To start with, this latest post (it's been a long time since I written anything) comes on the heals of something that I posted in Facebook. This is what I put...
"X-mas!!! Don't remove Christ from HIS birthday!!! Post this if you agree...Please don't X out the Lord!!!!! (I'd love to see this on everyone's wall!!!) Jesus is the reason for the season... Repost if you agree..."
This has stirred up a hornet's nest and I'm sitting down to answer a few things that have been brought up in several responses to my original posting. Please, I ask anyone who is going to read this to read the entire thing because there are going to be points where I'm going to sound like I'm not for Christmas as a religious event, even though I am.
But before I get to that, I'm going to post a link to a web page that I made dedicated to Christmas. In it, you will find information on both the Christan celebration as well as it's roots. Here's the link.... http://www.mypeacelovehappiness.com/holiday/christmas/christmas.html
Now... on with the rest of this post... :-)
I had a family member remind me that Christmas has roots in the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, in which early Europeans celebrated the beginning of winter on the shortest day of the year in hopes that they would survive winter. Let's not forget that in those days, humans were closer to animals in that they didn't have the stores like we have now. They had to store their own food and if possible, hunt for food they couldn't. If you go to that link above, you can learn more from the History Channel.
It's true that in 350 A.D. Pope Julius I designated Decemberer 25th as the birthday of Christ to convert pagans. He used it as a "gimmick" in order to convert as many of the pagans as he could. He used it as a way to say that we Christians ALSO have similar celebrations that you pagans have.
It's also true that no one really knows when Jesus was born. It's also true that a person could argue that there was no way that Jesus could have been born in December. Why?
There's really only one good clue that I know of. In the story of Jesus' birth, we are told that heaven's angels came to shepards who were tending their sheep in their fields at night to tell them that the Son of Man has been born. There's a problem with this in the month of December, let alone the 25th. It would have been too cold outside for the shepards. They wouldn't have been outside overnight during that time of the year. They would have been at any other time of the year leaving us to wonder exactly when Jesus was born.
What about Santa Clause?
Hate to tell those who think Santa is a purely non-Christan figure, but you couldn't be any more wrong. He's based on the Christan saint, St. Nicholas, who was known for his generosity to those in need and his love for children. Sound familiar?
So the question that needs to be asked is.... What's the big deal? Why is the religious side of Christmas being attacked? Is it out of jealously? Out of hatred?
Let's not kid ourselves.... Christians in America are attacked. Maybe not physically, but in other aspects such as verbally, very much so.
We are told that because we have religion, we are stupid sheep blindly going about our lives and other things that I will NOT repeat here because this is a public form. We are told that there's no way God could exist because science cannot prove it. We are belittled because we believe even though we have not seen. We are called weak minded because we cling to something that this world tells us is a myth vice a truth.
Getting back to Christmas.... This is a posting to my original post.... "What I have a problem with are Christians that claim that Christmas time is only for THEIR religion. What I wanted to point out is that Christmas time was originally NOT for Christ but for celebrating the winter solstice. If Christians are going to complain for Christmas not being celebrated the way they want it to be, they should make their own holiday in the fall without trees or presents ect."
My answer.... sorry, but Christmas IS for Christans just as Ramadan is for Muslims and Hanukkah is for the Jewish. Christmas might have its roots in the pagan religions, but it's not the winter solstice anymore or we would be wishing each other "Merry Winter Solstice" and the word Christmas would have never come to be. Besides, why should we have to change? Why should those who don't like the religious side of the holiday get their way? Why can't they just leave us alone?
Another response to my original posting... " I don't see anyone biting anyone's head off for saying 'Merry Christmas.' In fact, Christianity is OBVIOUSLY dominant in our western culture and it's only paranoid Christians who feel persecuted when they actually have more power than any other religion in our country!"
It's true that Christianity is the dominant religion in America, but.... Just ask some employees or possibly Christian college students in a liberal school and they'll tell you that yes in deed, they have been at least verbally attacked for saying something as simple as "Merry Christmas." Please see my comments above concerning the attack on Christians in America. In fact, I'll have to remind the person who posted this... Don't forget that you called me weak minded because I have faith. Let me tell you, it's A LOT easier not to have faith because it's easier not be believe in something that you haven't seen for yourself. It's like believing or not believing in Santa Clause. It's easier not to believe because you haven't seen him. It takes someone of a strong mind and comment to ignore the world and remind faithful to one's beliefs.
So now the question is.... Who? Who will be responsible for killing Christmas as the celebration of the birth of Jesus? Is it up to the people? Is it up to the government?
If it's up to the people with majority rule, I don't see a significant change coming. If up to the government or minority rule, then we can kiss the religious holiday good bye just as we've already done with things like open prayer in public schools.
God bless America and her people!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Critical Points
Critical points. We all have them in our lives. These are points in our lives that shape who and what we are. They change our lives forever. Sometimes the change is good. Sometimes the change is bad.
Why do I talk about this? Psychiatrists say that sometimes the quickest way to heal is to talk about it. Now I'll admit that I'm not planning on advertising this post, but writing this down I think will help me feel better.
I've had several of these critical points in my life. Some I was able to do the right thing. Others, I was not. Still others I did what I though was right at the time, but looking back, I have to wonder if I did the right thing or not.
My marriage was one such critical point. It was one of the ones that I did right. Join the Navy was another right point.
There was another point that has left me wondering if I did the right thing or not. My choices were to do what I thought was the right thing or to give in to what others wanted me to do in order to further my career. I was still in the Navy at this point. I wanted to advance in rank. I was willing to work at it. I wasn't willing to sacrifice who I was. I couldn't be not me. I wanted to be able to look in to the mirror and be proud of who I was, but the question haunts me to this day.... Did I do the right thing?
Because I couldn't be someone other than myself, I was doomed never to advance in rank from the rank I was at. That critical point ended up being my only chance to advance in rank. Had I done what they wanted, I'm sure that I would have advanced.
I'm not the kind of person who yells at people when they mess up. That's normally not me. If I'm yelling, then you REALLY messed up! I'm more the type of person who will talk to you to see why you messed up in the first place. That's not what my Chain of Command wanted from me. They wanted me to be more of the hard ass. More of the bad cop than the good one.
