Courtesy Photo | Charles D. Slagle (left), a Navy Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class reservist assigned...... read more read more
A humble beginning could beget extraordinary feats once you determine to change your destiny by making one right decision after another. The life story of Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Charles D. Slagle, a reservist assigned to Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), took a decisive turn when he reached out to a Navy recruiter in 2005.
“I grew up dirt-poor in Bakersville, a small town within the tiny Loafers Glory community in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina,” recounted Slagle. “We farmed old family land for food and sold pottery to make ends meet. My family managed to send me to Western Carolina University, but money would soon run out. I was burnt out and lost my motivation. Luckily for me, my recruiter was my high school alum. He steered me into the advanced electronics field, and I shipped to basic training on Halloween 2005.”
His first assignment was aboard USS Shiloh (CG 67) out of Yokosuka, Japan, “in one of the highest operational-tempo theaters the Navy had to offer,” he said proudly. “Like other ships in U.S. 7th Fleet, the Shiloh boasted an average of 300 days at sea a year, especially once we became the forward-deployed ballistic missile defense flagship. Our long deployments were two months at a time, with shorter patrols that lasted up to three weeks in between.”
Slagle’s time on his first ship culminated in his most prized professional achievement, the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist qualification. “I wear this warfare device proudly,” commented Slagle. “For several months working and living aboard the Shiloh, I became familiar with every aspect of the ship, from supply, engineering, and combat systems, to navigation, history, weapons, and communications – just to name a few. I had to pass a written test, a First Class Petty Officer board, then finally a Chief’s board, all of which demanded a high degree of knowledge across all these elements.”
His second tour of duty aboard USS Howard (DDG 83) continued to make him a salty Sailor. “The patrols were certainly shorter, but it was aboard this ship I was at sea for the longest,” he said. “We deployed independently to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility to conduct counter-piracy operations and anti-terrorism surveillance for seven months.”
On the bright side, he had an indelible memory as a result of the long, arduous deployment. If landlubbers ever wonder what makes a perfect day in a life of a sailor, listen to this:
“It happened on a beautiful day in October 2011, as our ship was pulling into homeport in San Diego. From up high on the deck of the Howard, I could spot my daughter, my wife, and my mother waiting on the pier with a huge banner that read, ‘Welcome Home, FC2 Slagle!’ The excitement in my heart was palpable! My daughter had won the ‘First Kiss’ raffle held by the deployed spouses’ group, and as a result, I was one of the first Sailors to walk off the brow to reunite with my family. I darted for them the moment I came ashore. Shelby ran straight toward me. I dropped my seabag and kneeled down to embrace her tightly in my arms. I managed to whisper, ‘I missed you,’ to her amid streaming tears on my face. After a few moments, I was able to compose myself and carry her over to my wife. Stunningly, Laura was dressed up exactly like a World War II-era housewife welcoming her husband home, with victory curls in her strawberry blonde hair and all! We hugged as a family. I cried some more,” he sighed contentedly. “If ever there was a perfect day in my life, that was it.”
Upon completion of his enlistment in 2011, Slagle and his family decided to move to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to attend Middle Tennessee State University and pursue a music career. However, just before his 2014 graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Audio Production, the siren of the sea service called upon him: the Port Hueneme, Calif.-based Naval Surface Warfare Center was hiring former Sailors with experience and knowledge of the radar system for AEGIS-equipped vessels.
The promise of a stable career in beautiful Southern California was the clincher. In a proverbial blink of an eye, he has now worked as an in-service engineering agent to support the fleet’s destroyers and cruisers for ten years. He also managed to achieve a master’s degree in Systems Engineering Management in December 2022 from Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., as one of a very few Department of Defense civilian graduates.
Not one to remain stagnant, Slagle sets his sight on more professional goals. “I aspire to become the unit’s career counselor to assist my shipmates’ career options and decisions,” he said. “I have found that everyone at CNFK looks out for one another so that we will succeed together. It greatly motivates me to become more invested in and dedicated to the unit mission.”
Careerwise, he aims to advance to first class petty officer and pursue a direct commission officer opportunity within the next five years. “These goals align with my desire to help others by drawing on my career development. I find myself gaining far more skills and experiences than my civilian counterparts, especially in leadership development. The Navy Reserve offers a fantastic balance of military and civilian life.”
Slagle himself steps out of his civilian comfort zone and hits his Navy strides. “I am an electronics technician assigned to an intelligence billet, so I’ve had to learn everything on the fly and on the job,” he said. “The speed and punctuality of processing data into actionable intel was a rush, but I am grateful for the opportunity for such an experience.”
Throughout the many memorable milestones in his life and careers, the one-time saxophone performance music major continues to work with artists, produce music, and run an independent music distribution record label. His next milestone will be one that brings back memories of his life’s perfect day: “Next year, my wife and I will be celebrating 20 years of marriage, and my Shelby will be graduating high school.”
From being “dirt-poor” to having a master’s degree, pursuing two successful careers while living his dream of being a music producer, Slagle symbolizes the multitalented, diverse ethos of the nation’s Navy reservists who serve our country faithfully and live up to their many potentials.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.16.2024 15:23 |
| Story ID: | 487512 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | BAKERSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Reserve Sailor’s Life: Music Producer Keeps Hitting Careers’ High Notes, by LCDR Hien Vu, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
