Don’t know who wrote it, but a good read

[f6john]

Make no mistake...I'm not posting this for debate. I don’t seek or need commentary.
Just consider this...when you think the President is a jerk; he is.
He’s a New Yorker. He’s crude and can be rude. He gets his feelings hurt and he’s a hot head. He hits back; harder. And he should Tweet less.
Let me tell you what else he is.
He is a guy that demands performance.
He is a guy that asks lots of questions.
The questions he asks aren’t cloaked in fancy “political” phrases; they are “why the hell...” questions.
For decades the health industry has thrown away billions of face masks after one use. Trump asks, “why the hell are we throwing them away? Why not sterilize them and use them numerous times?”
He’s the guy that gets hospital ships readied in one week when it would have taken a bureaucrat weeks or months to get it done.
He’s the guy that gets temporary hospitals built in three days.
He’s the guy that gets auto industries to restructure to build ventilators in a business that’s highly regulated by agencies that move like sloths.
He’s the guy that asks “why aren’t we using drugs that might work on people that are dying; what the hell do we have to lose?”
He’s the guy that restricted travel from China when the Democrats and liberal media were screaming “xenophobia” and “racist.” Now they’re wanting to know why didn't he react sooner?
He’s the guy that campaigned on securing the border - protecting America - When he shut down borders in the midst of the coronavirus virus, they screamed louder. Then the rest of the world followed suit, including the European Union with travel between their member countries.
Has he made mistakes? Yes.
Everyone I know has and does.
The “experts” wouldn’t and haven’t done any better.
When he offers hope, he’s lying and when he’s straight forward, he should be hopeful. It’s a no win situation, but he’ll not be deterred.
I’ll take this kind of leadership six days a week and twice on Sunday over a “polished, nice guy” politician who reads prepared speeches from a teleprompter and answers pre-scripted.

[Valkorado]

 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=872755153151090&id=254135405013071

[Oss]

and this as well as for myself

[Davemn]

As you may know I think he’s a terrible human being and not very smart. But, I believe he has done a fine job dealing with this pandemic. Some mistakes sure but that’s easy to say with hindsight. That was a pretty good post F6. I too don’t seek any commentary.

[Valkorado]

As you may know I think he’s a terrible human being and not very smart. But, I believe he has done a fine job dealing with this pandemic. Some mistakes sure but that’s easy to say with hindsight. That was a pretty good post F6. I too don’t seek any commentary.

 . You are gonna get some.  Kudos to you for thnking clearly and not lashing out over his response solely based on your political affiliation.  It speaks very highly of you!

[John Schmidt]

As you may know I think he’s a terrible human being and not very smart. But, I believe he has done a fine job dealing with this pandemic. Some mistakes sure but that’s easy to say with hindsight. That was a pretty good post F6. I too don’t seek any commentary.

Read that statement again. You're contradicting yourself. 

[Valkorado]

He said the President has done a fine job dealing with the pandemic, not a smart job.   From Davemn, I'll take it!

[old2soon]

          Or as a Patriot some years back in a Big war. Damn the torpedo's full speed ahead. This was big when i was in The Navy-lead follow or git the hell outa the way. RIDE SAFE.

[carolinarider09]

         Or as a Patriot some years back in a Big war. Damn the torpedo's full speed ahead. This was big when i was in The Navy-lead follow or git the hell outa the way. RIDE SAFE.

I remember that.  U. S. Navy Nuclear Submarine Service.  Heard it not just a few times.

Its hard to describe leadership.  That statement says a lot.  My first Captain on the Patrick Henry (SSBN-599 Blue), Captain Test (long time ago but I remember his name), was like that.  

Docked next to a tender (don't remember where) on shore power, in the process of doing a power plant start up (nuclear) and we had a steam leak.  Sounded the Power Plant Emergency Alarm, closed the hatches leading forward and attacked the problem.  

The first man back aft (he had to come down the after escape hatch past the energized shore power cables) was Captain Test.  I remember his face today as he stood outside the chain separating the Maneuvering area from the hallway.  He looked at us, me and simply said "Status!".  

The Nuclear Engineering Officer showed up some time later.  I might add that Captain Test was not a "slender man".  I was so proud of him, the crew, the boat.  Just the best of the best.  

Leadership starts at the top and, when done right, works it way all the way down the chain.  

Sorry, another "sea story".  

