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The Dumb Ensign...

TheBubba

TheBubba

I Can Has Leadership!
None
Ok... so everyone of us has had to use the Ensign Salute at one point... you know.. the shoulder shrug followed by "Sir, I didn't realize I was being retarded. Thank you for the new @$$h***."

In light of that, if you want, please share with us newly commissioned Ensigns your greatest Ensign mistakes so we may learn from your wisdom.

Speaking of which, does anyone ave a paper towel?

So, I'd only been an Ensign about two weeks when I had to stand Asst. Officer of the Watch at Severn Tech... and I got a message I had to pass on to the Colonel, preferably through the ever-so-important Chain Of Command. Yet, I being the New Ensign, decided to tell Herr Colonel myself b/c I'd deemed the piece of info very important (it was). So, I put on my shiny new sword and march myself to his office only to find he's not there. Knowing both I and the Officer of the Watch had previous engagements that would cause us to miss the Colonel when he returned, I decided to email this piece of info to the Colonel.

To my suprise, he'd returned early, read the email and informed the OOW. This is where I learned how fast sh** can roll down the Chain... I get called into the OOW's office, and he proceeds to enlighten me about how to properly use the Chain Of Command.

So the next day at watch turnover, the Colonel says "So, Ensign, did you learn anything yesterday".

Thusly, I, New Ensign, learned that the ever present chain of command works both ways and should always be properly used.
 
IRfly

IRfly

Registered User
None
TheBubba said:
Ok... so everyone of us has had to use the Ensign Salute at one point... you know.. the shoulder shrug followed by "Sir, I didn't realize I was being retarded. Thank you for the new @$$h***."
Click to expand...

That's freakin' brilliant.
 
Road Program

Road Program

Hangin' on by the static wicks
None
Like you, I've learned that passing news up the COC is important. However, when it is addressed specifically to one person, that's who gets it...unless it's a creditor/wife/girlfriend/daycare/etc. of an enlisted guy who works for me, then I'll tell the DH and Chief as well. Just make sure you have all the info on a situation before you tell your DH.
 
TheBubba

TheBubba

I Can Has Leadership!
None
This was something that definitely needed to go both up and down the CoC from me... I just didn't know it at the time.

But the way I see it, yes, I made a mistake, but I also learned from it, and hopefully won't make it again.

I'm a firm believer that it's usually ok to make a mistake. The trick is to learn from the little ones so you don't make a huge one. Or committ the little ones multiple times.
 
F

floridaseabee

Member
Never interrupt the CO when he's talking. I did that when we were on a telecon. I didn't get chewed, but my fellow JO's and the Chiefs educated me behind closed doors. I went to his office and apologized to him later, and he just shook his head, laughed at me, and told me to disappear.

I've got plenty more screwups, but thats probably the biggest. As an Ensign, I'm going to mess up. I know it, but this is my time to learn and to make the mistakes that won't kill anyone or ruin a career. I'm the only officer in my Detachment, and I rely heavily on my CPO's to help me out and to keep me from doing stupid things.

Seabees may be different concerning the relationship between the Chiefs Mess and the Wardroom than in other communities.

"You know, Chief, from my experience......."
 
F

FMRAM

Combating TIP training AGAIN?!
Road Program said:
Like you, I've learned that passing news up the COC is important. However, when it is addressed specifically to one person, that's who gets it...unless it's a creditor/wife/girlfriend/daycare/etc. of an enlisted guy who works for me, then I'll tell the DH and Chief as well. Just make sure you have all the info on a situation before you tell your DH.
Click to expand...

Good ideas...
One other thing to watch out for that I have had to deal with in an enlisted supervisor capacity. Some unscrupulous businesses and individuals will go ahead and call the skipper or some other high official in the command over something stupid such as a late movie...yes it does happen...yes it is fvcking stupid, and wrong. Just be sure to handle things at the lowest level possible. In this situation, if I were the Div-O for example, I would strongly advise the establishment to contact the individual and work it out, as well as informing the individual of what happened. Just my .02.
 
