So You Want To Be a Navy Chief?
A Navy Chief is almost a Mythical being. They can and have dressed down Admirals and new recruits with Equal ease. They are not only experts at their rate, but also in management. Junior Enlisted know that they can go to their Chief for Sage advice. Junior Officers often hide when in the presence of one of these beings. Senior Officers depend on the Chief’s Mess for order and discipline.
A Chief wears an Anchor as the Symbol of his or her rank. That Same anchor is the symbol of the Navy. It is fair to say that the spirit of the Navy, Its tradition, ceremony and its very honor are alive because its Chiefs keep it that way. The Chief is the anchor of the Navy. Without the Chief’s a ship would be just a ship with no soul. Its crew would just be doing a Job with no life. Words like shipmate would have no meaning. The Goat Locker gives the Ship and its crew its collective Spirit.
To become a Navy Chief is almost impossible. It must be a goal that an enlisted man never loses sight of. On average it will take a Sailor 15 years to reach the rank of Chief Petty Officer. 17.5 Years to Reach Sr. Chief and 21 Years to earn the Rank of Master Chief. To even be considered, one must have a college degree, time as a Leading Petty Officer at Sea, pass a very difficult test and go before a selection board. Every Step of the way these people are judged. If they are ever found wanting in any area, it’s the end of the Road.
The total number of Chiefs, Sr. Chiefs and Master Chiefs on active duty at any given time is about 10% of the total Number of enlisted. Chiefs make up about 7%, Sr. Chiefs about 2%, Master Chiefs are less than one percent. To put it in another way. You have a better chance of meeting a NFL player than you do a Navy Master Chief.
I wanted a Bosun’s Pipe (Boatswains Whistle) when I was in the Navy. I asked one of the Bosun’s Mates how to get one. He told me I had to talk to the Chief. I asked My Chief if it was ok and he said go for it. I went and talked to the Deck Chief. To get that whistle I had to learn deck seamanship. How to do fancywork (Ornamental rope knotting and braiding used on ships) to make my own lanyard, how to Pipe 15 different calls, how to tune the pipe and stand extra watches. It took most of my free time for 6 months at sea. I have that pipe because a Chief was willing to share with me part of his tradition. I have yet to meet anyone who earned the title of Navy Chief Petty Officer that was self-serving or not always doing what was right for the Navy.
Daniel Bernath is in no way a Navy Chief. A Chief is not made by handing him a bit of paper. Navy Chiefs are men and women who excel at the profession of being a Sailor. They earn the title. They really are almost mythical.
This is my first post as a contributor to This Ain’t Hell. Thanks Hondo for the recommendation and Thank you Jonn for the Honor. If anyone has advice or criticism, I am open to it.
Category: Navy
Well done, shipmate. You are square in the black with your comments.
If the Goat Locker is running true, then you know the ship and it’s company will be in good form. From my own experience I can say that the only times I ever saw problems with morale within a division, was when their Division Chief wasn’t quite up to the task. Those were few and far between, but it’s no stretch to say that the Navy’s strength is in it’s Chiefs, in the same manner that a ship’s physical strength all stems from it’s keel. If both are strong and true, then there’s nothing it can’t weather.
Enigma4you…excellent post. Glad to see you as a commentator! I wasn’t Navy so I have one, old, nagging Naval type question about Chiefs.
Are they ALL gay or just some? 😀 😀 😀 😀
I had to, I mean I just had to. It was too good to pass up.
Back to the serious side though. Enigma4you, having read your other comments and reading you as part of discussion threads I hope to see you as a regular here on “that” side of the blog. Good article and good luck.
