Calvin Hutton:  

When I was growing up I never thought that I would have the opportunity to travel much even though I was interested in reading and hearing about other places in the US and abroad. This all changed once I graduated from college and joined the military. While I was still a senior in college in the 60's it became very evident that I would soon be facing the distinct possibility of Uncle Sam's draft lottery if I didn't volunteer for service on my own. One of my favorite business professors was a captain in the Naval Reserve and spent his free time recruiting candidates for careers in the Naval Supply Corps. This would seem to be a great personal choice for me as a new business administration graduate since I could use this specialized military experience in my later job search in the corporate world. More importantly, it eliminated the possible threat of the draft lottery now that my college deferment was soon to expire. Dr. Sidney Simon was eager to help and before I knew it I was filling out the piles of paperwork that the Navy provided to apply for a slot at the Naval Officer Candidate School located at Newport, Rhode Island. I guess I passed all of their entry requirements and my security background check did not produce any known criminal activity and I was sent an invitation to report to the Navy Recruiting Activity in New York City to determine if I were physically qualified for a career in the naval service. After passing the entrance exam, medical tests and some additional interviews, I returned home and waited for the acceptance letter inviting me to report for duty. After a time the hoped for letter finally arrived and provided me with the opportunity and the means to leave New Jersey and see some of the rest of he world. Navy OCS is a curious combination of physical, educational and military stress designed to weed out the unsuited students that would not be successful in the role of a naval officer. I was never an athlete or super student in high school or college but I was always able to adapt well in any environment and I prided myself as being a survivor. Some of the other officer ...Expand for more