Text 5184, 66 rader
Skriven 2006-09-04 17:17:46 av hap newsom (1:275/311)
     Kommentar till en text av Dave Drum
Ärende: RE: Deck Apes
=====================
Hey Dirty!
-> 
-> hn>-> HN>-> Yup.  That PO2 now has a life from hell.  Seems there was
-> hn>-> HN>->worse behind it  and he was twisting the young JO all around.
-> hn>-> HN>->She was  getting in trouble because he was leaving her
-> hn>-> HN>->hanging oj more than  just Duty section stuff. We are BM
-> hn>-> HN>->Chief low and she doesnt have  one. They moved in a quality
-> hn>-> HN>->BM1 to her division and i kinda took  her under my wing too
-> hn>-> (I'm not deck but what the hell). 
-> 
-> hn>-> HN>A PO 2 that's been in six years is on the border, I made E6 in
-> hn>-> HN>less than six  and if you're gonna stay in you should at least
-> hn>-> HN>be on a better track than E5  after six. Says something about
-> hn>-> HN>his motivation, drive, and character if he's  this way...my
-> hn>-> guess he's not a 4.0 
-> 
-> hn>-> Says more about the fact that Bosun has _NEVER_ been a "fast"
-> hn>-> rate. My  rate (AT) was so fast that I was a "Slick Arm Second" at
-> hn>-> the end of my  enlistment and pursued hotly by the retention
-> hn>-> recruiters. But, hormones  (I was in lust) won out and I became a
-> hn>-> civilian ASAP. 
-> 
-> hn>At the very least he'd be showing PNA's on his records...I don't
-> hn>think this one is due to the slow ratings advance of the deck 
-> hn>gang...although they are not  prone to passing many tests. I PNA'd 
-> hn>(passed not advanced once on PO2  and once on PO1 and yep I was 
-> hn>pursued hotly as ell...and made the same  decision as you (grin) 
-> 
-> I dunno. In a slow rate like Boatswain (either BM or AB) Second Class in 
-> a mere six years shows he must have had something on the ball 
somewhere 
-> in there. When I was in boot camp in 1959 we had a company commander 
(DI 
-> to most folks) who was a Bosun First with 4 hash marks (denoting at 
-> least 16 years service) and rate/rank insignia in gold. So, even a 4.0 
-> sailor doesn't advance all that quickly in that rating.
-> 
-> I sometimes have regretted not being a lifer. But, when I see the 
-> discrepancies between what lifers were promised then and what is 
-> delivered now ... well, suffice it to say they keep moving the goal 
-> posts of military life.
-> 
You are forgetting the huge difference in the Navy from the early 60's to the 
late 60's/70's...There were a lot fewer enlistments and almost all rates were 
pretty open for anyone with a bit on the ball. Between WWII and the mid 60's 
advancement in many areas was slow. Aviation and electronics were notable 
exceptions. Most sailors who ended up in deck division were there more 
because they couldn't qualify elsewhere rather than looking for a career of 
paint chipping and rust scraping. Any 4.0 sailor who failed to advance would 
probably look at some other rate and crosstrain out of being a bo'sun. 
And yeppers I agree with you; if I hadn't met Anne I might have stayed in as 
well, I loved subs and my job was quite a bit of fun and I was on the "fast 
track" toward's chief...but the subservice is NOT the place for successful 
marriages with over 80% failing to survive the stress test...so I got out as 
well.....and only regretted it on the day that I would have hit 20 years and 
the magic retirement number...on the day that I'd have hit the 30 year mark I 
didn't even go out for a drink. I feel confident that I made the right decision

as I approach my 34th anniversary with Anne. 
I also agree with you on the moving goalposts.....a dirty trick that the the 
govt keeps getting away with over and over again...with a tip of the hat to 
Ol' PT Barnum and a nudge and a wink to the empty promises bin.
chat with you soon
hap 
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