Sorry all you Chiefs out there. I couldn’t help myself. Master Chief will tell you that in truth, I hold Navy Chief Petty Officers in the highest of regards on all counts. We don’t have a “Weekend Open Thread” so I had to inject the fun here. No harm, no foul I hope. I know, I know, please don’t poke the bear! (MCPO NYC)
That was a big “HINT”-“HINT” about a Weekend Open Thread…Jonn. My main man. An Army Of One! The Duke of Blogdom! The Earl of Threads! The King of Comments! The best darned blog owner in the whole wide world!!!! 😀 😀 😀
Well done, E4U. Very nice opening post.
I fondly remember our Senior Chief who was our Corpsman. I called him “The Marine Whisperer” because he could stop Lance Corporals and PFCs from doing absolutely stupid things without raising his voice.
Needless to say, it was a terrifying thing when I heard him raise his voice in anger.
Tears running down face in Pride!
BZ!
Little help here. Why do some Navy personnel wear white stripes or red stripes or gold stripes on their uniforms? What does the difference of colors signify?
White stripes = E-1 to E-3 deck ratings, like Boatswain’s Mate, Storekeeper, Yeoman
Red stripes = Fire control techs
Baby blue stripes = Construction batallion / SeaBees
Green stripes = aviation group
Red hash marks on the sleeve mean 4 years of service.
Gold hash marks and gold rate (rank) badge (crow) mean 20 or more years of unbroken service with good conduct.
Slight correction: red is engineering.
does red stripes mean they’re the “red shirts” of the ship? sucks to be them……
Sorry. RTC(W) was a while ago. PN Fenstermacher is not here to correct me.
Ex-PH2
You know a “window maker”?
(Fenstermacher)
That was her name, yes, indeed.
She was short. She was blocky. She had a bad perm. She also had a voice like gravel being sorted at an road construction company. She probably could have spit bullets when she talked, if there were any available.
Her most memborable statement was ‘Ladies, get your HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS!’
But she never offered mittens to keep our hands warm.
I’m sure she has imploded by now.
Gold rating badge and hashmarks mean at least 12 consecutive years of good conduct (possessing 3 Good Conduct Medals) and still being eligible for the next GCM.
Paul–as of the mid-90’s the Navy went to 3 years per GCM, so it’s 3 hashmarks, 4 GCM’s.
And damned if those gold hashmarks aren’t REAL expensive.
Another slight correction: Gold service stripes and rating badge are for 16 years of good service. I know… Took me 17.5 to get my gold. 😉
*Master Chief you are slipping…
It’s actually 12 years of unbroken good service.
I knew that, I was checking to see who would catch it.
The Chief IS NEVER wrong!
Thanks Ex. Now I understand a bit better.
Correction to your comment. Gold hashmarks and rating badge after 12 years not 20>
Damn thats what I get for not reading the whole thread.
Great write up Enigma4You….looking forward to reading more articles from you 🙂
One of the few things that I wished would have happened in my career was being on a ship after I picked up Gunny so I could hang out with the Chiefs.
I got to work with them closer after my retirement when I became a pipefitter and worked on repair in San Diego.
The Chiefs pretty much knew every crack and crevice of their spaces and all about the machinery.
I ran into a few that were lost and obnoxiuos, but it was because they were brown nosers or spent too much time away from the fleet.
Shipboard duty is required now?
There were several women who were CPOs at RTC(W) Bainbridge, and I’m sure none of them had ever had sea service.
Things have really changed.
Good article. Makes some very good points, particularly about integrity, about how it is not just a rank upgrade.
For most rates it is. There are a few that don’t.
CTs for one. Been in 18+ years and haven’t been to sea. Not proud of it. I’ve tried many times, but always transfer when the Direct Support billets are freshly gone (some CTs don’t PCS afloat).
You also don’t HAVE to have a college degree. Navy came to their senses with that one. They finally realized that increased optempo at sea, less time on shore, and increasing demands for individual augmentees expected to be done on your shore time, left little time for college work.
A junior enlisted (E-1 thru E-3) the color indicates where they work. Deck div sailors are “Seaman” and wear white stripes. Engineering sailors wear red stripes and are “Fireman”. I can’t remember if the Airedales have different colored stripes, but hey, I was a Bubblehead over 30 years ago so give me a break.
