Goodbye and Farewell.
 

In 16 days I ship out for Navy basic training, technical schools and my first command and the time has come for me to say my farewells and goodbyes to my fellow FIRSTERS. As some of you might already know I am going into the Navy for at least the next 6 years to serve my country and also further my education in computers and technology. F.I.R.S.T has inspired me to pursue a career in technology and has truly held up to its founding goals. I am honored to have been apart of FIRST and will continue to support, watch, and grow with each and every team in the US and around the world. My experience in FIRST has been very positive thanks to my teammates, teachers, mentors, parents and most of all the chiefdelphi community. The Delphi community has definitely made my time FIRST a lot more enjoyable, everything from the technical help, design ideas, and even the fun and games has made every bit of my time worthwhile. I hope all of you continue onward in the spirit of FIRST helping each other out in times of need, laughing together, and continue the pursuit of all that FIRST stands for. However this isn't goodbye forever, there is no way possible to keep me from this wonderful world and one day I shall return and that’s a promise. Finally I would like to say thank you to FIRST and all the people that make this all possible. Also I would like to thank everyone in the Delphi community and I wish you all the best of luck this season and on into the future.
Goodbye and Farewell.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Dear Brad,

I want to wish you the best of luck in your endevours, and I hope you know that we'll all be watching you as you do something that is so incredibly excellent. It has been great knowing you and talking to you, and I'm proud to see you going off to pursue your dream.

I'm sure you'll always be welcome at any FIRST event you attend if you're in the area of one. Remember, just because you're far away, it doesn't mean that good-byes are permanent. Thank you for being here, and good luck to you.

Your friend,
Genia

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Please stay in touch with us, no? :)

Take care Brad, if you're going to Champs try to find me, I want to say hi.

Please stay safe, and good luck. You make us all proud. :)

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Goodluck in the Navy and a big thanks for serving our country!

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Have a great time, Brad. Here's to fresh breezes, calm seas, and a great experience in the Navy.

(And remember, the red-painted part goes down and the part with all the antennae goes up.)

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad,

I want to wish you the very best of luck in your future endeavors and thank you for your service to our country and for defending our freedoms. The service is a most honorable choice.

May good fortune sail with you wherever you go! Stay safe and we will all welcome your safe return to CD and the FIRST community in the future.

Best of luck,
Chuck

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Good luck to you in your service for the Navy..This is a good choice for you.
I don't know what school your gonna take but if you become a ET it might fit well with your FIRST experiances. The Navy uses a lot of stuff that has robotics applications. Also you'll get to travel. There will be good days and some not so good days, but over all you'll do ok.

At least you'll not be in bootcamp during the winter. I went into the Navy in 1977 during the first week of February at Great Lakes...they had 12 feet of snow on the ground the whole time i was there and part of Lake Michigan was
froze over. I was gonna be a ET then (you had three elective school choices
then), but a opening for my school would'nt be open for 6 monthes (for what I wanted) and I took the option of becomeing a BU (builder) I had the Asvab
scores for a ET (89)...No telling where I'd be in life now if I had been a ET.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

God Bless and thank you for chosing to defend the freedom's we have in this great country, The United States of America.


:]

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

It was a pleasure knowing you Brad. Good luck and I hope you do well. Will you be making it to Atlanta?

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Best of luck to you, Brad. I'll miss your photo caption contest entries (and your other contributions to this forum).

Heidi

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Unfortunately i will not be making it to Atl this year, however in the future i will try to make it to events depends on when and where i get stationed. Additionally my training will be for IT (information systems technician) in which i plan on getting either and associates or bachelors in plus a mechanical engineering degree of some sort. I mean if the navy is going to pay for it then i am going to take advantage of everything they give me.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Thank you for your service to the country. Good luck man!

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Wow Brad, do you bring back memories! I served 5 years starting in 1972, so I could earn the G.I. Bill benefits and afford to go to college. Take full advantage of what that benefit can do to further your career.

You are starting an adventure that will be frustrating at times, but also very enjoyable and rewarding. You will visit countries that you will yearn to return to, but never will in your lifetime. Get some travel guides for the countries you will be stopping in, and find out about tours to their National Parks, or go visit cultural sites (architecture, museums, archaeology sites, etc.). It is great to completely immerse yourself in another culture and see how they live. From walking through the open air fish market in the Seychelles as the men brought their daily catch in, to taking a complete tour around the South Seas island paradise of Guam, to nearly falling off a 16 foot sea wall in La Reunion as I ate a picnic lunch, because someone said "Bon Appetit", and I heard the first words I understood in three days. Every port we stopped in was remarkable for many different reasons. Enjoy them all!

