Who is the Postmaster Admiral?

I'm not really an Admiral, but I play one on the internet!

OK, first thing, no, I'm not an Admiral. I always found the fact that the US Postal Service had a Postmaster GENERAL amusing. When I came up with the concept for usnavyemail.com, the Postmaster Admiral idea was just a humorous spin-off on what the USPS was doing.

Who am I really?

My name is Mike Ward. I work as a web geek at a start up company in the Dayton, Ohio area and live with my wife and children in the sprawling burgh that is Lebanon, Ohio.

My boring Navy history... have we crossed paths?

I went to Boot Camp in Orlando in October of 1983 and was the Yeoman and RCPO (destined for greatness) in Company CO11, sister company K007. After BC I attended QM A School, also in Orlando, which was followed by BESS (Basic Enlisted Submarine School)in Groton, CT in March of 1984. I was stationed onboard the USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN 619 Gold) back in the summer of 84, and made my first SSBN deterrent patrol in the fall/winter of that same year, where I qualified and got my 'fish'. Right before my first patrol, I submitted an application for OCS which was approved and I left the AJ in March of 85.

I attended OCS in Newport in the spring of 85 and was commissioned an Ensign in July of that year. I served onboard the USS Koelsch (FF 1049) from July of 1985 till its decommissioning in May of 1989 when I left active duty. While onboard the Koelsch, I was the Towed Array Sonar Officer, First Lieutenant, M Division Officer and MPA. Also during this time I did brief tours onboard the USS Talbot (FFG 4) and the Canadian Frigate HMCS Saguenay (DDH 206) (now that was a cruise!).

In 1989 I left active duty and vowed never to return to the Navy, but after about a year or so I really began to miss the Navy (I know hard to believe, and wait till you have to start working with civilians!). I checked in to the Reserves in Dayton, Ohio and decided to try it out holding the rank of LT.

I was in the Reserves between June 1990 and December of 2007 and it was a pretty good deal! Since joining I drilled in Dayton, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Groton and Norfolk. My units included; NCSO Hawaii (Dayton), CONVOYCOM Guam (Indy), NCSO SW PAC (Cleveland), AMCC 9 (Dayton), COMMIDEASTFOR/NAVCENT Bahrain (Youngstown), COMNAVSURGRUMED (Pittsburgh), SUBSCHOOL (Groton), SECOND FLEET (Norfolk) and I was the CO of NR MOMAU 5 (Mobile Mine Assembly Unit) in Pittsburgh. I have had some great ATs in New Orleans, San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Guam, Yokosuka, Bahrain, Chinhae, Naples, Sigonella, Earle, Norfolk and London.

I was promoted to CDR in October of 2001 and was coincidently mobilized to SEVENTH FLEET for Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom. After a glorious 7 months, I returned to Ohio to resume my geek lifestyle.

I retired in December of 2007 but I am still the webmaster for the Reserve Affairs Offices at CNE having wrote the on-line AT applications that some of you other Reservists may have seen. I am also the webmaster for District 4 of the Naval Reserve Association.

How did this whole USNAVYEMAIL thing get started?

Well, its like this. I was reminiscing about some friends I made in Boot Camp and wondered how I might be able to contact some of them to see where their life had taken them. I did some research and found a woman that had been in my sister company, who is now a Warrant Officer but I really had no way of getting hold of her except maybe a phone search on the internet. I thought to myself; "somebody ought to start an email database for Navy personnel. Something easy to remember, just focused on email and not all that other stuff you see in those military sites. HEY! I can do that!" And that's it. Did some research, found some appropriate domain names and started working on it. The result is the site you are currently visiting.

Well that's it. Brief (I hope), and to the point. I hope you enjoy the site. Thanks for your support and please pass the word.

In case you're wondering, I have been in contact with that Warrant Officer, but found her through the NKO and some other sources. That's why you need to add your name so your shipmates won't have to go through what I did. ;)

Mike
aka The Postmaster Admiral (that still cracks me up)