DATE: Thursday, October 16, 1997            TAG: 9710150667

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Military 

SOURCE: BY SCOTT WOOD 

                                            LENGTH:   58 lines

SAD DEPARTURE MADE BRIGHTER BY SERVING ALONGSIDE DAD

Waking up from an anxious sleep the morning of Oct. 3, my mind chased hundreds of last-minute details.

I needed to ensure that I was prepared for the next six months aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington, soon to be forward deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf.

We will be away from home for all of the major holidays, including Easter, making even the selection of which clothes to bring a tough one. Presents to send back. . . well, those decisions will just have to wait a little while.

Even before sunlight cracked the darkness at Pier 11, I found myself walking through a sea of families saying their sad goodbyes. I navigated around the islands of sad hugs and saw ``The Spirit of Freedom,'' which is the nickname of the George Washington.

In the dim morning light, the ship stood noble, giant and welcoming. Without the sun's full illumination, its hull seemed a few tones darker in color, as if it, too, could feel the sadness and emotional strain of the sailors and the families on the pier.

A little while later, I was onboard. My division officer ordered us to ``fall in.'' I stepped into my spot alongside my shipmates to man the rail.

From my post high on the flight deck, I saw the families and TV cameras watching us leave. One man on the pier was even dressed like George Washington.

Then the boatswain's mate piped ``Underway, shift colors,'' and we began to pull away. The families slowly faded and we started on our six-month mission to protect American interests throughout the world. I took one last glance at American soil and headed below decks.

My job for the next six months would involve more cheerful work. As a postal clerk, I get to see sailors during their happiest moments, getting letters and packages from home.

When we land a C-2 Greyhound on the flight deck, it is my job to get the mail and distribute it to departments around the ship as soon as possible. I know how the crew feels, being away from loved ones, because I've done deployments before.

But this cruise is different for me. This time, I am serving aboard George Washington with my father.

Few military people have this opportunity. In fact, it is so unusual that when ``CBS This Morning'' broadcast their show live from the ship on Oct. 6, they interviewed Dad and me, live, on national television.

Having your dad on board is great - someone you can lean on as often as you need to. CBS reporter Jose Diaz-Balart asked me if Dad made me clean my room every day. Of course not. The Navy has already made that a part of my life.

A few days after getting under way, memories of the departure and the television spotlight are starting to fade. We work toward the task at hand, crossing the Atlantic Ocean on our way to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf. It's time to start thinking about why the George Washington battle group is out here - to serve our country and keep the world safe. MEMO: Petty Officer 2nd Class Scott Wood, a postal clerk, deployed with

the aircraft carrier George Washington on Oct. 3.

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