Petty Officers have red chevrons until they achieve 12 years of good conduct, and then they wear gold chevrons.
Airdales are green stripes
After reading your comment I had to go look up the regs…
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/uniforms/uniformregulations/chapter4/Pages/4231.aspx
I could have sworn gold was at 16 years…
Did they change that reg?
Not a new Reg as far as I know, It was 12 years when I got out in 84. It always told you something if a guy had 3 or more red service stripes on his sleeve (1 stripe for every 4 years in the Navy). The gold crow was also the “aw shit” indicator, because the 12 years of good conduct had to be consecutive. One “Aw Shit” and you were back to red for another 12 years.
We airdales had green stripes E-1 to E-3. I thought the gold crows and hash marks were for 20 years, but it’s been a L-O-N-G time ago.
Thanks PH2, I knew you guys had another color, but I couldn’t remember what it was. LOL
I read this again. Even more proud of YOU Egnamna … I called the WH you ass.
Thanks again.
MCPO Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.)
1979 – 2011
USN SEA Class 94 Brown Honor Grad
Former BT
PS: Bernath … KMRIA!
BREAK
Today, I received a letter from lawyer Bernath. I read it and almost fell down because I bacame light headed because I was laughing so hard. I will address it later but there is one thing everyone should know. When you talk to him can not speak ’till he says “over”. This is a no shitter and this is what happened in the first minute of the second call after he hung up on me during call # 1.
I called back to tell him that I needed to answer his demand.
He said, “I will talk to you if you don’t yell”. I said, “fair enough”. He said, “no, no, no don’t answer until I say OVER”.
MCPO: what?
DB: I said, don’t answer until I said OVER, like in aviation communications.
MCPO: what?
DB: I am serious!
MCPO: OK …
DB: I did not say OVER!
MCPO: OVER!
DB: NO, I talk … when I am done I say OVER!
MCPO: OVER!
DB: If you want to talk do what I say!
MCPO: Over?
Yes … This is how it went.
He is a certified MORON of the highest order!
This is a NO SHITTER!
PS: Bernath … I WILL see you in court!
By the way he believes SREYWAL are some kind of specialized team that I have assembled to do him harm. Argh … He is not only a really bad lawyer he is not very smart!
So, will you share the contents of that letter with us? Or is it so intensely private that you simply can’t reveal its contents?
Come on, Master Chief. I need a good laugh.
Yes I will in the Bernath CPO Claim thread … But not tonight. I think I brusted a hernia thingie earlier laughing at the WORLD’s greatest non-CPO loon!
Please just post a spew alert, when you share it. I have actually sprayed my keyboard a time or two.
Dis goan be gooood.
You did say OVER!
I won’t talk to you unless you say OVER!
MEOW.
MEOW MEOW MEOW.
MEOW.
MEOW MEOW. MEOW.
MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW.
KA-A-A-AAKA-AA-AK! WHEEEEEZ! MEOW MEOW MEOW!!!
I just blew Mt Dew out of my nose and have tears in my eyes. I have a twisted sense of humor. I honestly didn’t think any one but Bernath would call either of those numbers.
The first was the White House, The second was Langley. CIA information.
Thanks for the Comment Master Chief. I was really thinking about you and a few others when I wrote it. Its my Honor to try to show what a Real Chief is.
I asked for Egnigma and before I got to Egni … He hung up … I was not the only one to call!
Like Dennis Cevalier, PhD(?) I think that the Stupid monster swallowed Daniel A. Bernath THE FAKE CPO whole and shat him out in a trash-filled alley in some decrepit urban location decades ago, making him A BIG STUPID OLD SHIT!!
10-4, ROGER-WILCO, OVER AND OUT!!
This shitbird wants you to wait for him to say “over?”
