GAMBRILLS, Md. — In 1965 a 20-year-old Massachusetts man raised his right hand and stepped into a world of secrets with the United States Navy.
WATCH: Classified codes to microphones: A Navy vet's journey from sailor to broadcaster
For over two decades John Perry served as a military cryptologist, a career that took him all over the globe, from Europe to Japan.
Perry eventually earned the rank of Senior Chief, putting him in charge of hundreds of sailors.
While most of his overseas work can't be shared, it was the adventures and camaraderie that left its mark on Perry and the lives of so many others.
For example, as a morale booster, Perry and company decided to try and break the world record for longest softball game ever played.
After three straight days on the field, their wild idea landed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
“We ended up raising well over $5000 for the local Japanese orphanage, which they used to expand their facilities,” Perry recounted. “One player when he was interviewed by the press, said this is something that we'll talk about privately or publicly for the rest of our lives. And he was right. He was absolutely right.”
During his time in the Navy, Perry developed a passion for broadcasting, even spending some time on Armed Forces Radio.
Once it came time to retire from the service, Perry traded his classified coding skills for cameras and microphones, as an instructor at the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland.
For nearly 20-years, Perry would go onto teach hundreds of future professional broadcasters, using some of what he learned in the Navy to do so.
"We would just get the students up and get them outside. Take them to Oriole Park, let them go interview some fans, let them do stand-ups in front of the ballpark," Perry said. “It was for their benefit. So, they put together a better demo reel, a better audition tape, have a resume that has substance in it, meat and potatoes. That's a term I got from the Navy.”
Some of those students remain in close contact with Perry to this very day.
One of them happens to be me, the author of this article you're reading.
Since 2005, as a 17-year-old straight out of high school, Perry has remained one of my closest and most trusted friends.
“When you have enough impact on a student's life, whether it's military or civilian, and that person, he or she, achieves the goal that they wanted, and you were a part of it, that's the reward,” said Perry.
While Perry's been a mentor to many, his two sons are the greatest example of the path he's led.
Both followed in their father's footsteps, becoming Navy veterans. One even made Senior Chief, just like his dad.
Now at 80-years-old Perry is retired, keeping a low profile in Gambrills, where he raised his two boys.
But, the lessons and memories are everlasting.
"I do miss it. I miss the challenge. The adrenaline flow of sensing, oh boy, I got a new mission. What can I do and so forth. And I do miss it a lot. That was a big part of my life, 24 years," Perry reminisced.