Snorkeling somewhere doing some "drills" that were monitored by non-crew members (I forget what they were called).  I was in berthing.  Heard an announcement about flooding in the after machinery space and then flooding in the missile compartment and then heard water running down the stairs into the berthing are right where the battery hatch was (In case you don't know sea water is not a good mix with battery acid in a confined space like a submarine).  

Within seconds, there was a pile of mattresses over the battery hatch and guys siting on top hoping to seal the hatch and keep the sea water out.  No one ordered, no one suggested, it was training, discipline instilled by men like Captain Test.  

By the way that happened almost 50 years ago.

[old2soon]

        On The U S S Yorktown CVS 10 you had ships company 2 anti submarine squadron with fixed wings a helicopter squadron and a Marine air det. General quarters once or twice was an asian fire drill or the more formal term the Chiefs used a cluster ----! But we did in fact git it ironed out and well pat the cluster ---- stage. As a guess here and i can not recall his name the man most responsible for getting it together was the Yorktown's X O.  Also the Enlisted top 3 that actually ran the Navy the Chiefs. Try a G Q the first day out after a 5 or 7 day port call in the sun in the tropics with monster azzed hang overs.  There were a few Chiefs and the occasional LCDR thet did not have a clue would never git a clue which i made a point of either not flying with them and definitely Not being in the same space they were. If i got that to work 65  70% of the time i did good. And then again I've seen J Gs that should have had the Bird on their collar. That Leadership thing is one of those things while somewhat difficult to define was fairly easy to see and much easier to appreciate. You and I both KNOW there were role players and ticket punchers about. And i got out 52 year ago Feb of 2020. RIDE SAFE.

[scooperhsd]

Everyone has some "Leadership" skills - some more than others. The good ones are like Capt Test and the senior / master chiefs and that Yorktown XO. I thought I had more than I actually did.

[carolinarider09]

Funny thing old2soon, as a Electronics Tech going to submarines, we got sent to the surface fleet for a year or so before Nuc School.  I was sent to the USS Wasp - CVS-13.  That would have been 1969.

We dropped some sonobuoys on a Russian sub somewhere in the North Atlantic.  After a while the sonar buoys went active in the Russian sub and he surfaced to radio his friends.  About an hour later. we got buzzed by some nice Russian bombers.  

I was in CIC at the time and it was interesting to see the Captain order the buoys to go active.

When I heard the Russian planes were overhead, I got my camera and went on deck.  Its hard to see the plane but you can see the men on deck looking off into the distance at the plane as we got buzzed.

[old2soon]

     You would Remember if it had been a Russian Bear bomber. 4 turbo shaft engines and 8 counter rotating props. VERY VERY Noisy even far off. And danged if we didn't git off track in a Large way!  Least ways we weren't at each other in an ugly way.  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

They sent me off to Squadron Officer School in the USAF.  For 1st Lts and Capts, young ones.  I had already done it by correspondence with a 97%, but they made me go anyway.  I didn't want to.  Think Hilter Youth school for jr officers.  I was 10+ years older than everyone there (but in as good shape as anyone).

So we're in leadership training where they have these field exercise obstacles in groups of 10-12.  Outside in fields or the woods with water and walls and painted lines, and there's a backpack and a length of rope and three long boards and a pole and the instructor lays out what you have to accomplish, but the group has to figure out how to do it (in an allotted time).

So, it's Jim's turn to be leader, but he doesn't have a clue.  So we brainstorm and do the best we can.  Wrong.  Then it's Mary's turn and she really has no clue.  Fail again.  Then Bob figures one out.  Then I figure one out.  Now I'm getting the handle on these things.  The modest pile of things they give you to complete each exercise are the clues as to how to solve each problem.  And this is more like Boy Scout stuff than Air Force stuff, and I was a senior patrol leader.  So now it's Bill's turn and he has no idea.  But I've got it figured out already, but it's not my turn to be leader, so I have to shut up.  So the group argues about it for awhile.  With three minutes left I tell them I've got it, do you want to complete it or not.  OK, and we do.  So I got us through half of these exercises, on time (better than average), but my classmates are unhappy I've hogged the leadership training.  I'm like screw that, do you want to fail this thing or succeed?  The instructor didn't like that attitude either.

600 in each class, with half the day sitting in a giant auditorium with some good instructors, and some terrible droning fools.  People fell asleep, so they turned the AC down to 50 degrees and you had to wear your coat to class (in Alabama) or you'd freeze to death.  

This was without question my worst experience on active military service.  All 7 weeks of it.  Having the Libyans try to blow up my wedding was much more entertaining (since they didn't succeed).  