We have clearance, Clarence.
Roger, Rodger!
What’s our vector, Victor?
I was under Oveur and Unger was over Dunne.
Master Chief, it is clear that one of the qualifications for your rank (at which you clearly excel) is patience and composure in the face of inhuman stupidity. My only request is that when you bitchslap this loser, please take pictures for us!
Whitey, exactly what I thought when I read MCPO’s post. I hate when I laugh good Canadian whiskey out of my nose.
No it did not. Your putting us on. That is a hoot
I think I can count on one hand, maybe two, the times I have said Over at the end of a radio call in 15 years of military flying. It just doesn’t happen anymore. The radios are not that bad. Well, except HF. HF sucks.
While assigned to CINCPAC (Joint Command) as an Air Force E5/6, I worked for Master Chief Jones, one of the finest NCO’s I had the privilege of serving with in 40 years of service (20 mil/20 GS). It was because of his mentoring that I went on to bigger and better things. While my Air Force CMSgt mentors refined my beer tastes, Chief Jones taught me how to drink martinis. A real class act.
Master Chief, And anyone else that is interested.
My email is wesley_wilson@me.com Please send me an Email and I will send my phone number.
Thanks Master Chief.
As I pointed out to Don Shipley, there are three times as many Navy SEALs as there are Master Chiefs.
Nice post E4y. I keep reading how the Navy has changed. From what you write it sounds like the Goat Locker at least is maintaining Navy tradition. Looks like the only big change is the college requirement for Chief. In the way back being a High School graduate was a big deal and during boot camp you had an HS in front of your rate, eg HSAR.
All of the services have changed. It is almost impossible to enter any service with out a HS diploma. Minimum ASVAB scores have gone up.
Many of the old traditions have died, Many I hate to see go, but for the services to continue to grow and be effective they must evolve.
A Modern Navy Carrier Not to long ago had 12 Boilers, 4 main engines, was powered by oil and was kept alive by BTs and MMs who’s average age was 23.
Now it is Powered by 2 reactors. The average age is still 23. The sailors who operate them are capable of Masters level work. And they can do that work in extreme circumstances. It is the same in all services.
I have often wanted to see GQ drills or Main Space Fire Drill in the corporate world. Ok Ladies and Gentlemen, We have been atacked, you, him her , and the boss are dead. you must continue normal operations, oh and BTW you have to do it in a gas mask
I was a BT, Repair V Locker Leader and Officer, Oil King, BT and MM Top Watch and EOOW all before the age of 25!
I spent over 2/3 of my career as a Chief, Senior and Master.
Bernath was photographed taking a bath in a sink while he was in the Navy!
BLUF: he was never Chief material.
OVER!
Master Chief, Take a look atthe link I just posted at the end of the Bernath thread.
Ah, yes–the ever popular “rubber sucker” drills.
Best chief I ever had encouraged me to become a flight deck troubleshooter and study for AQ2.
Worst chief I ever had made me say “To hell with this” and got the heck out of the Navy.
Chiefs are the heart and soul of the squadron and if you have a good one, things are great. Bad ones will drag the whole unit under.
“They can and have dressed down Admirals and new recruits with equal ease”
Dressed down Admirals….LOL right. Written by someone full of professional jealousy for those with actual commissioned legal authority and responsibility.
USN1773,
Welcome and thanks for the comment.
I do take exception to ” Written by someone full of professional jealousy for those with actual commissioned legal authority and responsibility.”
I have nothing but respect for Officers, The various paths to getting a commission is not an easy ones.
I never had any desire to become an Officer, If I had wanted that I would have done so.
I will say that you seem to have been an Officer, and you seem to have allowed yourself to be infected by the line of thinking that your Commission makes you better than the enlisted ranks.
If you fill a ship with enlisted men and no Officers then you have a loaded gun with no one to pull the trigger.
IF you fill that ship with Officers but no enlisted
then you have someone to pull the trigger, but no gun to fight with.