I'm also not the type who will go running to the superiors every time someone makes a mistake. I'll fix it the best I can and if I can't, then I don't have a choice but to tell someone above me to have them fix it. My Chain of Command didn't like that either. They wanted me to be a tattle tail. They wanted to have direct control of those junior to me, but that's not the way it's supposed to work. They got mad at me once because I fixed an issue without letting them do it. It was my job to fix the issue, but they wouldn't have any of that.
Their issue was totally related to trust issues. That is, they didn't trust any of us in the office. It's not an easy working relationship when you don't trust anyone.
As I write this, I'm feeling regret. A part of me just wishes I would have just done what they wanted in order to advance my career. Chief Meyer would have been nice to be called. And yet another part is proud of the fact that I didn't give in. That I had enough will power to be who I was in the face of adversary. Sure, I would have loved to advance in rank, but at what cost? I would have lost the good person I am and would have replaced him with someone that NO ONE would want to work for. In that, I am more proud of myself.
Why do I talk about this? Psychiatrists say that sometimes the quickest way to heal is to talk about it. Now I'll admit that I'm not planning on advertising this post, but writing this down I think will help me feel better.
I've had several of these critical points in my life. Some I was able to do the right thing. Others, I was not. Still others I did what I though was right at the time, but looking back, I have to wonder if I did the right thing or not.
My marriage was one such critical point. It was one of the ones that I did right. Join the Navy was another right point.
There was another point that has left me wondering if I did the right thing or not. My choices were to do what I thought was the right thing or to give in to what others wanted me to do in order to further my career. I was still in the Navy at this point. I wanted to advance in rank. I was willing to work at it. I wasn't willing to sacrifice who I was. I couldn't be not me. I wanted to be able to look in to the mirror and be proud of who I was, but the question haunts me to this day.... Did I do the right thing?
Because I couldn't be someone other than myself, I was doomed never to advance in rank from the rank I was at. That critical point ended up being my only chance to advance in rank. Had I done what they wanted, I'm sure that I would have advanced.
I'm not the kind of person who yells at people when they mess up. That's normally not me. If I'm yelling, then you REALLY messed up! I'm more the type of person who will talk to you to see why you messed up in the first place. That's not what my Chain of Command wanted from me. They wanted me to be more of the hard ass. More of the bad cop than the good one.
I'm also not the type who will go running to the superiors every time someone makes a mistake. I'll fix it the best I can and if I can't, then I don't have a choice but to tell someone above me to have them fix it. My Chain of Command didn't like that either. They wanted me to be a tattle tail. They wanted to have direct control of those junior to me, but that's not the way it's supposed to work. They got mad at me once because I fixed an issue without letting them do it. It was my job to fix the issue, but they wouldn't have any of that.
Their issue was totally related to trust issues. That is, they didn't trust any of us in the office. It's not an easy working relationship when you don't trust anyone.
As I write this, I'm feeling regret. A part of me just wishes I would have just done what they wanted in order to advance my career. Chief Meyer would have been nice to be called. And yet another part is proud of the fact that I didn't give in. That I had enough will power to be who I was in the face of adversary. Sure, I would have loved to advance in rank, but at what cost? I would have lost the good person I am and would have replaced him with someone that NO ONE would want to work for. In that, I am more proud of myself.
Men Rules
Finally, the guys' side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.)
We always hear "the rules" from the female side.... Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules! Please note.. These are all numbered "1 " ON PURPOSE!
1. Men are NOT mind readers. (FIRST and FOREMOST RULE)
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really.
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as Football or Hockey.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a bigger laugh.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
My Retirement
I had originally posted this on 29 Dec 09, but I've added a few things since. I've also finally posted my retirement video to my personal web site. Here's the link to my video. It's a rather large file, so give it a while. If you don't want to wait, I've also posted this video on YouTube, but it's split into 4 parts because you know them... they don't allow videos longer than 10 minutes. This is part one. This is part two. This is part three. This is part four.
"Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life Worthwhile, can respond with a good deal of Pride and Satisfaction, 'I served in the United States Navy'." - President and former Navy LT John F. Kennedy
President Kennedy spoke these words on 1 August 1963, in Bancroft Hall at the U. S. Naval Academy to a new incoming class of students to the U. S. Naval Academy. You can see and hear the entire speech here.
This has been something that I've been thinking about now that my Naval career is about to end and my retirement is going to begin.
I can't believe it's been 20 years since I first stepped foot into RTC Great Lakes, IL. I arrived late that night, so it was call home to let mommy and daddy know that I arrived OK, then off to bed for an extremely early morning. I think I ended up with about 4 hours of sleep that night.
20 years since that first day of indoctrination where senior sailors are yelling at you and giving you directions to this line or that line. Another thing that gets to me... I can't believe that are young men and women right now who are doing to do what I describe below that were born AFTER I did it!!! Kinda makes you feel a bit old.... ;-)
Hey.... you can't keep ANY of your person effects that you brought with you! You have to put all of of that stuff in a box. That box is going to be shipped back to where ever you called home. Son, the Navy is providing for you now!
Strip down to your underwear boys because you're going to get measured for the only clothes you're going to wear for the duration of basic training. Don't be shy now because it gets better later. Better later???? What's that supposed to mean??? :/
Oh and the hair cut.... Some of those barbers must have thought they were part time comedians as you sit in the chair and they ask, "So, son, how do you want your hair cut?" "Oh... if you could just take a little off the sides and back and just make the top look even with the rest, thanks." "OK," then he winks at you (??), picks up his clippers WITHOUT a guard (????) and begins to quite literally dig said clippers into your scalp like he's using them to digging for gold!!!!!!! I'm just glad I went to boot camp in the winter. My tan was even between my body and the top of my head. It would have looked really funny had I gone during the summer. Brown body... white head...
OK... I look like a cue ball and got my uniforms. Now where are we going??? Hey... we're going to the barracks. Coolest. Wait... why are we being told to just drop our stuff of there? NOW where are we going???? Medical???? What for???? I've already passed my physical in Houston before they let me come here. SHOTS!!!! NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SHOTS!!!!!!!!!! Oh, but wait... there's more.... DON'T MOVE!!! This is an air gun, son. Ever had a shot with one? No? Then don't move because if you do, it'll rip your arm open and you're going to need stitches because this stuff is high pressured and comes out with some force. (gulp) Oh, but wait.... there's more.... MORE?!?!?! Yes... it's time for your bicillin shot. What the heck is bicillin? Don't worry about it. OK.... Now they tell you that it will hurt, but they don't tell you HOW MUCH it will hurt. It's a shot in the butt, but not just ANY shot. Bicillin is a thick gel that takes quite a bit of effort to get into a person. So after getting this shot in the butt that hurts like hell because the administrator has to push so hard, you get to roll around on your poor butt to make sure this gel is spread around evenly to help your body absorb it. Oh wait... you wear glasses... (evil grin from medical personnel) :/ Let's get you fixed with some of the ugliest glasses you'll EVER wear. We make them that way because they are indestructible. Yeah.... right.... I broke mine like a year or so later on accident.
