On this very day 20 years ago, a young 18 year old left his Grandfather's house in Greenwood, Arkansas with just the clothes on his back to join the United States Navy. This my friends is where a Career would begin for a young boy who had no idea what life would bring, where this journey would take him, or the man he would eventually grow to be!
It was Monday, May 25, 1998 that Steven enlisted in the Navy and headed off to Basic Training {Boot Camp} in great Lakes, IL. Following his completion of basic training he attended Nuclear Machinist Mate "A" School in Orlando, FL followed by Nuclear power School & Nuclear Prototype training all in Charleston, SC. Upon completion of his training, he reported to his very first Submarine, USS HAMPTON (SSN 767). This is where he received his Dolphins & attended Navy Dive School where he received his Navy Diver Scuba Pin. In 2004, Steven was advanced to Petty Officer First Class and transferred to Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department in Groton, CT. This is where he specialized in working on highly radioactive contaminated systems {think of men working in yellow suits with orange gloves!}
{Dive School Class Photo 2002}
{Steven 10 years after Dive School in 2012 }
While stationed in CT, Steven volunteered to deploy on board the Dive Salvage Ship USS GRAPPLE (ARS-53) as a Radiological Controls Diver for the decommissioning tow of the USS PORTSMOUTH (SSN 707) from Norfolk, VA to Banger, WA. While on board the GRAPPLE, Steven qualified Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist {ESWS} and developed a love for the Surface Navy. When he returned to CT he finished his Bachelor's Degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology through online classes & tedious night classes.
{Steven on the Tow crew for the USS PORTSMOUTH}
Steven graduated in 2006, all while deploying multiple times and working long hours on shore duty. Steven was selected in 2006 to be on the commissioning crew for the USS NEW HAMPSHIRE (SSN 778). In March of 2007 he was selected for Officer Candidate School {OCS} as a Surface Warfare Officer. A week later he transferred to Pensacola, FL and reported as an Enlisted Sailor MM1 (SS/SW/DV) Steven J. Hall for the very last time.
{Steven with his Grandfather the day he reported to OCS in 2007}
In July of 2007, he was commissioned as an Ensign! 
He had orders to report to the USS UNDERWOOD (FFG 36) in Jacksonville, FL after OCS where he qualified as a Surface Warfare Officer. Onboard UNDERWOOD, he served as the Ordnance Officer and VBSS Boarding Officer. During his time on the UNDERWOOD is when Steven and I met! I never in my wildest dreams thought of dating {let alone marrying} a Navy man. It was never on my radar but God had bigger plans! This little local Jacksonville girl who had never moved away will always thank the Navy for sending this Sailor down here!
{Steven's VBSS Boarding Team}
{standing Officer of the Deck Underway on the UNDERWOOD}
In 2010 he reported to the USS ROOSEVELT (DDG 80) as the Fire Control Officer where he also qualified as Engineer of the Watch {EOOW} and promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. The USS ROOSEVELT will always hold a very special place in our hearts as we got married while Steven was stationed on that ship and Charli was baptized in the Ship Bell several years later {Charli's name will forever be engraved in the ships bell and it is something so special to us!}
{this is also the very Priest that Baptized me as a baby & also married Steven and I!}
In July of 2011, we conducted our very first duty station change as Husband & Wife when Steven was accepted to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA and was promoted to Lieutenant! In 2012, Charli was born while we were stationed in California!
In 2013, Steven graduated with his Master's Degree in Systems Engineering and also with his Joint Military Professional Education from the Naval War College. That July we were transferred to Charleston, SC where Steven would be the Executive Officer {XO} of the Naval Operational Support Center Charleston. Our family became complete in August 2014 when we welcomed Crew into the world!
After such a stellar performance at NOSC Charleston, Steven was selected to convert to an FTS Officer so that he could command a NOSC in the future. In December of 2014, we moved to Newport, RI {of course during the cold New England Winter}. This is where Steven completed 6 months of surface Warfare Officer Department head School {and I completed 6 months of not going insane because of the damn snow}.
The Summer of 2015 Steven reported to the USS FORT MCHENRY (LSD 41) back in Jacksonville as the Operations Officer {OPS}. Steven {along with almost everyone who has ever served on an LSD} said that being an OPS on an LSD is one of the toughest jobs in the US Navy. He was responsible for not only the schedule aspect of being an Operations Officer but he was also the ships Combat Systems Officer {needless to say those 18 months were brutal for us}. In 2017, Steven transferred to the USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7). Onboard IWO JIMA, Steven became fully qualified for Command at Sea, was selected for 04-05 NOSC Command Ashore, and was recently advanced to Lieutenant Commander!
Words cannot describe how proud I am of my husband. He never ceases to amaze me in every single thing he does and I hope that getting a peek into his Career path and all that he has accomplished will show you just how truly proud I am of him. He is the most intelligent & hardworking man I know. This Military life is not an easy one {for any of us} but I wouldn't want to be standing by anybody else's side. Today is a huge Milestone in Steven's Naval Career and it is one I did not want to go unnoticed. Who knows when this journey will end; 5 years, 10 years, however many years he decides to serve, I will be proudly standing next to him supporting him each and every day!
Happy 20 Years of Service my love!! I love you so much!