Each group is equally important.
Either one is worthless without the other.
And BTW while I did not see it I was outside the Door and heard it when my Master Chief and My Div O went toe to toe with The Admirals Chief of Staff. He was pissed because his bag got checked coming on board. Master Chief won that fight. Dressing Down is not always yelling, it is pointing out an error and then addressing ways to correct that error.
Oh yes … And I have done it. It is called “conducting verbal judo while engaging in loyal dissent”.
In my 32 years … I have beenm there and done that.
Critizing the authors mode of expressing what the Chief is all about is not what we are soliciting here. But since you brought up actual commissioned writeen authority and responsibility … I betcha you probably have met the sharp end of of Chief’s wrath that is authorized by the years of blood, sweat and tears of every Sailor and Chief before him. The Chief has his authority, responsibilities and special previlages are outlined through out the history of the US Navy. I find it almost laughable that there could be professional jealously … Most Chiefs are equally educated (or better) and choose to remain in the Mess with the goal of becoming a Master Chief!
KMRIA!
I never witnessed an admiral getting a taste, but I did see the aftermath of when a CDR was put in his place by a senior chief.
They had a bit of a disagreement and stepped outside of the operating space, and when the CDR came back in, he gave the exact order that he had previously disagreed with. The CDR was standing a U/I watch with the senior as the watchstander at the time. It made for an awesomely uncomfortable watch.
We are not saying that a chief commands more authority than an admiral, 1773. But in their rate, a chief will have operational knowledge above and beyond what an officer will glean from any textbook verse. The chief has been doing that exact job for a very long time, and has experienced it from all angles. Most officers that have spent time in the fleet will recognize when they should trust that knowledge and stay out of the way.
Those who do not will be politely and professionally informed why they are wrong.
BTDT. And woe be unto the JO or even Department Head who tried to tell a good LPO/Chief to do something that they weren’t supposed to do, for various reasons.
What made that particular incident full of extra yummy shine box goodness was that the particular CDR was the head of reactor training division at the time. It was fun to see the man who would scrawl GCE on your paper unwittingly commit a real life GCE and get stood tall for it. It was not fun to be in EOS after it happened, though.
http://blogs.militarytimes.com/broadside/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/09022408cmccolor397.gif
USN 1773 ,
Good officers worth their salt learn to listen to and consult with their senior NCOs and encourage them to be candid (professionally). I relied on senior NCOs throughout my career including a very good Senior Chief in AFG to tell me if I was effing up, as well as providing me the straight information about what was going on. Officers who get wrapped up in their rank and authority usually come to a bad end and in the worst cases create toxic environments that ruin a unit.
Huge difference in an Admiral and a recruit. Its a huge stretch to say a CPO or SNCO would talk to a general or admiral they would a boot.
Once an Officer gets to the point where they aren’t involved in technical or mechanical issues a Senior Enlisted’s role is more along the lines of personnel/leadership issues.
While Lts and occasionally a few stray Officers up to 04 May screw up enough to get into a position to get (rightfully) lit up by a Sr Enlisted, you dont see it happening at higher levels.
While Command Master Chiefs and Sgt Majors may have the ear of Admirals and Generals, the idea of them locking them up and lighting them up like a recruit is laughable.
That being said USN1773, If you were experienced enough and smart enough you could have worded your response with more respect, instead of making a jackass comment about jealousy. If you dont think enlisted leaders have responsibility and authority, you are a lost case.
DB … WTF OVER?
Don’t want to be a Chief, I already are one.
Retired.
err..”already are one”?
That “I are one” is from a mural on the wall at the old “A” school barracks at Naval Station Great Lakes.
It went something like this, “weeks ago I culd not spll engenineer and now I are one”
Excellent post, E4U… well done from another member of the CPO Mess (something that the Bernasty Man has never stepped foot in).