Thisguy

Thisguy

Pain-in-the-dick
Couple of lessons here. When you're given something to route up, educate yourself on it before just signing off and passing it on (evals, leave chits, etc). Because your DH isn't going to the origin to ask his questions, he's going to ask you.

Specific example was when I was in the squadron literally a month (on deployment no less) and it's time for E-4 evals. The AZC hands me the evals says "Sir, you're the senior rater, if they look good to you, sign them and give them to the AMO." Well, I changed a few things in the comment block, and looked over the rest, but seeing how I never did an eval before, that was like having a blind seeing-eye dog. I assumed that since he was a chief, it was good to go, but the AMO sh!t all over me for the evals being messed up. He also let the AZC know about it too.

Lessons here:

1. Ask questions about things you'll ultimately be responsible for.

2. Regardless of what they teach at OCS, Chiefs don't walk on water, and there are good ones and bad ones, just like anything else in the Navy.
 
HAL Pilot

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
Not an Ensign mistake, but I did learn as a LT that it was not a very smart idea to yell "go to hell, you don't know what the fvck really happened" at the CO during an AOM and than storm out of the wardroom.....
 
webmaster

webmaster

The Grass is Greener!
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
HAL Pilot said:
Not an Ensign mistake, but I did learn as a LT that it was not a very smart idea to yell "go to hell, you don't know what the fvck really happened" at the CO during an AOM and than storm out of the wardroom.....
Click to expand...
I thought I was doing good when my old CO said during an AOM "that it's good to be King", and I said, in entirely too loud of a voice at the back of the room "As far as you know!"... (and the sea of flight suits parted and the skipper had a direct shot at me, "John, it sucks to have a distictive voice, doesn't it? OPS, you have your SDO for the month...")

So, can you enlighten us on your story?
 
HAL Pilot

HAL Pilot

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
webmaster said:
I thought I was doing good when my old CO said during an AOM "that it's good to be King", and I said, in entirely too loud of a voice at the back of the room "As far as you know!"... (and the sea of flight suits parted and the skipper had a direct shot at me, "John, it sucks to have a distictive voice, doesn't it? OPS, you have your SDO for the month...")

So, can you enlighten us on your story?
Click to expand...
I immediately stuck my head back in the door to the dead silence and said "Sir, I'll be waiting in your office". He came about 15 minutes latter and said really softly "What the hell am I supposed to do now? You know that was a UCMJ offense?" I answered "Yes Sir, I was out of line and sincerely apologize. I will accept whatever punishment you give me at Mast". He said "Get out of my office" and I gave a quick "Yes Sir" and bolted.

I went and found the XO and he gave me a real ass chewing. He then told me I was very lucky. The CO was going to considerate it a "slip of the tongue" and forget about it. He said the CO felt he provoked me by not getting all the facts on an issue that made the CO look bad but to which I actually greatly minimized the damage and save the squadron's butt. The XO said if it was his call, he'd string me up and gut me. But the CO was half grateful and half pissed so I was getting off lucky.

A couple of weeks latter, the XO was at the bar telling the story with great embelishment to all the DHs, XOs and COs who would listen. I was a minor cult figure for awhile. Hero to the JOs and villian to the hinges. I received beers from both. But the word was also put out that the next one who did it was dead meat.

It never came back to hurt me that I know of.
 
Fezz CB

Fezz CB

"Spanish"
None
HAL Pilot said:
Not an Ensign mistake, but I did learn as a LT that it was not a very smart idea to yell "go to hell, you don't know what the fvck really happened" at the CO during an AOM and than storm out of the wardroom.....
Click to expand...

WOW.... BTW, what does AOM mean? All Officer's meeting?
 
zab1001

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Third rule of the AOM (or all Pilot's/NFO meeting), the guy/gal with the least credibility on subject will want to blather the most. Not always the FNG, unfortunately.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
zab1001 said:
Third rule of the AOM (or all Pilot's/NFO meeting), the guy/gal with the least credibility on subject will want to blather the most. Not always the FNG, unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth. That's a corollary to the "He who has the least combat experience boasts the most."

Brett
 
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