Thank God medical is done! I think you have to be part sadist to work in medical, but that's another story that I won't get into here....
OK... Indoctrination is finally done! Let's get on with the training so I can get out of here and get on with my life!
Navy boot camp wasn't that hard for me looking back. The hardest part was all the running that I'd have to do. I had asmatha back in those days, so running wasn't the easiest thing for me to do. We had our share of strange individuals in my company. One guy used to call himself "The Fly" and he'd "buzz" around the berthing compartment and repeat that he was the Fly. Good enough guy, but just a little strange. We had another guy we used to call "The Polar Bear Rick." Rick was short for Ricky Recruit which was supposed to be the model recruit that we were all to emulate. This guy was big and pasty white, hence the Polar Bear reference. This guy was our Master-At-Arms which meant that part of his job in boot camp was to ensure that we were keeping our compartment clean. This guy ended up becoming a sleep walker. I only stood a few watches during my time in basic training because I was given the title "Religious Petty Officer", which meant that I didn't have to stand watches. I did, but only during the day. Friends that had stood the night watches told me the Polar Bear Rick would get up out of bed in the middle of the night to "inspect" our lockers to make sure our stuff was stored properly. He would also bend over to look under our beds to make sure the floor was clean under them. He did this with his eyes shut! Just goes to show you that even Navy boot camp can mess with people.
Oh... I almost forgot... Remember when I said that stripping down to your underwear would get better? How about showering with 6 others guys in open bay showers! Oh yeah.... it got better you smart ass!
3 months of Boot camp done, now off for some leave, then to weather observing school at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, IL. It was an interesting flight in. So here I am, taking an extremely small commuter aircraft from Chicago's O'Hare to Rantoul which is in the middle of a corn field. Rantoul is so in the middle of a corn field that I could have sworn we were going to drop a load of feed on final. In fact, we were on final when this tiny aircraft started to bounce up and down... left and right. I was waiting for the pilot to declare an emergency, but we made it safely on deck.
Weather observing school was fun for the most part. I met people there that to this day I consider friends. Granted, weather wasn't want I wanted to do when I joined the Navy, but then again, I had no idea of what I wanted to do. It was either weather or electronics tech. I thought that me and electricity didn't mix well and weather SOUNDED cool enough. The best part? Chicago was only about an hour and a half drive. I got to see my Chicago family a lot during my time at school.
For those who've never been to an Air Force Base, it's like being at a resort as compared to the rest of the military bases in general. The Air Force supposedly builds a base with the fun stuff and living quarters first, then if it runs out of money, it goes to Congress to get more saying that they still need money to build the runways and buildings for people to work in. I'm not sure if that's true, but it sure makes sense. And oh the food!!!!! I'll have to say that hands down, the best chow consistently in the military comes from the Air Force bases. Yeah.... I gained weight at Chanute. ;-)
Well... after 4 months of school, then 2 months of waiting for dental to clear me for departure (stupid idiots wanted me to get my wisdom teeth pulled, then told me to just do if after I check into my next command), it was on to my first real command... the Mobile Environmental Team (MET) in Yokosuka, Japan.
Oh Asia how I miss thee.... :-( I had such a great time over there. I'm just glad I was single at the time. I married man could easily get himself into serious trouble over there.
The MET was a deployable unit, so I got to see a good deal of the Western Pacific to include the Middle East. I've been to:
I've always though it was funny that in Hiroshima, I was expecting to get a lot of dirty looks from the elderly seeing as how they lived through us dropping the A-Bomb on them, but I didn't. I actually got dirty looks from people closer to my age! I had asked a Japanese friend about that and she said that they are (were now) taught that America dropped the bomb on us just because they could to show how powerful America was. The Japanese were NEVER taught about Pearl Harbor. They were TOTALLY unaware of the atrocities their military had been committing all across the Pacific. My friend had gone to college in America (I forget where) and she said it was a MAJOR eye opener for her when she learned the truth.
I also almost had the opportunity to go Kuwait City AFTER Desert Shield/Storm, but that port stop was canceled because about a week or so before we were supposed to pull in, then President George H.W. Bush had made a stop there for a diplomatic visit. Someone tried to assassinate him, so the Navy said that we could sit 5 miles off the coast, but we couldn't pull in. Yep... We dropped anchor and sat off the coast of Kuwait for 4 days. I got to see Kuwait City through the ship's binoculars (also known as the "big eyes"). Even without the big eyes, you could still see the pock marks in the larger buildings from the fighting that went on there.
My most memorable moment didn't occur on ANY of those trips, however. It actually happened on Thanksgiving day 1993 in the housing unit of one of my First Classes, then AG1 Bob Gentile. Bob had invited me and several other single sailors over for a home cooked meal. I knew there was a secondary reason for the invite. His "baby" sister-in-law was there visiting at the time from the Philippines. I had gone over to his place before to meet her only to find out that she had left with her mother to play the slot machines or something like that. Bob wanted me to meet her so she would at least have a friend that she could hang out with. Now I know some of you are saying, especially the ones who know something about the way Filipinos like to play match maker... Yeah... right... "To hang out with", but he was serious about that. HE wasn't acting as a match maker, but I'm getting ahead of myself... Back on track.... Well, I show up at his place for Thanksgiving. I'd like to start by saying that I actually didn't see much of his sister-in-law that day. She was actually hiding in the kitchen with her two sisters, both of which were getting a little upset with her, especially the one who I'll call the match maker. Just so happens the match maker was Bob's wife, Gloria. Anyway... Thanksgiving day comes and goes and I end up going back to see Bob's sister-in-law from time to time while she was there. We had a lot of fun together as I gave her the $5 dollar tour of the region (don't forget that Japan is expensive to live in) taking her to Tokyo and around the local area of Yokosuka. Funny thing.... Close to 2 years after meeting her, we meet again at Pearl Harbor, HI to get her named changed from Priscilla Santos Nimuan to Priscilla Nimuan Meyer. It's bar none the best decision I've EVER made or will ever make again!!!!!!