I never had command of anything except running a 2-man shop with a SSgt.  What I learned as a jr officer about leadership was;  you made sure your enlisted men got paid, got fed, had a place to sleep and had their problems taken care of before you ever took care of yourself.  And if you were willing to do physical labor and get your hands and uniform dirty with them doing some crummy job, they didn't forget it.  Finally, you learned to heed the advice of senior enlisted men who could save you from showing your ass (and if you didn't take their advice the first time, you probably never got any advice again). 

[3fan4life]

I never had command of anything except running a 2-man shop with a SSgt.  What I learned as a jr officer about leadership was;  you made sure your enlisted men got paid, got fed, had a place to sleep and had their problems taken care of before you ever took care of yourself.  And if you were willing to do physical labor and get your hands and uniform dirty with them doing some crummy job, they didn't forget it.  Finally, you learned to heed the advice of senior enlisted men who could save you from showing your ass (and if you didn't take their advice the first time, you probably never got any advice again). 

That Sir is the #1 Lesson that every Military officer should learn.

[Alpha Dog]

Trump is not that much of the second and third sentences - unless you come after him or those around him and that work for him.  My sister from California is a big time liberal and we do not agree with anything political and I shy away from such talks with her.   However around 25 years ago she and her husband had dinner with him, and some others were their also for a few hours.   She told me last summer he was the most charming person she had ever been around.

[carolinarider09]

What Jess and 3fan4life said.

On the boat, when the reactor was cortical, we always have an Engineering Offier of the Watch (EOOW) in maneuvering with the Throttleman, Reactor Operator (RO), and the Electric Plant Control Panel Operator  (EPCP Watch).

The EOOW was general a LT JG or an LT or, one one patrol we had a Chief Warrant Officer as EOOW on our watch.  He was the best EOOW.  He understood stuff, life, how the boat worked, what we did and why.    We always enjoyed standing watch with him.  It was generally six hours at a time in a fairly cramped area.  And on patrol, doing 3 Knots at 200 feet times could be slow. 

Except that one time in the Med when we got hit with an active sonar ping.   

[scooperhsd]

What Jess and 3fan4life said.

On the boat, when the reactor was cortical, we always have an Engineering Offier of the Watch (EOOW) in maneuvering with the Throttleman, Reactor Operator (RO), and the Electric Plant Control Panel Operator  (EPCP Watch).

The EOOW was general a LT JG or an LT or, one one patrol we had a Chief Warrant Officer as EOOW on our watch.  He was the best EOOW.  He understood stuff, life, how the boat worked, what we did and why.    We always enjoyed standing watch with him.  It was generally six hours at a time in a fairly cramped area.  And on patrol, doing 3 Knots at 200 feet times could be slow. 

Except that one time in the Med when we got hit with an active sonar ping.   

One of ours or one of Their's  ?     .

[carolinarider09]

A French Tin Can was roaming about.  She had dropped from two screws to one screw and that screw was turning at about 120 RPM (you have to remember that this was 50 years ago so.....  It might be a little off).

Our sonar operator had identified the ship as a merchant man, based on the single shaft and shaft RPMs. 

So, we were just roaming along as we were suppose to and not to concerned about the merchant man overhead as we steamed along, when "BING!".   

Remember the movie "The Hunt for Red October"?  It was that, one ping and one ping only. 

If memory servers we maneuvered away and went to periscope depth to see what it was.  But remember that was 50 years ago, more or less, so.... I do know we got pinged and I do know it was IDed as a French Tin Can. 

Don't know the rational but I guess the Captain wanted to know WTFH.   

After it was identified as a French Tin Can, we went back on patrol.  I presume the sonar operator was much more discerning in the future but.....

[Jess from VA]

I was quite happy to serve on land.

I grew up sailing in and around Lake Erie, and had been in some mighty storms beyond sight of any land.  Been knocked down (at night) with the mast flat in the water and the cockpit swamped, and had to go underwater to untie jib sheet lines and up the edge of the boat to the bow pulpit to pull down sails the wind wouldn't let drop, with waves crashing over us in 50-70 knot winds with big lightening all over the sky (a 28 footer, though I sailed many different boats).  Your survival during these events was never a sure thing.  

After these experiences, the idea of being in the middle of some ocean on a Naval vessel and having to swim for shore after it stopped floating for some reason always gave me the willies (however unlikely that might be).  I was a good swimmer back in the day, but no one's that good.  The story of the USS Indianapolis comes to mind.

