Don't Kill Anyone...

Ok, so there are a few things I've made pretty clear that I cannot stand. Especially not when it comes to military members, and definitely not regarding Navy!! So this next whole rant stems from my graduation from A School, and the return to base following the weekend. Kids, here's what NOT to do....

LOOK LIKE A SHITBAG: This one came from my graduation, which my family will agree, some people in the ceremony just looked like a sack of crap that had been left in the rain. Uniforms all wrinkled, shoes not shined, ropes all out of place and looking awful. So here's the deal folks: YOU'RE MILITARY, ACT LIKE IT! The way you dress, the first impression you make on people, says a HELL of a lot about who you are as a person and as a coworker. If you look like ass, most people will probably believe you aren't worth your weight in burlap, and probably won't work well as an employee. Take pride in the way you look, it makes a difference. I understand some of us have been stuck on this base for a long time, and quite a few of us have had enough of the rules, regulations and general b.s. that we deal with on a daily basis, but this is not an excuse. You still have impressions to make every day you're here. You have no idea who's watching you, deciding if you're really someone they want to associate with or not. Above all, when you graduate and you're celebrating finishing A school, look sharp!! Iron your uniform, shine your shoes, make sure your ribbons are correct and clean, your cover is white, and your neck-kerchief is tied properly and looks good. Remember, you not only represent the United States Navy, you also represent yourself and your family. And trust me, other people's family members and your fellow sailors will see you, and wonder what the f@#% is wrong with you. Again, I get it, we've all been here too bloody long, but still, take some pride in your appearance. Be proud to be a Sailor, and a graduate of your respective school. This goes for ALL personnel!! The senior chief at my graduation looked worse than some of the graduates. It was as if he had actually picked his uniform off the bedroom floor and put it on, then drove to base. Really? Is this the image you want to put out there? Thanks, but I'll keep my boots and dress shoes shined, and my uniforms pressed. Call me what you will, but it's who I am, and dammit, I'm proud to be a sailor.

WHEN IN PUBLIC, WATCH YOUR MOUTH!!!! This one really had me pissed off, and if you know my mother or my brother, you can ask them exactly how peeved I was. So after my amazing graduation weekend with family, I had to get my butt back to base. Train to Chicago: quiet and on time. Train from Chicago to base: I wanted blood. I tried to stay away from them, I really did, but I swear some people just attract irritating idiots (like I do.) As I'm sitting on the train, this group of sailors sits across from me on the upper deck. I tried to ignore them, but no dice. The one girl had a voice that equates to nails on a chalkboard, and she was LOUD. Now, keep in mind, I'm also loud and I know it, but I understand what the words "propriety," "security risk," and "force protection" mean. This girl was pissing me off to no end. First the group went off about how they have to keep their uniforms neat, and pressed, and their boots shined. For the rant on this, see previous paragraph.... What really pissed me off though, was how this girl decided it was okay to tell her "boyfriend" about where a particular ship was (and yes, she said EXACTLY which ship, and EXACTLY which port), the fact that half this ship's crew was on leave, and how parts of her armaments were disabled due to repairs. Well, princess, I'm glad you know EVERYONE on this train, and have background checks on all of them, and are therefore comfortable letting THE ENTIRE CAR KNOW ALL OF THIS!!!! We have a phrase in the navy, "Loose lips sink ships," and a more modern version "Loose Tweets sink Fleets." These are NOT idle phrases!!!! If you are in the military, and I don't care which branch, WATCH YOUR MOUTH! You never know who's around to hear your conversation, and what information those same people can pull from that conversation. Especially in this day and age. We must always stay vigilant, and be extremely careful what you say in public. Your best bet? Leave the conversations to restricted areas, with restricted personnel. NEVER talk about ship's movement, or ship's company details. Keep fellow sailors safe!!! If you don't want to be here, then leave. But don't potentially threaten the lives of hundreds if not thousands of fellow sailors and their families. Take a higher route, not a treacherous one.