Now in-between meeting my future wife and where to transfer to after Yokosuka, I end up at the Naval Air Facility Atsugi at the weather office there. Ah, Atsugi. More of a "small town" than Yokosuka was, but even at that it's nothing like the small towns here in America. I was able to climb Mt. Fuji during this time of my tour in Japan. I went up with a friend from my command and his two sons. We left early enough to get near the top in one day, then we spent over night so we could wake up early enough to get to the top to see the sun rise over Mt. Fuji. I was mad at myself because I didn't notice that the batteries in my camera had died. I didn't get to take pictures of the event.
After Atsugi was weather forecasting school, but not at Chanute again, but in Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS. Granted, I wasn't close to my family in IL this time, but I was close to the place I grew up near Houston, TX. Keesler was nice. Biloxi wasn't. There wasn't much there and there's even less now, but again, I'm getting ahead of myself. At least I went to weather forecasting school in 1997 WELL before Katrina devastated the region. Man, what a course. I can't tell you how many times my wife went to bed alone because I was too busy with home work having to stay up until the wee hours of the morning. At least every other weekend was a 3 day weekend, so we'd go to visit my parents in Texas from time to time. Another good thing is that we never got the gambling bug. That's about all there was to do back then was go to the casinos. The wife and I would go, but really only for the buffet. We did go to gamble from time to time, but the most we'd ever be out is $40 total. Like I said, we really weren't into gambling. It's a shame that even to this day, a good number of military members in Gulfport/Biloxi are bit very hard by the gambling bug and they end up getting themselves into serious debt. Thank God we weren't one of them.
After weather forecasting school was the weather office at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX. Another great tour, but not an easy one. It was very challenging for me being a brand new forecaster because of the work load. It was always a lot of work to be done in a short period. Here I was still dripping wet being the ears and having to preform at the same level as an experienced weather forecaster. Thankfully, we had a really good crew who taught me the ropes and got me through it all. What I really hated the most was lunch time during the day. It used to get so busy that you really didn't have time for lunch. You'd sit down to eat and a pilot would come into the office to ask about the weather, then another, then another, then another, then another so by the time you GOT to eat, your food would be ice cold if it was hot. Just imagine this... You go to heat your lunch when suddenly there's someone at the counter. OK... you get up, go help that person, then magically two more show up, then 4 more after them. 15-30 minutes later, you're "done". So you go back only to realize that it has been 15-30 minutes and you need to reheat your food. OK... 2 minutes later and your food is ready. Just as you're about to eat, "Hey someone's at the counter". UGH!!!! So you start this thing over again. After that wave, you reheat your food AGAIN! Hey... no one's there... I get to eat!!! You start eating, then, "Hey someone's at the counter." AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! So you start this thing over again. I only ate sandwiches during the day after a few of those aforementioned days. I remember getting pissed to the point of me thinking, "Don't these guys EVER to to lunch?!?!?!? Can't I just put up a sign that says, 'Closed for lunch'?!?!?!?!" Hell... PSD closes like that all the time, why can't we?!?!?!?!?! It was very irritating, but it did help me to learn how to prioritize my work load which changed from one minute to the next.
After Corpus Christi was Commander Sixth Fleet out of Gatea, Italy. Yep.... I did another tour overseas. This one was only 3 years long not like in Japan which was a total of 6 years long. While at Commander Sixth Fleet, I was able to go to:
I was able to see A LOT of history during my brief stay in Europe. My wife was able to get to Poland where she went to the Auschwitz concentration camp. She told me that you could actually feel the pain and suffering that went on with the camp all those years ago. She was also able to go to the Wieliczka Salt Mine there in southern Poland. She's got some really cool video of it.
I will say this.... That tour was the low point in my career. Don't get me wrong.... I loved being in Europe, I just couldn't stand the command. Too much back stabbing and favoritism going on, but I digress....
After my tour in Italy, it was to the weather office at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FL. What another great tour with a group of wonderful individuals. I loved Jacksonville so much that I had a house built there which I'm planning on moving back into once I leave Mississippi.
And now I've finally come to my current and last duty station at the Naval Oceanographic Anti-Submarine Warfare Center at Stennis Space Center, MS. Granted, it's not my dream job to be here, but we do what me must. It was either here of Norfolk, VA and I WASN'T going anywhere NEAR Norfolk. At least I can say that I've met a good deal of individuals that I'm proud to say are my friends. I'm going to miss them once I retire and have to leave.
This now brings me to retirement.
At any other time, when a person transfers, it can be a time of sadness as you say good bye to a friend, but it can also be said that it's not good bye, but see you later as some people cross paths later in their career. Not so much for the retiree. Depending on where this individual goes, it might be the last time they see their Navy family again that they've built up over the years of their service. I hope it will not happen to me, but I am prepared for such an occurrence.
But do I really have to say good bye? There was a time not long ago where an individual would leave and that would be the last time you would hear from them. If you were lucky and close enough, you might get a letter from them from time to time, but even those would have a tendency to drift away. Now with the advent of email, the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, people are able to keep in touch so much easier than before. Friends can be literally half way around the world from each other and still be able to keep in consistent contact. And so I hope it will be for me. I don't want to say good bye. I just want to say, "Until we meet again."
Now for some words of "wisdom"....
1. Seniors, take care of your juniors.
Don't be that senior sailor that dismisses your juniors just because they are junior to you. Their ideas are just as important as yours are, believe it or not. Besides, you never know if, with fresh eyes, they can find a better solution to a problem unless you listen.
Don't be that senior sailor that doesn't help their juniors. When your junior sailor comes to you with a question, don't be that guy who tells them to ask someone else regardless of the reason. You hated it when it happened to you and so do your juniors. If you don't know the answer, then YOU find them the person to talk to. Don't let them fumble around in the dark just because you don't want to be bothered. It's part of the job you take when putting on the next highest rank.
