( EN2 ) L. Collins

First I am married with two kids and four Grand-daughters, I love them all very much. Second I am a Freemason and enjoy it very much. Third I am a veteran of the U. S. Navy and served 11 years in the Navy and all onboard three ships never on the ground. I joined the United States Navy in November of 1984, went to Boot Camp in Great Lakes Ill. After Boot I was shipped out to the U.S.S. Lexington AVT-16 as an Engineman, where she was in dry doc in Philadelphia, Pa. When all repairs where completed she returned to her home port in Pensacola, Fl. The Lady Lex sent me to many many schools like HVAC, Air compressor repair, gauge calibration, Drug and Alcohol councilor, Navy career councilor... I stayed aboard her until Feb. 1990 when I was shipped out to the U.S.S. Metacom ( OT ) YTB-829 in Groton, Ct. as a Chief Engineer. The Navy sent me to more schools like D.A.P.A. Shore Patrol, Brig chaser... After my tour of Groton the Navy sent me back to school for Hydraulics R.A.S.T. this was a few months long in Norfolk, Va. and upon completing R.A.S.T. school I was shipped out to the U.S.S. Elrod FFG-55 as a R.A.S.T. Tech and and D.A.P.A. stationed in Charleston, Sc. where I completed my 11 years of active service and returning home in Nov. 1995.