I still talked to the Navy (and Marines) before signing up with the Air Force, and JAGs only sea duty was aboard carriers which seemed among the least likely to stop floating.  But the Air Force had the best deal, and the best chances to be stationed around much of the planet (and all on terra firma).    

I got to fly in a bunch of airplanes in the Air Force, but never had to jump out of one.

And why anybody would serve in a big long tube underwater where you can't even jump off and swim for it, I have no idea.   Winters in MI could be pretty drab, but at least we had windows.  

The famous Momson Lung for escaping submariners was hardly confidence inspiring and had little to do with your chances of actually getting out of a sinking/sunk submarine.  I ask you, does this guy look happy to you?



Oh hell no.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I never had command of anything except running a 2-man shop with a SSgt.  What I learned as a jr officer about leadership was;  you made sure your enlisted men got paid, got fed, had a place to sleep and had their problems taken care of before you ever took care of yourself.  And if you were willing to do physical labor and get your hands and uniform dirty with them doing some crummy job, they didn't forget it.  

No disrespect to any of the ex officers here. But in my 4 years of Navy duty, I don’t remember seeing ANYTHING close to resembling physical work from an officer.

[scooperhsd]

There was some done in the training command, and surely you remember firefighting school ? I was the one in front for at least one of the runs.

[carolinarider09]

Jess,

I don't remember what we had but I don't think it was the Monsoon Lung (SP).  But we all had to do a "blow and go" as part of our submarine training.  I think it was a full mask with a O2 bottle attached and a life vest.  It was not inflated since you were in the escape trunk and sea pressure air inside and as you went up the vest would self inflate as sea pressure lessened.

The tank at New London was 100 feet of water but we got to go out at 50 feet.  You just put it on, go out the hatch and say "Ho, Ho, Ho," as you ascend and man do you ascend.  I must have been propelled almost out of the water at the top from the ascent.

Funny thing, the escape devices had a depth limit.  Lets say it was 1000 feet.  As I remember the story, 90% of the oceans are over 1000 feet deep.  So,,,,   you can figure out the likelyhood. 

Boats also had "rescue buoys".  You pulled a switch and they launched out of the boats outer hull to the surface.  Marking your spot. 

Funny thing, they also rattled somewhat so, after sea trials, they got welded in place. 

And of course there were the toilets.  They flushed to a sanitary tank.  When full, you pressurized the tank and opened the valve to the sea.  However, the toilets flushing was just a ball valve in the bottom of the toilet.  Move a handle and the valve opened.  If you did they when they were blowing sanitaries (and yes there were signs saying don't do that) you would have an interesting experience.

[scooperhsd]

"Interesting" is not quite the word I would use  ( and no - I never spent anytime underway on a submarine - but I can just imagine what would have happened).

[carolinarider09]

Submarine sailors eat pretty well, comparing it to the chow we got on the USS Wasp.  So, you could gain some weight while underway.  So, we could exercise.  You could jog, well sort of in the missile compartment but we had a real "rowing machine" in Middle Level Missile.  I used it after each watch on my last patrol.

And you got to row both uphill and down hill as the boat's angle changed.  We were only doing three knots on patrol (normally) so it took a little effort to keep us level.

On, regarding meals.  There were torpedo tubes in the forward compartment.  If you went there, which was right next to the chow hall, you would see a sign on one of the tubes "Warning Warshot Loaded".  On another tube there was a sign "Warning Eggshot Loaded". 

When I first saw the Eggshot sign I had to ask.  It was how we kept the eggs cool while at seeing allowing us to have fresh eggs for breakfast while on patrol.  Usually alter about 45 to 50 days. 

[carolinarider09]

     You would Remember if it had been a Russian Bear bomber. 4 turbo shaft engines and 8 counter rotating props. VERY VERY Noisy even far off. And danged if we didn't git off track in a Large way!  Least ways we weren't at each other in an ugly way.  RIDE SAFE.

But its been fun, at least for me.  I don't get a chance to tell many "sea stories".  And lots of people would give you a blank look if you mention "angles and dangles". 

[Jess from VA]

I never had command of anything except running a 2-man shop with a SSgt.  What I learned as a jr officer about leadership was;  you made sure your enlisted men got paid, got fed, had a place to sleep and had their problems taken care of before you ever took care of yourself.  And if you were willing to do physical labor and get your hands and uniform dirty with them doing some crummy job, they didn't forget it.  

No disrespect to any of the ex officers here. But in my 4 years of Navy duty, I don’t remember seeing ANYTHING close to resembling physical work from an officer.

In writing my post(s), it was apparent to me, that not all services are exactly the same.