2. Be there for your junior sailors.
Your junior sailors need to know that you'll have their back when needed. They need to know that you won't just throw them under the bus to save your own ass. Now it's true that there are going to be times when you don't have a choice because someone under you really screwed up. Even at these times, don't be that senior guy who starts yelling and screaming. All you end up doing is turning that junior off to your message. All they are going to really hear is the sounds that the adults would make on the Charlie Brown cartoons. Wah wah wah wah wah wah.....
If they are having problems, at a bare minimum, take the time to listen to their side of the story and DON'T be judgmental when doing this. Allow them to tell their story, then explain in a calm manner why the Navy works the way it does.
3. NEVER belittle your sailors.
This is a sign of poor leadership. Even the dullest tool in the shed will have their moments of brilliance. All you do when you belittle someone is turn them off your message and again, all they'll hear is, "Wah wah wah wah wah....." In fact, it will get to the point that they won't want to work for you anymore.
4. Respect goes up AND down the Chain of Command.
This has always been a very sore spot for me since I first made AG3 till the present as very senior AG1. This is because there are two types of respect. Respect for the person's position and respect for the person.
Respect for the person is something that is gained NOT given and can NEVER be demanded. I could think that you're not worth pond scum and not worthy of respect for you as a person, but I still need to respect your position, which leads me to respect for a person's position.
This level of respect is a GIVEN at all times regardless of what you might think of a person. Yes, this does just so happen to mean that seniors should at least respect their junior's rank/position. That means AG1s shouldn't be treated like AGARs right out of A School (no offense to my Airmen). This means that AG2s and AG3s DESERVE the proper level of respect due their rank. This is because someone, somewhere though that individual deserved their promotion in rank.
Sure, people change, but there are times when negative changes are due to negative feedback.
5. For each negative you find in a person, attempt to include a positive.
People mess up. NO ONE is perfect. NEVER be the senior that only brings up the bad things your juniors do. Even if you might think it's not significant, bring up things they are doing well too. Show some positive reinforcement. Bringing up only the negatives will create the same problem as belittling your sailors with the same effect. The won't want to work for you and when they do, they won't even try.
6. Praise in public, reprimand CALMLY in private.
Good God how many times have I heard that one, but it still gets missed A LOT. Oh... and did you notice that I added something? I've already said it twice, but some people just don't get the message the first time. YELLING NEVER SOLVES ANYTHING!!!!! It only creates new problems.
There comes a point in all the yelling and belittling that a person just gives up and they don't care anymore. They figure, "Why bother to even try? No matter how hard I try, I'm just going to get yelled at any way, so why bother putting forth the effort? It's just a waste of my time." If you have to reprimand someone, do it in a calm fashion. I think you'd be pleasantly suprised with the outcome. Also, if you don't yell all the time, when you DO yell, people will know they really screwed up and will be more likely to do what it takes to fix what they messed up.
7. Don't throw your rank around.
We know what your rank is and what it means. We learn that in basic training. There's no need for you to bark orders. Did you know that asking a person do to something typically works better than either telling them or barking at them? In order for this to work, however, your juniors HAVE to know that when you ask, you're really telling. Asking someone usually equates to that individual wanted to go above and beyond what you wanted. Telling usually equates to that individual doing what's needed, but that's it. Barking just turns that person off and you'll usually end up getting mad because that person blew you off. It's worked for me for that past 17 years or so. I'll admit that you can't do this for everyone. There's always going to be that person that you'll have to bark at a bit, but use the bark sparingly.
8. Share what you know.
Any Chief will tell you that it's their job to teach you to take their place. This is not something that's only at the Chief level. This goes from the most senior person down to the most junior. Teach! Share your knowledge. Be willing to learn as well.
Also, don't hold back information. If you know something that someone else doesn't:
I'm going to miss my Navy family. Shipmates all. As I embark on this new journey, I'll never forget you just as I've never forgotten those that have left before me along the way. To quote Jerry Springer, "Take care of yourselves and each other."
This has been something that I've been thinking about now that my Naval career is about to end and my retirement is going to begin.
I can't believe it's been 20 years since I first stepped foot into RTC Great Lakes, IL. I arrived late that night, so it was call home to let mommy and daddy know that I arrived OK, then off to bed for an extremely early morning. I think I ended up with about 4 hours of sleep that night.
20 years since that first day of indoctrination where senior sailors are yelling at you and giving you directions to this line or that line. Another thing that gets to me... I can't believe that are young men and women right now who are doing to do what I describe below that were born AFTER I did it!!! Kinda makes you feel a bit old.... ;-)
Hey.... you can't keep ANY of your person effects that you brought with you! You have to put all of of that stuff in a box. That box is going to be shipped back to where ever you called home. Son, the Navy is providing for you now!
Strip down to your underwear boys because you're going to get measured for the only clothes you're going to wear for the duration of basic training. Don't be shy now because it gets better later. Better later???? What's that supposed to mean??? :/
Oh and the hair cut.... Some of those barbers must have thought they were part time comedians as you sit in the chair and they ask, "So, son, how do you want your hair cut?" "Oh... if you could just take a little off the sides and back and just make the top look even with the rest, thanks." "OK," then he winks at you (??), picks up his clippers WITHOUT a guard (????) and begins to quite literally dig said clippers into your scalp like he's using them to digging for gold!!!!!!! I'm just glad I went to boot camp in the winter. My tan was even between my body and the top of my head. It would have looked really funny had I gone during the summer. Brown body... white head...
OK... I look like a cue ball and got my uniforms. Now where are we going??? Hey... we're going to the barracks. Coolest. Wait... why are we being told to just drop our stuff of there? NOW where are we going???? Medical???? What for???? I've already passed my physical in Houston before they let me come here. SHOTS!!!! NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT SHOTS!!!!!!!!!! Oh, but wait... there's more.... DON'T MOVE!!! This is an air gun, son. Ever had a shot with one? No? Then don't move because if you do, it'll rip your arm open and you're going to need stitches because this stuff is high pressured and comes out with some force. (gulp) Oh, but wait.... there's more.... MORE?!?!?! Yes... it's time for your bicillin shot. What the heck is bicillin? Don't worry about it. OK.... Now they tell you that it will hurt, but they don't tell you HOW MUCH it will hurt. It's a shot in the butt, but not just ANY shot. Bicillin is a thick gel that takes quite a bit of effort to get into a person. So after getting this shot in the butt that hurts like hell because the administrator has to push so hard, you get to roll around on your poor butt to make sure this gel is spread around evenly to help your body absorb it. Oh wait... you wear glasses... (evil grin from medical personnel) :/ Let's get you fixed with some of the ugliest glasses you'll EVER wear. We make them that way because they are indestructible. Yeah.... right.... I broke mine like a year or so later on accident.
