What was the dumbest thing a CPO/SNCO ever did to you, or your shop?

PO2 Rocky Kleeger — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:10:45 -0400

One deployment, our division CPO had us do a complete paint out on a jet, while on the boat. We did such a good job that the Maintenance Officer came down to our shop to thank us. He even came at shift change so that he could get us all together.

This division chief was so excited, he gave every single person in our shop EMI. He called it "extra training" but he made us do it after hours - which is the very definition of EMI.

We got EMI for getting a Bravo Zulo (Atta Boy in Layman's terms) from the MO

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made May 24 at 2014 1:30 AM

CMDCM Gene Treants — Sat, 24 May 2014 01:30:29 -0400

Petty Officer Kleeger, first off, I believe you must have been on a carrier. In my humble opinion, Aircraft Carriers are SHIPS, not boats, but that is a pet peeve of mine. Isn't painting out an airplane usually done at a maintenance level facility? If so, then BZ on a job well done. Do not understand why the Chief had your team do EMI, but agree that is the definition of EMI. (However at sea, I have to point out that we are expected to put in more hours than ashore.)

As for your question, the dumbest thing I ever had to do was put the stow pin in the SPS-40 Radar after we got underway and were heading into a storm. As the ship was rolling about 30 degrees port and starboard, I was "volunteered" to climb the mast and finish stowing the Air Search Radar Antenna to keep it safe as we entered the Tropical Storm, which became my first Hurricane at sea. Even though the ship was doing some serious rolling and rocking, that mast and I were almost one entity. And YES I was scared both up and down.