I hate new uniforms part two

So a few weeks ago I had expressed my displeasure about spending $70 dollars on the new PT uniforms the Navy has brought out a week ago. Well after wearing them for PT sessions the this past week I hate them even more.
First issue. The shorts. Everyone else out there in the world has complained about them. Basically the liner inside causes chaffing on me and it just sticks to me as I sweat. So it is just annoying all over. I will have to cut those out. The other issue I have with the shorts is just how long it take to wash and dry them. because the liners and pockets are made of some sort of sweat-wicking material I have to wash them in delicate cycle and dry them in the low heat fluff situation. Afterwards hang them up to air dry after that. Which wouldn't be that much of a problem if I had the space to do so.

The shirts are the second issue. I thought I had bought the right size for me (extra-large) and instead I am swimming in the shirt. There is enough material that I cold almost use it as a night shirt. So I went back this past Friday to look at the large and it is so small on me that I have limited movement. This is not going to go as the CNO and MCPON planned, IE looking like people coming off the recruiting poster. The other issue that I have with the shirts is that even though they did a pretty good with removing the sweat off of me and keeping moderately dry in the process, but in the process they became thinner and thinner looking. It was even worst with one of the women that was wear testing one of them If she wasn't wearing a t-shirt under it, that would of lead to all sorts of distractions. So this weekend I did laundry with it and has to wash it delicate in cold water with dry it either by hanging or low heat fluffing (just like the shorts). I do so but pulling out the shirts there appeared to be all sorts of water stains on them so once more through the dryer. Through the cycle again and pulled them out, still had the stains. Yet the these "stains" weren't wet to the touch. Instead what it was is that all three of the shirts that I bought are now burned by my detergent. So there is some more money out of my pocket if I want to replace them.

I said it before and will say it again. These things stink and who ever thought them up needs to be fired.

You are the weakest link and you have failed as a leader.

Naval Base Kitsap Command Master Chief Petty Officer gets only 9 months instead of 7 years.

All I have to say is this:

YOU ARE A PISS POOR LEADER AND DESERVED TO SPEND ALL THE TIME IN JAIL AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THEN SPEND TIME WITH THE HEAD SHRINKERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU.

What former MCPO Scott got seems very similar to the khaki mafia influencing a mast or court martial to protect one of their own. This looks bad to any E-6 or less service member. Why? Cause given a chance and this was an blue shirt, the book and then some would have been thrown at him. Go ahead and yell at me for saying this, but those of you that are (were) CPO's or Officer and try to tell me that I am wrong are just not looking back with the rose-colored glasses off their nose.

Honoring those that have come before us and those still at peril

One of my favorite bloggers to read is Neptunus Lex. Interesting points about his life, politics, and going back to school. Anyhow, in his post titled "Remembering" he talks about doing more on Memorial day then hanging around the house and watching either your favorite John Wayne war movie or catching the Indy 500. Rather look at either giving your time or some money to groups that are trying to help the injured get back on their feet, help the active duty have a sense of home, and in general help those out that are in the uniform.

I would make the suggestion to do the same thing. More then that though I would urge you gentle reader to take time and head to your local cemetery or if you live close enough to one head to a National Cemetery with your family. Take a couple of flags and some flowers, go and introduce yourself to some of those men and women who served to make sure "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". That is something my grandfather, my father, and my uncle use to do with me and my younger sister. I saw people that survived the horrors of war to die of old age after earning their life; I saw people who were in the prime of life cut down in places such as the green fields of Lexington, outside the halls of Montezuma, some place called Belleau Wood, Cavitie, Kassarine, Lebanon, or some foreign port; I saw people who on some lazy Sunday morning didn't even have a sporting chance. It puts it all in to perspective with me when I did that. For every John Wayne and Audie Murphy, there were people like Joe Sailor, Joe Airman, Gung Ho Marine, Hey Joe solider. Some of these people did it because they were honorable people. Others joined because it gave them a chance to improve their lives. Some people I have meet joined because a women thought men in uniform looked cute. Finally others did it not because they believed in the politics of the cause or the politics of the person in the White House, rather they did it because their friends joined and to leave their friends in the lurch goes against what they were taught to be a decent and honorable human being.

