Is it That Hard?

More and more the Navy is cracking down on Sailors that make the very poor decision to consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of a car. To their credit though the Navy also does a lot to encourage and provide ways for Sailors to make wiser choices.

One way that TR does that is through our "Deglam Day" program. "Deglam" is short for "deglamorization," essentially the core idea behind the Navy's "Right Spirit" campaign, which is focused on deglamorizing alcohol and encouraging good attitudes about alcohol consumption. The way our program works is if the entire command, all 2,500 of us, go for 30 straight days without a single DUI then the entire command will get a day off. So far we have only had one day off from this in the six months I have been onboard. One.

Which brings us to last night. Yesterday was day 30. We were almost there. Can you see where this is going? Yep, but not just one, TWO DUI's last night! I would never have thought this to be this hard but apparently it is. Right now verdict is out on whether the day will go away or if we got to 30 days and the DUI's happened after midnight...

I don't think I'll hold my breath...

It's a Small World

So my sister is going to be marrying another Naval Officer. He's an Ensign in the Supply Corps currently going through their school in Athens, GA but he recently came up for orders and it looks like he will be coming to my ship. Who'd have thought that we'd not only end up in the same port/area but actually be at the same command? I mean, it's a big ship with a lot of officers, but considering how many billets are out there the odds still aren't all that incredible. So the fact that this is working out is pretty cool. :-)

My Favorite Conversation

"So where are you coming from?"
"ROOSEVELT."
[insert looks of confusion, questioning glances at me, and random blinking]
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Yep, ROOSEVELT."
"So like, there's another one?"
"Ummm...yep."
"Why would the Navy have two ships with the same name?" (only got this response once)

I have had variations on this conversation with just about everyone, including the CO and XO today. Is it bad that I intentionally work to have this sort of discussion now for my own amusement? :-P

Hot or Not? Take 2

Confined space containing two load centers and no ventilation during the yard period? HOT (literally)

That is all...

Three days in Hampton Roads: Random Thoughts

-To all Virginia drivers: What the heck? Stay in your lane please!
-There's a road named "Witchduck." Really? I guess that's one that floats when you throw it in water...wait, what?
-The area around the shipyard drives like Jacksonville: a nice grid pattern where it isn't hard to figure out which way you are going or how you need to get from point A to point B. The rest of Hampton Roads drives like Atlanta: roads going every direction where you can take many different routes to get to the same place, assuming you start heading in the right direction in the first place and don't miss a turn.
-Does anybody in VA use a microwave? Pretty much none of the apartments have one and the selection is limited in a number of stores that carry kitchen appliances (however they have like seven models of toaster ovens...).
-While it may be the hottest summer on record up here, it is not that hot...
-I'm pretty sure that many of these roads have not been repaved since Jefferson trod upon them.
-That said, my car hates these roads and is going to suffer a lot more wear and tear than normal due to them unfortunately.
-It seems that online all the apartment complexes here have a bad case of "the angles" (See chapter 1 of this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBOfD2JBv0w).
-Apparently everyone here believes that a posted speed limit of 55 actually means 55. Strange...
-I've driven over 300 miles since getting here Friday evening. Does it show?
-Shoe with the insole that doesn't stay in place: you have got to go.
-So there are like ships everywhere. EVERYWHERE...
-No cell phones allowed at work = lame. (no cameras allowed)
-If you screw up going through the turnstiles to access the shipyard you can lock out your badge and have to go get a new one. One must wonder if this design flaw was accidental since you have to pay to get a new badge...
-Apparently the last time Northrop Grumman had a day without an accident was April 12. This is going to be interesting. They had seven in one day last week...
-Apparently whites was not the correct uniform to wear for check-in, but I looked nice. :-P
-You can't park in the Navy parking lot without a pass. You can't get a pass without going to the ship. You can't park near the ship unless you park in the Navy lot. Catch-22 at its finest.
-Favorite conversation that I keep having:
"So where are you coming from?"
"ROOSEVELT."
"No I asked where you were coming from."
"Right..."
"???"

That's all for now, but tomorrow I go back to the ship and possibly finalize getting an apartment. New adventures await!

Hot or Not?

Let's play "Hot or Not?" with my trip to Norfolk for Fire Fighting school.

$120 for a rental car? Not Hot
Cheap Chinese food for dinner? Not Hot
Learning my new CHENG might not be okay with me taking househunting leave? Not Hot
The first fire that my hose team fought? Not Hot
The corpsman declaring black flag conditions after we had only fought one fire? Not Hot
The actual temperature at the time that black flag conditions were "met?" Not Hot
Spending ~$500 to fight one fire? Not Hot
Getting to check out the Hampton/Newport News area before moving to it? A little Hot
The Hampton/Newport News area? Not Hot
Catching an earlier flight out? Hot if I can get it

So the tally:
8 Not Hot's
1 A little Hot
1 Conditional Hot
0 Hot's

This is D-port from Norfolk Int'l Airport, out.

UPDATE: So there I was, sitting on the earlier flight as a standby when inclement weather caused them to hold the flight. So while we're sitting there still connected to the gate the flight attendant comes and tells me that I have to grab my bag and get off the plane. Turns out that while the plane was being held the guy who's seat I was in showed up. So I got to sit on the plane long enough for this guy to show up and claim his seat, and then right after I get off the hold is lifted and the plane leaves. Okay, fine, I still have my 7pm flight. Except that the hold on flights affected most of the flights on the east coast and so my 7pm became a 1am flight instead. Completely Not Hot. But I did get to talk to a couple of former naval aviators for several hours and swap sea stories with them, so it at least helped make the wait a little bit bearable.

Silver Bar, Out!

Sorry, that line had to be included one final time and then laid to rest. But such is the case. Left this morning and now I sit in no-man's land: a space between my previous command and the next command, between the previous apartment and the next apartment, between...well, you get the idea. But that's not all bad, because now I am on leave, which means only one thing: Leave Beard!



Okay, maybe not...