Thank God medical is done! I think you have to be part sadist to work in medical, but that's another story that I won't get into here....
OK... Indoctrination is finally done! Let's get on with the training so I can get out of here and get on with my life!
Navy boot camp wasn't that hard for me looking back. The hardest part was all the running that I'd have to do. I had asmatha back in those days, so running wasn't the easiest thing for me to do. We had our share of strange individuals in my company. One guy used to call himself "The Fly" and he'd "buzz" around the berthing compartment and repeat that he was the Fly. Good enough guy, but just a little strange. We had another guy we used to call "The Polar Bear Rick." Rick was short for Ricky Recruit which was supposed to be the model recruit that we were all to emulate. This guy was big and pasty white, hence the Polar Bear reference. This guy was our Master-At-Arms which meant that part of his job in boot camp was to ensure that we were keeping our compartment clean. This guy ended up becoming a sleep walker. I only stood a few watches during my time in basic training because I was given the title "Religious Petty Officer", which meant that I didn't have to stand watches. I did, but only during the day. Friends that had stood the night watches told me the Polar Bear Rick would get up out of bed in the middle of the night to "inspect" our lockers to make sure our stuff was stored properly. He would also bend over to look under our beds to make sure the floor was clean under them. He did this with his eyes shut! Just goes to show you that even Navy boot camp can mess with people.
Oh... I almost forgot... Remember when I said that stripping down to your underwear would get better? How about showering with 6 others guys in open bay showers! Oh yeah.... it got better you smart ass!
3 months of Boot camp done, now off for some leave, then to weather observing school at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, IL. It was an interesting flight in. So here I am, taking an extremely small commuter aircraft from Chicago's O'Hare to Rantoul which is in the middle of a corn field. Rantoul is so in the middle of a corn field that I could have sworn we were going to drop a load of feed on final. In fact, we were on final when this tiny aircraft started to bounce up and down... left and right. I was waiting for the pilot to declare an emergency, but we made it safely on deck.
Weather observing school was fun for the most part. I met people there that to this day I consider friends. Granted, weather wasn't want I wanted to do when I joined the Navy, but then again, I had no idea of what I wanted to do. It was either weather or electronics tech. I thought that me and electricity didn't mix well and weather SOUNDED cool enough. The best part? Chicago was only about an hour and a half drive. I got to see my Chicago family a lot during my time at school.
For those who've never been to an Air Force Base, it's like being at a resort as compared to the rest of the military bases in general. The Air Force supposedly builds a base with the fun stuff and living quarters first, then if it runs out of money, it goes to Congress to get more saying that they still need money to build the runways and buildings for people to work in. I'm not sure if that's true, but it sure makes sense. And oh the food!!!!! I'll have to say that hands down, the best chow consistently in the military comes from the Air Force bases. Yeah.... I gained weight at Chanute. ;-)
Well... after 4 months of school, then 2 months of waiting for dental to clear me for departure (stupid idiots wanted me to get my wisdom teeth pulled, then told me to just do if after I check into my next command), it was on to my first real command... the Mobile Environmental Team (MET) in Yokosuka, Japan.
Oh Asia how I miss thee.... :-( I had such a great time over there. I'm just glad I was single at the time. I married man could easily get himself into serious trouble over there.
The MET was a deployable unit, so I got to see a good deal of the Western Pacific to include the Middle East. I've been to:
- All over Japan to include Hiroshima, Tokyo, Yokohama and Iwo Jima (I don't care WHAT the Japanese want to call it, I'm calling it Iwo Jima NOT Iwo To; I've also got a bottle of the sand somewhere, I just can't find it)
- The Philippines to include Olongapo (where I got my first tattoo in the form of a skull with a Navy white hat and a fouled anchor), Manila, Baguio (where my wife is from), 100 Islands and San Fernando
- South Korea to include Pusan and Osan (Mmmm.... Kim Chee)
- Australia to include Sydney and Darwin
- The United Arab Emirate (UAE) to include Dubai and Abu Dabi
- Singapore (where I got my second tattoo in the form of a Chinese dragon)
- Hong Kong (well before it was turned over to the Chinese)
- Indonesia to include Bali ("Bali Ha'i may call you, Any night, any day, In your heart, you'll hear it call you: "Come away...Come away." Bali Ha'i will whisper In the wind of the sea: "Here am I, your special island! Come to me, come to me!" OK... so Bloody Mary WASN'T talking about Bali, Indonesia, but the words have the same meaning to me)
- Thailand to include Patty Beach and Phuket (a single man's paradise and a married man's hell.... I'm just going to leave it at that)
- Bahrain
I've always though it was funny that in Hiroshima, I was expecting to get a lot of dirty looks from the elderly seeing as how they lived through us dropping the A-Bomb on them, but I didn't. I actually got dirty looks from people closer to my age! I had asked a Japanese friend about that and she said that they are (were now) taught that America dropped the bomb on us just because they could to show how powerful America was. The Japanese were NEVER taught about Pearl Harbor. They were TOTALLY unaware of the atrocities their military had been committing all across the Pacific. My friend had gone to college in America (I forget where) and she said it was a MAJOR eye opener for her when she learned the truth.
I also almost had the opportunity to go Kuwait City AFTER Desert Shield/Storm, but that port stop was canceled because about a week or so before we were supposed to pull in, then President George H.W. Bush had made a stop there for a diplomatic visit. Someone tried to assassinate him, so the Navy said that we could sit 5 miles off the coast, but we couldn't pull in. Yep... We dropped anchor and sat off the coast of Kuwait for 4 days. I got to see Kuwait City through the ship's binoculars (also known as the "big eyes"). Even without the big eyes, you could still see the pock marks in the larger buildings from the fighting that went on there.
