Sailors being sailors

[Pat in Halifax]

I too applaud your post ER. Maybe you should send it off to CBC...or maybe not.
An awful lot of thought provoking prose there for sure.

Pat

 

[The Bread Guy]

I'll add another morale killer is the coming penny pinching ....

C'mon, you military guys get banners and pins, you get name changes, you get fancy stuff on the sleeves - not enough?  :sarcasm:

 

[jollyjacktar]

C'mon, you military guys get banners and pins, you get name changes, you get fancy stuff on the sleeves - not enough?  :sarcasm:

I don't care how pretty you make my war of 1812 or SSI pins look, I still want my sea pay back when my ship comes out as has always been done before.  If it makes it easier, I'll even give back the 1812 pin (still new in the bag) and it can go back to the dollar store :nod:
(sarcasm noted milnews. )

 

[The Bread Guy]

I don't care how pretty you make my war of 1812 or SSI pins look, I still want my sea pay back when my ship comes out as has always been done before.  If it makes it easier, I'll even give back the 1812 pin (still new in the bag) and it can go back to the dollar store :nod:
(sarcasm noted milnews. )

I'm guessing you're far from alone.

 

[Stoker]

Just came back from a east coast and a lakes trip that involved the war of 1812, most ports were packed with sailors and ships. There was a lot of playing hard and kicking up your heels and this was encouraged in each port.  The amount of support and thanks we were given by US citizens were embarrassing. Nobody got hurt and you were encouraged to flag down a cop if you needed a run back to the ship. Yes there were a few charges but they were the exception not the rule.

 

[aesop081]

My last visit to key West ( September last year) serves as an example that "letting loose" is not in any danger. This was a non-news story by a 4th rate organization and some here are reading too much into it. "Work hard, play hard" is alive and well in the RCAF at least.

If the RCN wants to investigate stuff like this as if it was a capital crime, i would not be surprised however.

 

[OldSolduer]

Excuse me here, but we have leadership that preaches risk avoidance and the wholesale banning of anything that may cause the leadership to look bad.

For instance, we were told that our soldier could not wear DEU downtown on Remembrance Day, and had to ask permission to wear DEU to weddings  etc.

What a crock of cramp that is. My first edict as RSM was to ban the wholesale banning of wearing DEUs downtown. I encourage it  and will hold those who misbehave accountable using the Code of Service Discipline.

 

[FSTO]

With regards to the RCN of work hard and don't you dare play. Last APS and moves to Ottawa may have alleviated that issue.

 

[aesop081]

For instance, we were told that our soldier could not wear DEU downtown on Remembrance Day, and had to ask permission to wear DEU to weddings  etc.

With respect Jim, this is not a CF-wide issue. I have never served in a CoC that directed soldiers not to wear DEU downtown on Nov 11th. This sounds like a localized decision and is not CF policy.

For the last decade, i have not served in a "risk averse" CoC that wholesale banned "fun".

Some of you folks here seem to be looking for institutional problems where there are none.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Some of you folks here seem to be looking for institutional problems where there are none.

That may be true of the Zoomie world, but in my world the "fun aversion"  has most definitely been creeping up more and more in my time with the Fleet.  That goes from unit to unit too, with the exception that some flinching has been more pronounced between ships.

It's been a death by a thousand cuts.  Little things, such as sliders going away etc as directed by the Admiral.  Every little bit helps to kill morale.  If you guys in the Air Force are happy, that's fantastic and I'm honestly happy for you guys.  Someone should be happy out there...

And to milnews, you're correct.  I'm far from alone on that one.  Soon there will be at least three to four or more ships companies that will all be pissed about sea pay issues coming out of refit.  I've yet to hear one person support the decision or the reasoning behind it beyond announcing it at hands fall in (and behind closed doors I'm sure they aren't happy either).

 

[fraserdw]

Excuse me here, but we have leadership that preaches risk avoidance and the wholesale banning of anything that may cause the leadership to look bad.

For instance, we were told that our soldier could not wear DEU downtown on Remembrance Day, and had to ask permission to wear DEU to weddings  etc.

Ahhhh yes, the 80s, no uniforms to and from work, no uniforms on appointments and my favorite, while in 2PPCLI, no combat uniforms allowed in the pay office on the Air force side of CFB Winnipeg (unless you are a scruff from the flight line). 

 

[OldSolduer]

Ahhhh yes, the 80s, no uniforms to and from work, no uniforms on appointments and my favorite, while in 2PPCLI, no combat uniforms allowed in the pay office on the Air force side of CFB Winnipeg (unless you are a scruff from the flight line).

I remember those days in 2 VP.

 

[Edward Campbell]

In fairness, back in the '60s and '70s decisions were taken on when/what to wear based on a generally accepted goal of presenting a smart, uniform public image. Thus both combat uniforms and "work dress" were verboten except - in most units - to drive, non-stop!, to and from unit lines.

I recall many, many attempts to make work dress look smart enough to be worn as a 'uniform' ~ dickies, trousers bloused over polished combat boots, web belts, etc ~ none worked.

The "answer" was CF "garrison dress," also gussied up with buttons and bows ~ that's been discussed at length here on Army.ca.

The current policy is to make CADPAT combat uniforms/battledress into "garrison" and even "office" dress. I'm guessing many RSMs are not amused.

 

[Popurhedoff]

I remember some of the best times I had in the military was when I was assigned to the ships... dam those sailors knew how to throw some good parties and some pretty good antics. Harmless as it was, I am sure it would not be approved of today.

And not once did I get pregnant!!!

Cheers
Pop

 

[jollyjacktar]

And not once did I get pregnant!!!

You weren't trying hard enough. 

 

[Journeyman]

And not once did I get pregnant!!!

Well, Churchill did supposedly say that "Naval tradition was nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash." 

 

[fraserdw]

In fairness, back in the '60s and '70s decisions were taken on when/what to wear based on a generally accepted goal of presenting a smart, uniform public image. Thus both combat uniforms and "work dress" were verboten except - in most units - to drive, non-stop!, to and from unit lines.

Having worked in Ottawa in 93/94, there were alot of interesting DEU fashion statements walking around Sparks Street at lunchtime that would have benefited from wearing combats.

 

[OldSolduer]

We had those silly rules in place in the 80s but we routinely ignored them. The St James Hotel in Winnipeg can attest to that.

 

[fraserdw]

Ohhhh my God, I had almost forgotten about that place!

 

[OldSolduer]

Ohhhh my God, I had almost forgotten about that place!

It was the MCpls' from Cbt Sp 2 VP who routinely inhabited the place.