Anyhow, as I re-write this for the billionth time I just think that you dear readers take the time to visit your local cemetery and put a simple flower at the marker at the grave of some service member. Take your family there and talk to them about it, teach your children to honor those that gave their lives to protect them. Teach them to be respectful to those in the uniform of the military. That is what I ask the most of each and every one of you.

Walter Reed fallout and who should blame

So people have been talking all over the place about the issues with Walter Reed Military Hospital. It has gotten so bad that the Congress is doing investigations, and at a variety of places were there is a major military hospital various main stream media have begun to report at problems of Vets and active duty in trying to get help at the hospitals.
I have paid some attention to the fiasco at Walter Reed and though the General in charge of the Hospital is to blame for the problems that have occurred. The people that I really think should stand up and say that they are at fault is the Staff Sergeants and above. These are the people that form the back bone of the enlisted leadership in the US Army. These are the people who should have been tactfully complaining to the officers in their chain of command about these issues. Heck these are the people that should of known about these problems long before it came to the light of the Washington Post.
To give you civilians who read this post an idea of the power of these people. They are similar to Tony Soprano or a union shop steward. These are the representatives to management about how the workers are doing. They are also the ones that are to put the discipline in the junior folks and offer wise sage like advise to junior officers. Basically, they what is actually holds up most military forces.
So how is it that senior non-commissioned folks let things like this happen? I don't know. I am not talking about the patients, rather I am talking about the staff members. These are the people that should of been reporting, correcting, and in general kicking butt to get things in order. How or why this didn't happen I don't know.
I am a second class petty officer in the United States Navy, pay grade is E-5 and comparable to being Sargent in the rest of the military. I was taught from day one of being an NCO that my job from day one was to take care of junior people around me. If I couldn't do it right then I would find out ways to help my people. I would try and stand up for them and find for them the answers to some of thier problems are the people to start the road of help. I was taught to read the rules, instructions, notices, etc and then go take the people that go "it is not my job" to task for not doing thier job as outlined by those written words.
Yet, that did not happen here. I believe that there was too much "its not my job" going on at Walter Reed and a number of the VA hospitals in the US. That drives me nuts and very angry. I just can't contain my angry about this and I am so angry that I can't even express myself very well. I will sit and read the papers and keep my ear to the grapevine to see what will happen with the further fall out from this.

Problems at Walter Reed Hospitial

So since this previous week when the Washington Post did a series of stories about the out patient care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center problems. This has now caused all sorts of heart-ache and indignation from the politicos across the river at the Capitol, the US Army in the 5-sided wind tunnel is playing CYA, and in general the nation has been let down about the care and treatment of these wounded veteran.
I do feel angry about this situation and do think it is a complete travesty of what should be a good and promised program to help returned injured soldiers either back to their units or back to the world. The idea that the leadership above us enlisted folks cares about us and the medical community is here to help us is one of the biggest things that is pushed by those that are recruiters.
The only thing that makes me more angry is how the authors of this series didn't really do this story (which is behind a subscription service) in any way to care about the injured soldiers. Rather this series seemed to be completely about how the current administration has dropped the ball in some way shape or other. This is the first time in many years that the US military has held to deal with both physical and mental injures resulting from combat. Also I would almost bet the farm to say that conditions at Walter Reed had been and issue for many years before President Bush showed up, probably even before Bush Sr. showed up as well. There is more to this issue then meets the eye. According to current news reports the Army is finding the money and kick starting the people to get the grounds fixed up and repaired properly.
This is a shame, but I think what is even more of a shame is how members of the mainstream media are using this as an issue with the current President and not actually using their abilities to care about the soldiers.