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Michael Dotson wrote:I'll reveal the embarrassing moments that don't reveal too much :)
Making Chief Petty Officer(CPO's) in the Navy is a big deal. So big in fact, one must be initiated into the ranks to gain the respect of your fellow CPO's; Chief (E7 CPO), Senior Chief (E8 SCPO) and Master Chief (E9 MCPO). One can decide to NOT go through the initiation, but they eat at the kids table. Understandably, a Master Chief has been in the service for a long time. We always called them the advisors to God himself. They know everyone. They are to be feared and admired.
I was going through the initiation and one of the things we had to do was to entertain the 'Genuine' Chiefs. We'd serve doughnuts and coffee. There would be singing and games like "Cock the Cannon" and "Musical Chairs". I won't go into those games, but suffice it to say you probably wouldn't want to play.
I was being transferred to a shore unit, but had made CPO on the sea command. I was going to do initiation night with the afloat guys, but do my "training" with the shore command. So, we serve the doughnuts and coffee, and sing a few songs. This grizzled, gray headed old Master Chief had been sitting there not saying a word but had his eyes locked on me for some reason. I was the biggest man in the room so I figured he was gonna use his rank to play some Napoleon man-envy thing on me.
Finally, he said, "Dotson." The room went silent, the Master Chief was speaking.
"Yes, Genuine Master Chief?", came the correct way of addressing him.
"Do you know Petty Officer Whatshisname?" This was a shipmate from the afloat command that was also making CPO. Apparently, the MCPO knew or had worked with my shipmate.
"Yes, Genuine Master Chief."
"Next time you see him tell him I said hello."
"Yes, Genuine Master Chief."
There was a notable pause before he asked, "Do you know who I am?"
"No, Genuine Master Chief."
His face turned dark as he scowled at me. With practiced measured menace in his voice he asked, "Then who in the hell are you going to tell Whatshisname said to say hello?"
Before I could react I had already said, "I'm gonna tell him some crusty, old, effing Master Chief said to say hello."
I must have turned 30 shades of red. I wanted to walk out so bad but I had to face him. The entire place erupted with laughter, all except for me and him. I though my goose was cooked. With a word this man could have my advancement to CPO stopped in it's tracks. I braced myself for the worst, but I wasn't gonna let him see that.
He smiled finally and told me his name. I forgot Whatshisname's name. I've forgotten my wife's name on occasion (I'm old, give me a break), but I will never forget Master Chief Petty Officer White's name.
“There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematician that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.”
― G. K. Chesterton
M James wrote:
I can't stop laughing!! You said what?? Omg, that was awesome!
Michael Dotson wrote:
M James wrote:
I can't stop laughing!! You said what?? Omg, that was awesome!
That was a moment, lemme tell you! We attended a Christmas party and he had a good laugh about it.
Malek Ascha wrote:Good stories, M! I think the staff note is just a general warning. There are many websites on the internet that scour forums like this for various entertaining stories, then post them on their own site.
I don't think there's any harm in the stories you've told, but it's good to be aware of how it might get distributed. That disclaimer is also a good note for anyone else who wants to add to this thread.
Malek Ascha wrote:Good stories, M! I think the staff note is just a general warning. There are many websites on the internet that scour forums like this for various entertaining stories, then post them on their own site.
I don't think there's any harm in the stories you've told, but it's good to be aware of how it might get distributed. That disclaimer is also a good note for anyone else who wants to add to this thread.
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