My most memorable moment didn't occur on ANY of those trips, however. It actually happened on Thanksgiving day 1993 in the housing unit of one of my First Classes, then AG1 Bob Gentile. Bob had invited me and several other single sailors over for a home cooked meal. I knew there was a secondary reason for the invite. His "baby" sister-in-law was there visiting at the time from the Philippines. I had gone over to his place before to meet her only to find out that she had left with her mother to play the slot machines or something like that. Bob wanted me to meet her so she would at least have a friend that she could hang out with. Now I know some of you are saying, especially the ones who know something about the way Filipinos like to play match maker... Yeah... right... "To hang out with", but he was serious about that. HE wasn't acting as a match maker, but I'm getting ahead of myself... Back on track.... Well, I show up at his place for Thanksgiving. I'd like to start by saying that I actually didn't see much of his sister-in-law that day. She was actually hiding in the kitchen with her two sisters, both of which were getting a little upset with her, especially the one who I'll call the match maker. Just so happens the match maker was Bob's wife, Gloria. Anyway... Thanksgiving day comes and goes and I end up going back to see Bob's sister-in-law from time to time while she was there. We had a lot of fun together as I gave her the $5 dollar tour of the region (don't forget that Japan is expensive to live in) taking her to Tokyo and around the local area of Yokosuka. Funny thing.... Close to 2 years after meeting her, we meet again at Pearl Harbor, HI to get her named changed from Priscilla Santos Nimuan to Priscilla Nimuan Meyer. It's bar none the best decision I've EVER made or will ever make again!!!!!!
Now in-between meeting my future wife and where to transfer to after Yokosuka, I end up at the Naval Air Facility Atsugi at the weather office there. Ah, Atsugi. More of a "small town" than Yokosuka was, but even at that it's nothing like the small towns here in America. I was able to climb Mt. Fuji during this time of my tour in Japan. I went up with a friend from my command and his two sons. We left early enough to get near the top in one day, then we spent over night so we could wake up early enough to get to the top to see the sun rise over Mt. Fuji. I was mad at myself because I didn't notice that the batteries in my camera had died. I didn't get to take pictures of the event.
After Atsugi was weather forecasting school, but not at Chanute again, but in Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS. Granted, I wasn't close to my family in IL this time, but I was close to the place I grew up near Houston, TX. Keesler was nice. Biloxi wasn't. There wasn't much there and there's even less now, but again, I'm getting ahead of myself. At least I went to weather forecasting school in 1997 WELL before Katrina devastated the region. Man, what a course. I can't tell you how many times my wife went to bed alone because I was too busy with home work having to stay up until the wee hours of the morning. At least every other weekend was a 3 day weekend, so we'd go to visit my parents in Texas from time to time. Another good thing is that we never got the gambling bug. That's about all there was to do back then was go to the casinos. The wife and I would go, but really only for the buffet. We did go to gamble from time to time, but the most we'd ever be out is $40 total. Like I said, we really weren't into gambling. It's a shame that even to this day, a good number of military members in Gulfport/Biloxi are bit very hard by the gambling bug and they end up getting themselves into serious debt. Thank God we weren't one of them.
After weather forecasting school was the weather office at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX. Another great tour, but not an easy one. It was very challenging for me being a brand new forecaster because of the work load. It was always a lot of work to be done in a short period. Here I was still dripping wet being the ears and having to preform at the same level as an experienced weather forecaster. Thankfully, we had a really good crew who taught me the ropes and got me through it all. What I really hated the most was lunch time during the day. It used to get so busy that you really didn't have time for lunch. You'd sit down to eat and a pilot would come into the office to ask about the weather, then another, then another, then another, then another so by the time you GOT to eat, your food would be ice cold if it was hot. Just imagine this... You go to heat your lunch when suddenly there's someone at the counter. OK... you get up, go help that person, then magically two more show up, then 4 more after them. 15-30 minutes later, you're "done". So you go back only to realize that it has been 15-30 minutes and you need to reheat your food. OK... 2 minutes later and your food is ready. Just as you're about to eat, "Hey someone's at the counter". UGH!!!! So you start this thing over again. After that wave, you reheat your food AGAIN! Hey... no one's there... I get to eat!!! You start eating, then, "Hey someone's at the counter." AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! So you start this thing over again. I only ate sandwiches during the day after a few of those aforementioned days. I remember getting pissed to the point of me thinking, "Don't these guys EVER to to lunch?!?!?!? Can't I just put up a sign that says, 'Closed for lunch'?!?!?!?!" Hell... PSD closes like that all the time, why can't we?!?!?!?!?! It was very irritating, but it did help me to learn how to prioritize my work load which changed from one minute to the next.
After Corpus Christi was Commander Sixth Fleet out of Gatea, Italy. Yep.... I did another tour overseas. This one was only 3 years long not like in Japan which was a total of 6 years long. While at Commander Sixth Fleet, I was able to go to:
- All over Italy to include Rome, Monte Casino, Venice, Pisa, Naples, Florence and Lake Como. I was able to drive on the Appian Way and yes it still exists. I climbed up Mt. Vesuvius. I walked the ancient roads of Pompeii. I touched the Roman Colosseum. I went up into the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I got to see Michael Angelo's David. I was blessed enough to celebrate Christmas Mid-night mass with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.
- Malta
- Casablanca, Morocco (the movie was A LOT better than the place)
- Gibraltar
- Spain to include Malaga and Terragona
- Bulgaria
- Romania (but I didn't go to Transylvania because I didn't have enough money to go on the tour)
- Novorossiysk, Russia (wasn't much there because it wasn't a tourist town, but an industrial town)
- Turkey to include Istanbul and Marmaris
- Ukraine
- Crete (several times.... Oh I miss the gyros I lived off those each time I went there)
- France to include Toulon and Paris
- Monte Carlo (I'll NEVER drive there again because all the roads are one way)
- London, England
- Lisbon, Portgual
- Austria
- Germany (I was able to drive over the Rhine River)
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- I drove around the area of the Battle of the Bulge
I was able to see A LOT of history during my brief stay in Europe. My wife was able to get to Poland where she went to the Auschwitz concentration camp. She told me that you could actually feel the pain and suffering that went on with the camp all those years ago. She was also able to go to the Wieliczka Salt Mine there in southern Poland. She's got some really cool video of it.
I will say this.... That tour was the low point in my career. Don't get me wrong.... I loved being in Europe, I just couldn't stand the command. Too much back stabbing and favoritism going on, but I digress....
After my tour in Italy, it was to the weather office at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, FL. What another great tour with a group of wonderful individuals. I loved Jacksonville so much that I had a house built there which I'm planning on moving back into once I leave Mississippi.