BTW, if my father was still alive, he’s be giving you props for the post… 20 yr BRCM that was in the running to be the first MCPON (didn’t like the DC area… equated it to the seventh level of Hell)
Bravo, Enigma4you. Great article. And god bless all you chiefs and SNCOs in general. We have much to thank you for.
Great read! Well done. Puts the shining light of truth on Bernaths claims, that scum sucking thief could never meet the standards of a Navy Chief Petty Officer.
Yes… I wanted to be a Chief Petty officer. Had I remained on active duty I’m sure I would have measured up. But for family reasons I left active duty after my second enlistment.
Advancement in the Reserves sucked balls. I made board after every exam (6 times) but they never rated more than three per cycle (out of around 100 that made board)
One of the best compliments I have ever been given was by my command senior enlisted advisor right before my retirement “Shame to lose you, you’re a good Petty Officer and would have made a damn fine Chief”
AH well… I’m proud to be an ET1 and know that I had a positive influence on the junior saliors I worked with.
When I get home in the morning I’ll raise a glass to the worlds finest… Navy Chiefs!
Out of comm much of yesterday, so didn’t see this until this AM.
Well done, amigo. Excellent article.
Good to see you here.
Great article.
I really learned about CPOs when I was a green LTjg pilot who just completed training. The fleet squadron I was assigned to deployed to the Med a few weeks after I arrived and as the junior-est officer I was assigned as the “Onload Officer”. Meaning I was responsible for getting all the squadron gear (a couple of semi-trailer’s worth, it turned out) moved from the squadron spaces at NAS Oceana to the USS America at Norfolk.
First thought: “What the f@#$k am I supposed to do?” The next thing that happens is the CPO responsible for the onload says to me “Sir, we’ve got things well in hand for now. I’ll let you know when I need something from you.” I felt much better! Only had to rustle up an additional small truck at some point, I recall.
Were it not for Chiefs, all junior officers would be relieved for cause at some point.
George V.
Great comment: the Chief is directly responsible for the care and feeding of his Sailors and that includes the training and operational and mission success of all junior officers.
Rgr George. Don’t know how many times my Platoon Sgt would say: “Would the LT like for me to have the troopers do….”? Stuff I had never thought of. Any successes I had in the Army were attributable to lots of fine, professional, NCO’s.
Amen–find me an outstanding senior officer/admiral, and more likely than not he’ll say that his best first mentor as a JO wasn’t his CO, etc., but the Chief who worked for him.
@Wesley Wilson AKA Enigma4you
I think I have some advice for you….keep writing and contributing to this web site, since you made it just a little bit better today.
Congratulations!
I would hate for other services to think that a sailor had to stay clean for at least 17 years to earn gold hashmarks and crow. Thank goodness it was 12 years with 3 consecutive Good Conduct Medals. I was such a goody 2 shoes that I had no trouble by being a Yeoman and have most of the paperwork misplaced. It happens.
From Navy Uniform Regs: One must have 12 years and be eligible for Good Conduct Medal, Consecutive 12 years of ACTIVE or ACTIVE RESERVE (drill time). Yes, a drilling reservist can earn this distinction. By the way, you can also loose if you screw up later. I retired with 5 of these on my sleeves
Is the conversation over?
Is the conversation over?
Don’t do that over.
Don’t do over?
Don’t end a sentence in over, over.
Oh. So is it over?
What over?
Is the conversation over?
I said don’t do that over.
Don’t do what over?
Say over, over.
I though you wanted me to say over.
2/17 Air Cav. Maybe it’s the pain medicine again but you crack me up troop. 😀 Over and out. (for now)
One thing to remember – even a court martial cant bust a chief back down to First class(or lower)- Only BUPERS can do that, and normally doesnt. This is the only service that has Senior NCOs with this sort of protection.
Um, James . . . that is not correct. A GCM can reduce ANY enlisted member of the military any number of grades – including down to E1. Navy personnel have no exemption.
