Ranch & Coast Magazine

Gene and Dita's story began far from San Diego. e two met in Newport, Rhode Island, where Dita was teaching kindergarten and Gene was teaching Surface Warfare for Officer Candidate School. "He was a little bit arrogant, but it was very intriguing," Dita says. "When I got to know him, I fell in love because of what he stood for: God, Country, and the Navy. I totally understand that selflessness because my grandfathers served in the Navy during World War II. All my life I heard about that era with men going off to war, leaving loved ones at home, and how the women sacrificed as well." e Baileys had a very short courtship: "We met, fell in love, and he's off on a ship. But I think having that time apart was very important, especially when we were young," says Dita, who was 24 when they met; Gene was 29. is October, they will be married 21 years. "Not having the closeness physically, you really have to mature and develop strong communication," Dita continues. "Everything we said in a letter or on the rare phone call was so much more meaningful." Communication is central to the Baileys' lives in more ways than one. "After my first two tours, I went to Newport to teach steam engineering at Officer [Candidate] School. I was told I needed a collateral duty and that 'Automated Data Processing Officer' was open," he remembers. "What's that?" he asked. "e guy who works with the computers," was the answer. "Story of my career: Right place, right time," says Gene. at was in the early 2000s, and Gene was soon installing networks as the Navy transitioned from regular radio communications to telecommunications and the internet, a change that would impact every member of the Navy and their families, including his own. "When we first got married, I was frustrated when emails wouldn't come through fast enough," says Dita. "I looked for mentors, women who had been through this to give me advice. ey would tell me about waiting months for letters. One woman's husband didn't know their son's name for six weeks. I had nothing to complain about." Gene's role in IT was fortuitous in other ways as well, especially as he rose in rank. Carter and Orion, now 17 and perfectly healthy, were born prematurely, one weighing two pounds and the other, two pounds, four ounces. "ey had a number of medical issues and had to remain in the hospital," says Gene. "Following that, as I became a more senior officer and transitioned into IT, I was to some extent able to say, 'If my family doesn't go, I don't go.'" Over the past ten years, the Bailey family has been stationed everywhere from Japan to the Middle East before settling down in San Diego, where Gene is Chief Information Officer/ Director of Communications for the Naval Special Warfare Command in Coronado. "One reason we went to Japan is I wanted my kids to live somewhere where they weren't like everyone else," says Dita. "I wanted them to experience another culture and see how things were different and alike. e same was true in the Middle East. Our kids have had experiences that other kids in the United State haven't. ey are truly global citizens." e boys, now high school juniors, have thoughts of following their father into the service, an idea that gives Gene pride and trepidation at the same time. Of course, service in multiple forms is the Baileys' way, and while Gene has yet to settle on his post-service employment, he and Dita have already become involved with the Eagles Organization, which supports inner city youth through education, engagement, and mentorship. ough the odds may be against them, as they were for Captain Bailey, the Eagles Organization provides support to help these individuals become successful, contributing members of society in their own right. "I'm looking for an organization whose values fit with my own… including the opportunity to give back" ranchandcoast.com @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE MAY 2022 41

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