And now I've finally come to my current and last duty station at the Naval Oceanographic Anti-Submarine Warfare Center at Stennis Space Center, MS. Granted, it's not my dream job to be here, but we do what me must. It was either here of Norfolk, VA and I WASN'T going anywhere NEAR Norfolk. At least I can say that I've met a good deal of individuals that I'm proud to say are my friends. I'm going to miss them once I retire and have to leave.
This now brings me to retirement.
At any other time, when a person transfers, it can be a time of sadness as you say good bye to a friend, but it can also be said that it's not good bye, but see you later as some people cross paths later in their career. Not so much for the retiree. Depending on where this individual goes, it might be the last time they see their Navy family again that they've built up over the years of their service. I hope it will not happen to me, but I am prepared for such an occurrence.
But do I really have to say good bye? There was a time not long ago where an individual would leave and that would be the last time you would hear from them. If you were lucky and close enough, you might get a letter from them from time to time, but even those would have a tendency to drift away. Now with the advent of email, the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, people are able to keep in touch so much easier than before. Friends can be literally half way around the world from each other and still be able to keep in consistent contact. And so I hope it will be for me. I don't want to say good bye. I just want to say, "Until we meet again."
Now for some words of "wisdom"....
1. Seniors, take care of your juniors.
Don't be that senior sailor that dismisses your juniors just because they are junior to you. Their ideas are just as important as yours are, believe it or not. Besides, you never know if, with fresh eyes, they can find a better solution to a problem unless you listen.
Don't be that senior sailor that doesn't help their juniors. When your junior sailor comes to you with a question, don't be that guy who tells them to ask someone else regardless of the reason. You hated it when it happened to you and so do your juniors. If you don't know the answer, then YOU find them the person to talk to. Don't let them fumble around in the dark just because you don't want to be bothered. It's part of the job you take when putting on the next highest rank.
2. Be there for your junior sailors.
Your junior sailors need to know that you'll have their back when needed. They need to know that you won't just throw them under the bus to save your own ass. Now it's true that there are going to be times when you don't have a choice because someone under you really screwed up. Even at these times, don't be that senior guy who starts yelling and screaming. All you end up doing is turning that junior off to your message. All they are going to really hear is the sounds that the adults would make on the Charlie Brown cartoons. Wah wah wah wah wah wah.....
If they are having problems, at a bare minimum, take the time to listen to their side of the story and DON'T be judgmental when doing this. Allow them to tell their story, then explain in a calm manner why the Navy works the way it does.
3. NEVER belittle your sailors.
This is a sign of poor leadership. Even the dullest tool in the shed will have their moments of brilliance. All you do when you belittle someone is turn them off your message and again, all they'll hear is, "Wah wah wah wah wah....." In fact, it will get to the point that they won't want to work for you anymore.
4. Respect goes up AND down the Chain of Command.
This has always been a very sore spot for me since I first made AG3 till the present as very senior AG1. This is because there are two types of respect. Respect for the person's position and respect for the person.
Respect for the person is something that is gained NOT given and can NEVER be demanded. I could think that you're not worth pond scum and not worthy of respect for you as a person, but I still need to respect your position, which leads me to respect for a person's position.
This level of respect is a GIVEN at all times regardless of what you might think of a person. Yes, this does just so happen to mean that seniors should at least respect their junior's rank/position. That means AG1s shouldn't be treated like AGARs right out of A School (no offense to my Airmen). This means that AG2s and AG3s DESERVE the proper level of respect due their rank. This is because someone, somewhere though that individual deserved their promotion in rank.
Sure, people change, but there are times when negative changes are due to negative feedback.
5. For each negative you find in a person, attempt to include a positive.
People mess up. NO ONE is perfect. NEVER be the senior that only brings up the bad things your juniors do. Even if you might think it's not significant, bring up things they are doing well too. Show some positive reinforcement. Bringing up only the negatives will create the same problem as belittling your sailors with the same effect. The won't want to work for you and when they do, they won't even try.
6. Praise in public, reprimand CALMLY in private.
Good God how many times have I heard that one, but it still gets missed A LOT. Oh... and did you notice that I added something? I've already said it twice, but some people just don't get the message the first time. YELLING NEVER SOLVES ANYTHING!!!!! It only creates new problems.
There comes a point in all the yelling and belittling that a person just gives up and they don't care anymore. They figure, "Why bother to even try? No matter how hard I try, I'm just going to get yelled at any way, so why bother putting forth the effort? It's just a waste of my time." If you have to reprimand someone, do it in a calm fashion. I think you'd be pleasantly suprised with the outcome. Also, if you don't yell all the time, when you DO yell, people will know they really screwed up and will be more likely to do what it takes to fix what they messed up.
7. Don't throw your rank around.
We know what your rank is and what it means. We learn that in basic training. There's no need for you to bark orders. Did you know that asking a person do to something typically works better than either telling them or barking at them? In order for this to work, however, your juniors HAVE to know that when you ask, you're really telling. Asking someone usually equates to that individual wanted to go above and beyond what you wanted. Telling usually equates to that individual doing what's needed, but that's it. Barking just turns that person off and you'll usually end up getting mad because that person blew you off. It's worked for me for that past 17 years or so. I'll admit that you can't do this for everyone. There's always going to be that person that you'll have to bark at a bit, but use the bark sparingly.
8. Share what you know.
Any Chief will tell you that it's their job to teach you to take their place. This is not something that's only at the Chief level. This goes from the most senior person down to the most junior. Teach! Share your knowledge. Be willing to learn as well.
Also, don't hold back information. If you know something that someone else doesn't:
- DON'T act smug about it! Saying, "Well, how do I know?" is just going to piss people off, then you get the whole "Wah wah wah," effect again.
- DON'T play the guessing game! Just tell them unless you know that they should know. Even at that, go back to rule 1. It's also very important to know when to allow the guessing game and when not to. If things are slow, then making someone look something up isn't bad. If things are not slow, just tell them.
- Share what you know.
I'm going to miss my Navy family. Shipmates all. As I embark on this new journey, I'll never forget you just as I've never forgotten those that have left before me along the way. To quote Jerry Springer, "Take care of yourselves and each other."
"Any man who may be asked in this century, what he did to make his life Worthwhile, can respond with a good deal of Pride and Satisfaction, 'I served in the United States Navy'." - President and former Navy LT John F. Kennedy
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