Service As A Surface Warfare Officer And Cryptologist In The Navy: The Story Of A USNA 80 Graduate And His Wife

Alan Portillo grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with his two brothers and a sister. His parents met on active duty, when they were both Navy Hospital Corpsmen. His mother served six years and his father served three. After leaving the Navy, his father sold cars, and his mother was the legal secretary for their county. As a boy, he enjoyed watching sports and recalls attending the 1974 World Series, where the Oakland A’s won, and watching the Raiders in the AFC Championship. After graduating from an all-boys Catholic high school, he applied for the Naval Academy, based on positive experiences he had around the Navy as a child. He entered the Academy in the summer of 1976 in the first class to include women. On I-Day (Induction Day), he recalls looking in the mirror before reporting to Tecumseh Court for swearing in and thinking, “You’re really doing this?” He recalls the training that summer being tough, but the Naval Academy refused to allow resignations until after the first two weeks, and by that time, he was committed. His squad included all three women assigned to the 14th Company, only one of whom eventually graduated. He describes going on a cruise during the summer before his Youngster Year, where the midshipmen learned the duties of the Navy enlisted, and it was the only time he was seasick. In the summer before his Second Class Year, he received an introduction to the four basic branches (Submarine, Surface Warfare, Aviation, and Marines). In the summer before his First Class Year, he served aboard a destroyer during another cruise. He did well academically, placing in the top quarter of his class, and he enjoyed political science classes. In fact, he met his future wife, Susan, at a political science conference at the Academy. She was representing the University of Connecticut, and they ended up in the same small group. He felt that 14th Company was a nice “middle of the road” company, not too hot and not too easy. He notes that his women classmates faced tremendous struggles as the first women at the Academy, but some of those struggles he was not aware of until years after graduation. He commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer, and reported to Coronado, California, for schooling. His first assignment was USS Wichita, AOR-1, a replenishment oiler, where he served as communications officer and then navigator from 1981 to 1983. Wichita was a high value unit, and they conducted cruises frequently to the Indian Ocean. In 1983, he returned to the Naval Academy, where he taught the fundamentals of naval science and navigation, including leading Yard Patrol (YP) cruises. In 1986, he completed the Surface Warfare Officer Department Head Course and Tactical Action Officer Course at Newport, Rhode Island, before being assigned to USS Mars, AFS-1, a supply ship, again conducting cruises in the Indian Ocean. This too was a high value unit, and frequently Naval Aviators were assigned to deep draft commands like this as a steppingstone to commanding an Aircraft Carrier. In 1988, he applied for a lateral transfer to Special Duty, Cryptology, and reported to Washington, D.C., for the Cryptologic Division Officer Course. He found this to be an interesting career path, and in 1988, he was assigned to the Naval Security Group Activity in Misawa, Japan. His family really enjoyed their time in Japan. There, he was focused on the Soviet Union, and when that country collapsed, his focus shifted to China. In 1991, he transferred to San Diego, where he served on Carrier Group One as a Staff Cryptologist, providing training in cryptology. Next, in 1993, he became the Naval Air Force Pacific Force cryptologist, which was more of an administrative job. In 1996, he retired under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority, but began a career first as a government contractor for the Navy and then as a DoD Civilian for the Navy until he retired in 2022. At the end of his interview, he reflects on his service and what the Naval Academy means to him. Following Alan’s interview, his wife Susan shares her story. She talks about her childhood in Connecticut, where her father served in the Army Reserve, eventually retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She attended the University of Connecticut, and met her husband during a conference at the Naval Academy. About seven months later, they were married in her home parish. She describes her experiences as a Navy spouse, highlighting challenges she faced when Alan was away on a cruise. She reflects on living on bases around the world and the strong sense of community she felt with other Navy families. Frequently, she worked as a volunteer with Navy Relief (in Japan she worked for Air Force Aid). She recalls becoming more capable and independent during Alan’s deployments, and remembers the time her sister came out to help her move on her own. At the end of her interview, she reflects on her service, noting that she loves helping people.