Porkchop shenanigans, allegedy crappy boat food, and the Great BAS Debate of 2020

[Gonzo08]

Wait, it sounds like Enlisted don't get to choose what they get from the galley? And it sounds like Officers have a choice between meals? How does that work?

Generally, enlisted sailors are suck with whatever is on the line for that meal.

Officers are usually served the same meal, but most boats offer a "to order" menu. So regardless of what the scheduled meal is, as an officer you can usually order any number of items to include: burgers, quesadillas, grilled cheese, or eggs to order if it's breakfast.

 

[DanMa1156]

But O's can order the chicken-bacon quesadilla, or freshly grilled (maybe frozen but still grilled after ordering) burger if they don't like what's on the menu that day.

I've only seen this on the CVNs and not the other two ships I have served on for any significant period of time. Enlisted and Officer food is the same on my current ship with no ability to custom order unless it's burger day or taco day kind of thing. Sometimes when the galley would run low, they would bring officer food down and vice versa, totally interchangeable. The other ship I was on, the food was literally just dumb-waitered up from the galley to be put on slightly fancier plates in the wardroom, so all that really meant was my food was often cold and I was ordering blind and had no say on the portions.

 

[AllAmerican75]

I've only seen this on the CVNs and not the other two ships I have served on for any significant period of time. Enlisted and Officer food is the same on my current ship with no ability to custom order unless it's burger day or taco day kind of thing. Sometimes when the galley would run low, they would bring officer food down and vice versa, totally interchangeable. The other ship I was on, the food was literally just dumb-waitered up from the galley to be put on slightly fancier plates in the wardroom, so all that really meant was my food was often cold and I was ordering blind and had no say on the portions.

Can confirm, the food is all the same on the Mess Decks and Wardroom. There only place where it is different is the Goat Locker. Our chiefs on the FFG set a pool of money aside and used it to stock up on canned food, condiments, and various other odds and ends. My first MPA would eat down there regularly.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

I've only seen this on the CVNs and not the other two ships I have served on for any significant period of time. Enlisted and Officer food is the same on my current ship with no ability to custom order unless it's burger day or taco day kind of thing. Sometimes when the galley would run low, they would bring officer food down and vice versa, totally interchangeable. The other ship I was on, the food was literally just dumb-waitered up from the galley to be put on slightly fancier plates in the wardroom, so all that really meant was my food was often cold and I was ordering blind and had no say on the portions.

Well, small-boy problems; and I'm not making light of them just never have dealt with them. Most complaining on this thread were complaining about the CVN food.

Also can confirm that the food in the wardrooms was also the same as the mess decks even on the CVN, with some differences. First off, in the wardrooms you put your own portions on your plate vice someone else doing so. This also entailed courtesy obviously when a coveted thing was running low. But when there was steaks for the O's, there also was for the E's. They just couldn't order from the custom order grill when nothing on the menu was very appetizing (it definitely happened, although even with no grill I would have survived obviously. But I can't agree with all the bitching about how we pay more. We also get more in return; the enlisted don't get bags of cookies, fruits to grab, cereal boxes etc and I would happily pay the extra $75 or so per month for the tradeoff).

 

[nittany03]

Can confirm, the food is all the same on the Mess Decks and Wardroom. There only place where it is different is the Goat Locker. Our chiefs on the FFG set a pool of money aside and used it to stock up on canned food, condiments, and various other odds and ends. My first MPA would eat down there regularly.

And yet it’s been observed in this thread that “closed messes” were illegal?

?

 

[AllAmerican75]

And yet it’s been observed in this thread that “closed messes” were illegal?

?

Not necessarily. CONUS PCs still operate on a closed mess system (and I believe CONUS minesweeps do as well). There are multiple logistical issues that leave them with no other option. There are multiple loopholes for closed messes but the Navy is trying to eliminate them. Was the Goat Locker operating as a traditional closed mess? Not exactly. By the law, they were executing a robust snack and gedunk stocking program that was by chiefs and for chiefs only. The Wardroom also bought snacks and condiments with our Wardroom dues (I was the mess treasurer at the time and had to cut my time with my family short so I could deal with that goat rope ). Did the chiefs skirt the letter of the law to the maximum extent possible? Absolutely.

But yes, the double standards between the regular Navy and the Chiefs' Mess are worrying. But that's a conversation for another time.

 

[DanMa1156]

We also get more in return; the enlisted don't get bags of cookies, fruits to grab, cereal boxes etc and I would happily pay the extra $75 or so per month for the tradeoff).

We pay the same amount. They get paid more BAS.

Also. having been a CVN guy (and about to be again), I know it feels like the Navy, if not the world revolves around the CVNs. Turns out, most of the Navy isn't on them and they are just a piece of the equation. This argument is relevant to every ship.

 

[Birdbrain]

Generally, enlisted sailors are suck with whatever is on the line for that meal.

Officers are usually served the same meal, but most boats offer a "to order" menu. So regardless of what the scheduled meal is, as an officer you can usually order any number of items to include: burgers, quesadillas, grilled cheese, or eggs to order if it's breakfast.

Wow. Thank you for opening my eyes to just one more thing I shouldn't complain about, especially around Enlisted.

 

[jmj689]

I thought it had to with BAS entitlements. Junior enlisted on the boat don't rate BAS. Officers and senior enlisted do, hence they pay wardroom dues. I could be wrong on that.

As an O-2 I was the SLJO for collecting wardroom dues from our deployed squadron, and it was a fucking pain in the ass dealing with the tightwads bitching about paying for breakfast, because they were too lazy to get out of the rack.

Hello my friend, I'm guessing SLJO stands for supply line junior officer? I was wondering if you can share some experiences, good and bad of being a chop? I'm a civilian applying for supply board in Feb, really wanted to do aviation, but my age makes it a no go. So supply is my next choice.

I wanted to join the military to get out of the desk job corporate life and I've read that supply is no different. However for me, it's already a more adventurous exp bc I'll either be on a ship or in a different location than my hometown. Plus I've read you'll have to do 6 hours stand watch on the ship.

What you described in your comment makes me worry it's as non-glamourous as it sounds. Not that that's a huge factor, if I wanted something even more exciting, I would have applied for swo.

 

[HAL Pilot]

SLJO

Nope.

Shitty little job officer. Getting stuck doing the bullshit no one else wants to do.

 

[jmj689]

Nope.

Shitty little job officer. Getting stuck doing the bullshit no one else wants to do.

Haha damn, chop burnt. Sigh, well I guess that's going to be my "paying my dues"
And he was based as an O-2....I can't imagine as an ensign

 

[jmj689]

Hello my friend, I'm guessing SLJO stands for supply line junior officer? I was wondering if you can share some experiences, good and bad of being a chop? I'm a civilian applying for supply board in Feb, really wanted to do aviation, but my age makes it a no go. So supply is my next choice.

I wanted to join the military to get out of the desk job corporate life and I've read that supply is no different. However for me, it's already a more adventurous exp bc I'll either be on a ship or in a different location than my hometown. Plus I've read you'll have to do 6 hours stand watch on the ship.

What you described in your comment makes me worry it's as non-glamourous as it sounds. Not that that's a huge factor, if I wanted something even more exciting, I would have applied for swo.

Nevermind literally just found out I'm over the age limit of 29 for supply too, my recruiter thought it was 32 for non prior. Package submitted and everything.
so it's Swo life or no military life.

 

[HAL Pilot]

so it's Swo life

As a SWO, you'll have a great chance to be the SLJO.