Officers, in contrast, cannot be reduced by courts-martial. Dunno why that legal authority was withheld for officers in the UCMJ – if it’s a question of “the POTUS appointed them to that grade”, that can be handled by requiring the POTUS approve or delegate approval authority to the Service Secretary concerned. But it was for officer personnel.
I think what he meant was at a Captains mast. or I think the army is Art 15. or NJP Navy/Army/AF E-7 and above cannot be reduced in rank at NJP. For the Marines its E-6 and above.
There is a procedure for it but it takes time. Any Navy Pay grade below E-6 and below can only be reduced one rank at Mast or NJP.
I think I have the Officer thing figured out.
An officer can be reduced in rank at NJP if the officer conducting the Mast has the Authority to promote that same officer.
An example would be JtJG reduced to Ensign by a Capt. A Court martial can reduce the rank of an officer.
Most officers faced with such a reduction choose instead to Resign or if they have enough time retire.
Enigma4you: that is the rationale for NJP/Article 15 reduction authorities. However, in fact the UCMJ does not permit a court-martial to reduce a commissioned officer in grade/rank (not positive, but I think the same is true of WOs as well). A court-martial can dismiss the individual (the equivalent for a commissioned officer of a DD). If convicted but not dismissed as part of the sentence, officers are retained in their current grade.
Officers who’ve gotten in trouble who later retire are often administratively reduced on retirement due to having “not served successfully” at their highest grade or grades – misconduct documented by court-martial conviction or acceptance of NJP is evidence of not having served successfully. But that reduction is an admin action vice part of any court-martial sentence.
As I said previously: I don’t have any idea why officers cannot be reduced in grade as part of a court-martial sentence – but that’s what the UCMJ and Manual for Courts-Martial prescribe. Having the POTUS approve (or delegate approval of such to Service Secretaries) a court-martial sentence including a reduction for an officer would seem to be a way to handle the promotion authority issue.
I made the SFC Consideration and Selection Lists as soon as I put in for the promotion. I had barely reached 11 years TIS. I am at 11.5 years in the RESERVE, and I have busted my ass. I am 29, and I can tell you, it is lonely at the top, when Officers at my unit need something done, they come to me before the other SSG’s. That has pissed off a few other NCO’s, because, I am upsetting the natural order of things by being a good leader and an example to Soldiers; so instead of ever being in charge of anything other than my CA Team, they put a fat fuck yokel that can’t remember to bring maps or tow cables on advanced parties to the Range, and who constantly EXPLODES at Junior Soldiers for the slightest thing wrong, instead of teaching and mentoring. I cannot wait to be pinned, because I cannot wait to be promoted out.
Laughing my efffing arse off!!!
“Over”
“Roger, Out”
Worked with a Chief in Mosul in 2004 – K9 guy – awesome NCO. Same thing in Baghdad in 2009 – PSD team with a Navy Chief coming over from his team to help us Army types when one of ours was deadlined for an extended period. This guy also got the water pumps at BIAP working again (after Uncle Sam payed some contractors a lot of money to not be able to do it). Same thing in Zabul with a Chief working out of the SEAL compound. As I was leaving Victory, I had to sign over about 8 mil worth of equipment to a Senior Chief in charge of the Palace logistics. An Army MSG would have taken about a week, this gentleman took one day. He said he hated working with the Army’s logistics model – too much paperwork. Told me if something goes missing on a ship, he WOULD find it :).
I know that Chief. He is awesome. In the NAVY, “the Chiefs run the Navy”. That same Chief got an Army osiffer to sign over a tank to him that is now in my backyard!
OVER!
YOU HAVE A TANK??? we need to talk, for real, A TANK like in BOOM you assholes better run TANK?
I want a TANK, A Cannon, an Elephant, an Owl, A Bat In that Order.
OVER MEOW BOOM
TANK How did I miss that comment?
