anyone
that had any measure of hope to accomplish anything at all
within their service. We needed a change of the tides. Bad news
travel fast and worser news travels almost at the speed it
happened at. The inspection team had met with the squadron
commander and there was an offer of concession, “The ship,
USS Paul F Foster; Concedes it is not yet ready for its C.A.R.T.
2 Assessment. The ships goal oriented demeanor has struck
inconsistency in its methods between the Navy’s ideal and the
safe functionality of a Spruance class destroyer. The ship will
enter an intensive training period to bring itself back on course
with Navy principles and conduct. Further, the Afloat Training
Group and all commands involved are issued an apology from
the captain and his crew for obstructing the timely completion of
the Navy’s mission.”
Chapter Three
Helping an Angel
We were pier side moored to the starboard side which in
this case means bow out. The inspectors had left the ship and in
their wake was disillusionment and despair. Winter had fallen
away and warmer weather would greet us every morning as
spring approached. We were a co-ed crew and hormone changes
came with the season change, and love was in the air…well, lust
was in the air.
The warmth poured into the ship in the morning, the
women were perfumed and the men were hungry. As we were
greeted by squadron staff for intensive training and instruction;
E-4 and below were sullen. The instruction had been: ‘work
assignments will be verified as assigned to an appropriately
knowledgeable person; and for E-5 and above there would be
classes and seminars, taking not less than two hours of the
workday’. The simple translation for E-4 and below was: “You
will be working under chiefs and officers from squadron staff
and your normal superiors will be sleeping in classes all day.
Leading to those E-5 and above asserting they alone now know
how to do the job, anyone else, E-4 and below for example, are
just in the way. But hey…it’s the navy, just don’t re-enlist.”
The captain called an all hands meeting in the helo-hangar.
He announced to the crew, “Thank you, for all the fine work
you’ve been doing I know your all working real hard and have
your classes except for the E-4 and below. I would really like to
see them apply themselves as well, and get some rank on their
sleeves but that just hasn’t happened yet. From my meetings
I’ve learned it’s the junior ranks we expect to get in there and do
the actual physical labor and I was looking for any input at all I
may get to help make that happen. It’s been suggested that
working hours for them be extended, since they don’t have to do
the classes.” There was a grown from the crowd and not one but
all the first class petty officers looked around with profound
concern. Hudlow held his hand up in the captain’s direction
shaking his hand as if trying to stop a car as he looked around
with full blown paranoia, once he saw EN3 Mier starting to cry
and blurted out, “Sir, those…those things we said were just for
your ears.” and with that we were done. I cried out, “E-4 and
below dismissed resume your normal workday.” and we left the
helo-hangar.
Senior Chief Johann said, “See that is exactly what we are
talking about.” To which GSE2 Ballen replied, “That’s right
senior a good workmen, like us, always blames their tools!”
GSCS Johann said, “Damn it, Ballen I told you there’s a way
this is done and if you want to join them then go right the fuck
ahead and do it!” Ballen responded, “Those guys are the ones
doing the work all day while these bitches are sleeping in these
‘classes’ and I wouldn’t even call it a class, it’s two to four
hours of looking for a scapegoat.” Artimus looked at Ballen and
asked, “I’m asking you now,
that had any measure of hope to accomplish anything at all
within their service. We needed a change of the tides. Bad news
travel fast and worser news travels almost at the speed it
happened at. The inspection team had met with the squadron
commander and there was an offer of concession, “The ship,
USS Paul F Foster; Concedes it is not yet ready for its C.A.R.T.
2 Assessment. The ships goal oriented demeanor has struck
inconsistency in its methods between the Navy’s ideal and the
safe functionality of a Spruance class destroyer. The ship will
enter an intensive training period to bring itself back on course
with Navy principles and conduct. Further, the Afloat Training
Group and all commands involved are issued an apology from
the captain and his crew for obstructing the timely completion of
the Navy’s mission.”
Chapter Three
Helping an Angel
We were pier side moored to the starboard side which in
this case means bow out. The inspectors had left the ship and in
their wake was disillusionment and despair. Winter had fallen
away and warmer weather would greet us every morning as
spring approached. We were a co-ed crew and hormone changes
came with the season change, and love was in the air…well, lust
was in the air.
The warmth poured into the ship in the morning, the
women were perfumed and the men were hungry. As we were
greeted by squadron staff for intensive training and instruction;
E-4 and below were sullen. The instruction had been: ‘work
assignments will be verified as assigned to an appropriately
knowledgeable person; and for E-5 and above there would be
classes and seminars, taking not less than two hours of the
workday’. The simple translation for E-4 and below was: “You
will be working under chiefs and officers from squadron staff
and your normal superiors will be sleeping in classes all day.
Leading to those E-5 and above asserting they alone now know
how to do the job, anyone else, E-4 and below for example, are
just in the way. But hey…it’s the navy, just don’t re-enlist.”
The captain called an all hands meeting in the helo-hangar.
He announced to the crew, “Thank you, for all the fine work
you’ve been doing I know your all working real hard and have
your classes except for the E-4 and below. I would really like to
see them apply themselves as well, and get some rank on their
sleeves but that just hasn’t happened yet. From my meetings
I’ve learned it’s the junior ranks we expect to get in there and do
the actual physical labor and I was looking for any input at all I
may get to help make that happen. It’s been suggested that
working hours for them be extended, since they don’t have to do
the classes.” There was a grown from the crowd and not one but
all the first class petty officers looked around with profound
concern. Hudlow held his hand up in the captain’s direction
shaking his hand as if trying to stop a car as he looked around
with full blown paranoia, once he saw EN3 Mier starting to cry
and blurted out, “Sir, those…those things we said were just for
your ears.” and with that we were done. I cried out, “E-4 and
below dismissed resume your normal workday.” and we left the
helo-hangar.
Senior Chief Johann said, “See that is exactly what we are
talking about.” To which GSE2 Ballen replied, “That’s right
senior a good workmen, like us, always blames their tools!”
GSCS Johann said, “Damn it, Ballen I told you there’s a way
this is done and if you want to join them then go right the fuck
ahead and do it!” Ballen responded, “Those guys are the ones
doing the work all day while these bitches are sleeping in these
‘classes’ and I wouldn’t even call it a class, it’s two to four
hours of looking for a scapegoat.” Artimus looked at Ballen and
asked, “I’m asking you now,
Similar Books