A USAF Jag office is not a combat unit, but when we had an inspection coming, all enlisted and officers turned out to scrub the place down, including the head.  But usually, the custodial staff (and our prisoners at the Maxwell AFB level 6 federal lockup) cleaned our offices.  Though I cleaned my own office (when I had one) every couple weeks.  

To my way of thinking (and understanding), the Naval service aboard ships underway was more officer and enlisted separated than any other branch of service.  Probably from the evolution of fighting ships of the Roman army through present (with quaint traditions like flogging, keelhauling and bread and water).    I can remember no places in the Air Force where we had any "officer country"  (with the exception of the officer's club, but we were not members or allowed to enter any enlisted men's club, or where we had them, a top three (E7-E9) club, unless specifically invited officers (usually commanders) were asked to speak there for some particular event)

The club on (stateside) bases used most often to take the the entire office (officer and enlisted) to lunch for some small office award ceremonies, or birthday parties, or celebration of a successful inspection of our unit, was the base golf course dining room.  Or an off-base restaurant.  But no particularly expensive place was ever chosen, as it was widely understood you never put your enlisted men into the position of having to spend any large or even medium money from their own pockets.

My promotion party was held at a Col's house on base, and the whole office (officer and enlisted) attended the back yard barbecue, and I picked up the cost of everyone's food, beer and soda (a tradition).

Base intramural sports often had both (jr) officer and (jr) enlisted member teams.  

Illegal fraternization among officer and enlisted was still prohibited, especially in the nature of dating and sex and poker games for money (you never took a dime from any enlisted man).  Officers who slept with enlisted men's wives received a general court martial.  And we court martialed an O5 dentist for feeling up jr enlisted women in his dental chair (base hospitals were the least military organizations as a general rule).

I had the dubious honor of defending a (rookie) female Jag Capt who was sleeping with a Senior Airman (PFC) cop (who could have started as a linebacker on any college team).  Alas, she was a lonely girl, and in love.  (As I recall, the cop only got an Article 15 with minimal punishment, but became a legend among his own peers  ).  

[scooperhsd]

Jess - while I agree on your observation, some was command driven, and some is due to the type of unit / relative numbers of officers / enlisted onboard, and some is/was tradition driven.

On a frigate (FFG7 Oliver Hazard Perry class) that I was on, The wardroom ( and chiefs mess (E7-E9)) basically ate the same food, prepared by the messdecks, as the rest of the enlisted crew. The real difference in officer country was that our mess  had different silverware and we had china and crystal to eat from . Part of the reason for separate areas was that the wardroom served as sort of the executive meeting / briefing room as well, while the mess decks served more as training / advancement test facility.

In the earlier times, the Captain of the ship and even the entire officer complement would have bought their own stores separate from the crews rations. It might still be done that way on larger ships (think - amphibs and aviation ships). An embarked flag officer with his staff might also eat in separate mess as well, or they could follow what the wardroom did.

SHore activities - well, there is usually an enlisted dining hall, and if there are service people's clubs, they followed the same separation on rank. There was not much traditions of socializing together, or, more likely it would be done offbase (I sort of remember when my division of sailors took me to a strip club for my bachelor party , and the officers had had another event at the offbase  house of some of the bachelor members of the wardroom). Formal dining functions (Dining in (strictly the members of the mess) or Dining Out (including spouses / dates) would often be held in the Officer's club. Keep in mind that my memories are what it was like in the 80's and 90's - things may have changed since then. I do remember one lunch where the officers in my department took our department head (CDR) to a gentlemen's club for lunch in the financial district of DC - in full uniform (Summer whites) (birthday celebration ?).

[Jess from VA]

I do remember one lunch where the officers in my department took our department head (CDR) to a gentlemen's club for lunch in the financial district of DC - in full uniform (Summer whites) (birthday celebration ?).

That was probably at Archibalds on K street (excellent food, and pasties and panties worn).  A few of us at HQ VA had lunch there two or three times.  I may have seen you guys there.  

I can tell you, any Jag office I served in would have been pretty unhappy with officers attending any off base gentleman's club in uniform.  There would have been no adverse action taken, but it would not be repeated.  Though DC is not your ordinary base level community (what with congressmen poking anything in a skirt for 200 years).  And Archibald's at lunchtime was pretty tame stuff, say compared to some places I attended in Tijuana (NOT in uniform).   

Most USAF Jag offices were much like a small law firm representing any town of 5-8000 people.  Officer and enlisted worked closely together in all aspects of our daily duties.  