Over
One of the guys living here at the Armed Forces Retirement Home has a couple or three tanks (Soviet?) at his residence in Georgia (the state, not the country), along with various other surplus military vehicles that he collected for restoration.
He used to be a lawyer, but illness compels him now to live here.
Also, at the Ol’ Soldiers’ Home in Washington, D.C., they have a M-60 tank and an F-86 Saberjet parked permanently behind the Sheridan Building (the dormitory where I used to live).
I really do want a Tank and a few other Military type vehicles. I have been trying to get a Deuce and a half from a guy for about a year. We both know I will end up with it but he is holding out a while longer.
Have you seen the movie, “TANK”, starring James Garner?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088224/?ref_=nv_sr_6
Oh yes, that’s where the Bang, you assholes better run line came from.
Isn’t that the one where a deputy catches a belt across the face :)?
Do any of you remember some years back when a soldier at Fort Hood, Texas stole a tank and went joyriding on the public highway?
Local law officers chased him, but couldn’t do anything until he eventually ran out of fuel.
I had one smoke me one time.
I deserved it, but sucked.
Lurking from home on the late weekend
Think about this:
1. Enigma4you – GREAT Post…even from a “Chairforce” Guy
2. Why are you guys backwards?? It’s Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant and then Chief Master Sergeant. What is with you Navy Guys? Chief, Senior and then Master…sheesh ;D
3. Think about this: (The numbers may be a little off but still close)
a)Only about 10% of the military make E-7.
b)Only about 2% make E-8 (I think it used to be limited by law or Congress and you can correct me here)
c) Finally, fewer than or about 1% are promoted to E-9 and you must have a slot for these last 3 enlisted slots to be considered.
So think about THIS..as of 2010, less than 1% of the US Population served in the military, active, Guard, Air Guard & Reserves of all branches.
Then you divide that by the numbers above? VERY few of us ever make it to that level.
So those bad ass guys with motorcycle patches that say 1%….I say BAH!!!
I’m a .0002% or 1/5000th-er
(E-8) Chip Ret.
Love to all of you….E-1 to E-9…and many of you civilian TAH-ers…you’re good folk too!!
Chip,
This is same service that didn’t have 1 star rank for much of its history. Flag select Captains were promoted to 2 star Rear ADM. These Rear ADMs were divided by seniority into upper half collecting 0-8 pay & lower half collecting 0-7 pay. So technically you had a 0-7 officer wearing 2 stars who reported to his 0-8 boss who also wore 2 stars. Army, AF, Marines complained for many yrs about this set up which caused great confusion & consternation. Permanent change came with institution of DOPMA in early 80s, which standardized personnel management in armed forces.
Pfffffttt…
It’s a changed Navy.
There are a miniscule handful of Chiefs who are actually worth their anchors. The rest either got to be Chief because they did enough shiny collaterals and community service nonsense to make a super-awesome Eval, or they managed to squeeze through when their rate was wide-open and advancements were 80-90% across the board.
Ergo, for a goodly number of Chiefs, it’s a good life because they don’t have to do much work, squabble in the mess, kiss up to the SEA or CMC, and generally act like their founts of wisdom as long as you hold to the notion that their way of “NAVY” is the only way.
Hence why if you ask twenty different Chiefs how to become a Chief, you will get twenty different answers.
And the “15 year” average? Depends entirely on the rate? Are you a Corpsman or a Machinist Mate? Yeah, it’ll take a while. Are you an Operations Specialist or Intelligence Specialist? Shoot, you may just make Chief in under ten years.
It’s a new Navy. It’s changed even in the eleven years I’ve been in. It’s bound to change more down the road. I’ll give credit to some Chiefs, but this automatic notion that they’re all towering pillars of exemplary Navy Core Values?
Pffft… Don’t make me laugh that hard, it’s not healthy to squirt liquid out my nose.
Gold stripes means you have not got caught…yet!