Upon completion of my school, I received my orders to my first duty station. Assigned to the USS ESSEX (LHD-2) stationed in Sasebo, Japan, I was in complete shock when I arrived. Looking at the living conditions in which I had to live in for the next three years was breathtaking. Walking to my bed, in which the Navy refers to as a "Rack," I was distraught. Living in such close quarters of other females was what I call "unsanitary," to them it was called "life." Moreover, I was away from the ones who knew me best and then that is how I obtained the "Loner" status. After a couple of weeks, I was wooed over by certain people who let me know it was okay to meet other people and call them friends. During that time we were headed on a cruise, spending