It is not widely known, but no enlisted man in the Air Force can sign up to be a paralegal specialist from basic or tech school.  All our few airmen and mostly NCOs were hand picked by us (mainly our senior enlisted paralegals) from among the best serving enlisted men and women from across the base.  Mostly clerical and administrative types but with top marks all through their initial enlistment(s).  This practice was not looked at kindly by other base agencies, but almost no one ever turned down an invite to paralegal training and career service.  We had a large number of married enlisted paralegals, we (Jag) handled all our own worldwide assignments, and we did our best to keep married couples assigned to the same bases during a career.  We had great NCOs.

[old2soon]

       Out at sea during flight ops Military Protocol was loose. With a 4 man aircrew- officers pilot copilot-and 2 enlisted electronic systems operators/observers in a flying regimen and the enemy mayhaps pot shoting at you we reverted to first names. Much quicker and when a crew had flown a couple times together and the TRUST was built you could give a pilot a recommendation pull up dive break right or left etc and the pilot would 9 times out of 10 follow the recommendation and ask questions later. And the officers mess on the ship was as for from the enlisted mess as east is from west. But sometimes the pilot got tired of fried chicken and i was tired of roast beef and we'd meet somewhere on te hangar deck and swap food. I got to eat off of china and the pilot got to eat off of a beat up stainless steel military tray. Course after pulling off station and heading for a port call we had to git somewhat military fer a few days. I got on the L S O platform one day for 8MM home movies. The pilot I usually flew with was also an L S O. And he Was Boss on the platform. I let him know tween recoveries I was ready and he asked I believe a Captain-silver eagle and a Lt. Commander-gold leaf-to please exit the platform NOW. They did exit the platform But if looks could kill I would Not be posting this!  Good times long past NEVER to be repeated in this life.  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

It was also my experience that aircraft operations (regardless of service) had perhaps the least amount of officer/enlisted formality.  And I have no experience, but it's likely true with the more elite ground pounding units as well.  Small units, big responsibility, everyone well trained, and mission first.  Good professionalism in small groups obviates the need for formality.

Though some of the more common fraternization cases in the Air Force were between officer and enlisted aircrew (of the opposite sex) (I have no idea today).  No one ever wanted these cases to become public (and I'm sure most weren't), but when they became public, examples were made.  

As often as not, they are made public by aggrieved spouses (who could be quite angry and noisy, which is never consistent with the good order and discipline of the service).

A notable example of this was when one of our Fifteenth Air Force below-the-zone O5 staff judge advocate's (legal office boss) wife appeared at a weekly wing commanders meeting with a pair of her husbands duty shoes sawed in half, and demanded that his balls be chopped off without anesthetic (that bell can never be un-rung).  And so, after investigation, they were (figuratively).

The inability of so many men who have risen high in rank/grade/corporate/govt to keep it in their pants and thus trashed their lives, fortunes and reputations has always amazed me.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh weak.... is a poor excuse indeed.  

[3fan4life]

That was probably at Archibalds on K street (excellent food, and pasties and panties worn).  A few of us at HQ VA had lunch there two or three times.  I may have seen you guys there.  

I ate lunch there once.

Pretty sure that I saw Ted Kennedy and Newt Gingrich having lunch together while I was there.

[old2soon]

       Heard it in Boot and in A school and later on in the fleet. Keep yer indescrestions 200 miles from the Flagpole. Dunno if that's still true. I will say when I was stationed at N A S San Diego you Knew right after a carrier group left on deployment cuz the clubs were Full of women lookin fer fun. But I was warned find my fun ashore NOT at the base clubs.  Amazing How cursed Smart some of those old gnarly E5s thru E9s were!  Also saw some of what we called straight arrow Men-did NOT mess around on their wives while overseas-met by said wife bout 6 or 7 months along and we'd been gone near 10 months. I've also heard tales of men bringing their wives "presents" only penicillin or other strong antibiotics would git rid of. Now fer me anywho ancient history!  RIDE SAFE.

[RP#62]

My father in law, a retired master chief used to say - sooner or later you have to leave your loved ones and return home to your family.

-RP

[old2soon]

My father in law, a retired master chief used to say - sooner or later you have to leave your loved ones and return home to your family.

-RP

        E 7 Chief I met in Japan when I was stationed there-Atsugi N A S-told me somebody had asked why he did not bring his Wife to Japan. Chief told me-I looked him in the eyes and asked him-would you bring a baloney sandwich to a steak and shrimp BBQ? RIDE SAFE.