And when you have an opportunity, get back here on CD and post your travelogue. We'd love to hear your adventures.

Great Luck Brad!

Oh, yes, one more thing, tell them you want a Tin Can!
(USS Southerland DD-743 and USS Fox DLG-33 -- both mothballed now)

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad,
there are quite a few FIRSTers that I know that were (and are) in the Navy! The experiences you had in FIRST will serve you well.

I knowthat 836 will miss you and I will miss seeing you at the local events.
Keep in touch.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad,
Good luck to you in the future. It sounds like you have your next few years planned out fairly well. I am proud of you, knowing that you have taken this course. Don't believe the 12' of snow at Great Lakes, that was a myth or ancient history.(the most I ever remember was 11' but it was gone in a couple of months) It's really nice here in northern Illinois if you get up here. Looking to hear from you in the future. Stop by on CD and let us know what is going on sometmies.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

From all of us here at Team 1126 SparX from Webster NY, we salute you to serving our country. Please use all of what you have learned in FIRST to bring with you to whereever you may go. Thank you and God bless.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Hey Brad, I respect you greatly for joining the Navy and serving the country. I also wanted to join but things didn't really do my way. But I do know what a great oppurtunity it is. I wish you all the luck in all that you do. Thanks.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad,

Good luck to you, and thank you for serving. I served 4 years in the Navy, and it was some of the best years in my life. Serving in the Navy might not stop you from assisting FIRST since Navy is very big on community service (you'll find out once you are out of bootcamp and A school). Think about mentoring if you are stationed at a base, or mentoring those here if you are at sea. They got internet connections on board now (but not when I served :( ).

Anyway, Thank you for choosing to serve.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

ChiefDelphi is a great place for a kid to hang his red hat and call home.
You'll be in touch, the CD family is counting on it.

Jane

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad, I'll miss you so much.
Keep in touch with me, will you?
Much love, and stay safe, please.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad, good luck to you.

Like others have said, stop in here if you ever get the chance. The Navy can offer you many benefits and hopefully you can take advantage of them. Our country also wouldn't be the same without the dedication of people like you.

Jason

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

You will find that the experience you have had with FIRST has prepared you well for many aspects of the Navy. Working with a team to accomplish a goal (whether or not you necessarily like everyone on the team), pushing yourself to accomplishments you never thought possible, attention to detail even though you are too tired and there isn't enought time. These are all attributes that will serve you well in your Navy carreer.

From an ex-Navy nuke mechanic submariner I bid you fair winds and following seas!

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Brad--
So you've joined the Navy too, eh? I shipped Jan 12th, so I missed all of this season due to boot camp. Right now I'm in Charleston, SC for my school.
You've made a great choice, joining up. I won't tell you it's easy, because it's not. Boot camp sucked. But when you're in there, keep your head up and your eyes on the goal. Once you've made it through the first couple days, you'll be fine.
My career hasn't been long (less than 4 months so far), but if you have any questions about boot camp or stuff like that, feel free to send me an IM at JakeTeam134 or Jake The Mike.
If not, that's cool too. Good luck out there, shipmate.

<Edit>
I forgot to mention, like tuba, I'm a nuke. I volunteered for submarines but don't know if I'll go down there. More than likely though :D I'm not a mechanic like him, though. I 'm an electrician, so I get to play with wires and stuff >:)
What's your rate?
</Edit>

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

My final days have come. On Monday I will go up to Baltimore for the night then early Tuesday morning i will fly out to Great Lakes. But this isn't goodbye forever, I will return to Delphi and I will return to F.I.R.S.T with greater knowledge courtesy of the US Navy. I know the skills they will teach me, well most of them, will fit right into robotics and the spirit of FIRST. So until next time keep designing and building the future, Robotics.


That kid in the red hat
Team 836

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Anchors-away sailor!

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

Good luck bro. Im glad that FIRST has done so much for you, and if one person was inspired by first imagine what it is doing to the rest of the world. :)

Good luck and Keep in touch on Delphi if you can. :)


Pavan.

Also Thank You for protecting my freedoms.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

IM BAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK



Hey guys just wanted to let everyone know that i just graduated from boot camp today!!! I will try and stay active whenever i can get ahold of a computer. Thank you all for the support.

Re: Goodbye and Farewell.
 

CONGRATULATIONS!

A little obnoxious, I know, but you deserve it!