Communications Officer, USS Voge , the Steam Navy

This chapter presents the author's first officer tour as Communications Officer aboard USS Voge. The author recalls this step in his naval career fondly, as he describes excelling as the only Black officer initially assigned, and the challenges with handling Top Secret material and ensuring handling compliance by others. It was aboard USS Voge that the author received assignments for collateral duties by a supportive executive officer and began receiving rewards for his performance. This time was characterized by the author's efforts to learn the engineering steam plant, and his designation as a Steam Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) while assigned outside the Engineering Department. Of great importance to the author is the exceptional leadership and support of a Zumwalt-era Commanding officer he worked with and who helped him make his future career choices. Lastly, the author describes attending Department Head School in Newport RI as the junior student in the class and once again being subjected to negative subjective evaluations.