews with INSURV.

Now that I’ve returned to shore duty, I find myself missing my old crew. It’s almost like leaving a close friend behind. Looking back on deployment, I know there are a lot of things I’ve learned about myself, my rate and what I’d like to continue in the future.

In the words of DC1(SW/AW) Crouch, “HOOOOOO-YAH CREW SPARTAN!!!!!!!!”… you will be missed.


source: http://idrivewarships.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/my-spartan-brothers/

Comment by Pat on November 5, 2011 at 9:47pm

Not much activity here. My daughter has been GSA to Djibouti since May & really seems to like it. She wasn't there 3 weeks & requested a 6 month extension which was approved so she's there for a few more months. Good thing with the extension is that they get 2 weeks leave so she'll be coming home for Christmas (first time in 4 yrs). She'd forward deployed from San Diego, but the IA coordinator from her previous command in Hawaii keeps me updated pretty regularly & I'm fortunate that my daughter calls every week & we communicate via facebook. One of the Officers at her command sent me a very nice letter last week regarding her earning the expeditionary warfare specialist pin. 

 

 

Dan, did your son go to Afghanistan? My daughter is also working in her rate, IT, over in Africa.

Comment by Dan C on February 4, 2011 at 3:29pm

Hello eveyone, my son has told us he has been accepted to IA duty in Afganistan.  He told me that he will be going over to do a variety of jobs he will be assigned to the Army.  Some of the jobs he stated were base security, convoy security, and postal services on base.  I recently came across an Army Major and quizzed him about it and he stated that he would probably end up at the air base doing his current rating as an AST.  Does anyone have any insight on what we can expect.  Thanks for any replies.

Comment by Daniel Melia on September 7, 2010 at 4:55pm

Pat, exciting time for your daughter. My only suggestion is that you get in touch with the folks at the regular unit she is deployed with(Navy/Marines/AF/Army) who probably will have a website with contact info and the like. They probably will not contact you, but the 2/1 Marines with whom my son was deployed kept in pretty good touch and were particularly helpful about the return arrangements as soon as I contacted them. From reading All Hands every month, it seems to me that the Navy is very concerned that IAs are treated well with respect to advancement and future assignment.

Comment by Pat on September 5, 2010 at 4:51pm

Hello all, my daughter will be deploying as an IA to the Horn of Africa around the end of the year.

Comment by Daniel Melia on August 4, 2009 at 5:45pm

Daniel is now in unspecified holding base awaiting return to US in a few weeks. Last month he got to go out for a couple of weeks with a "Jump Platoon" (put together from several companies)-- protecting the higher ups while dealing with the Iraqis in the field. He says that this was the high point of his deployment. He also qualified as "FMF" and got his warfare badge of which he is rightly proud. Basically, save for the fact that he is only with the 2/1 for their actual deployment, his job seems to be pretty much what it would be if he were not IA and just attached to the Marine unit as a regular duty station. He is due back in New Orleans for duty only 2 weeks after his return.

Comment by Daniel Melia on April 4, 2009 at 6:23pm

Dupe of a comment I just left on Corpsmen group:
My son, HM3 Daniel T. Melia, is now somewhere (op. sec.) along the western Euphrates with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine regiment, Headquarters and Services Co. He spent 2 hectic weeks at Pendleton and shipped out at the end of Jan. The 2/1 now has some pictures up on their website, but not of his Co. I have urged him to take some and have them posted [they seem to be checked for info potentially useful to bad guys.] He had wanted to be posted to one of the patrol infantry Cos. but seems to be settling into the BAS (battalion aid station--the 4077 MASH in my imagination). They spent about 3 weeks in the desert before their present posting and he now appreciates showers and floors. They also have pretty good communications, for the present, anyway, and Daniel has been able to phone a few times. He mainly communicates via facebook which allows him to send messages almost daily to his parents and friends simultaneously. ["Doc Melia" if you are on F-book.] I have found Motomail and the Marineparents.org website useful. A little while ago he changed his facebook "handle" from "Dan Melia" to "Doc Melia" which I took as a milestone in his relationship with his Marines. A few weeks ago he posted (excitedly, I think) that he had had his first "No shit, Medic-up! emergency call," which I guess he handled well (details are lacking--op.sec.) For those early in this path, I think that Daniel has been challenged and gratified by going HM, "greenside" and IA. We keep in touch and pray that he stays safe.

Comment by E.G. - ND's Creator/Admin on November 2, 2008 at 7:38pm

Dan welcome. I'm looking forward to sharing info with you about IA's. I've researched it a little but my son is still 6 months to a year away from going to Iraq. He is an ABE working on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan. Putting his boots on the ground is something he felt he needed to do. I did not realize how many Navy Sailors were actually in the sand box. I knew about our corpsman but had no idea of how many others. Keep me posted on Daniel and I hope all is well with your family. Talk to you soon.
EG

Comment by Daniel Melia on November 2, 2008 at 7:06pm

HI, I'm usually over at the Corpsman group, but my son, Daniel Melia (HM3) is being deployed as an IA (he tells me) with the1 st Marine Regiment in '09. As he is a qualified Field Medic he could be attached to a Marine unit as a regular "Devil Doc", but his orders call for only a 9-month assignment as TAD. If and when I learn more, I'll pass it along.
best,
Dan Melia

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