>  > Not sure I follow this one?  But from what I read into this it seems that
 >  > senior enlisted rates are doing more and more jobs that were once only
 >  > officer work?
 > 
 >  CS> Yes, but they may have done it in your day too.  The average PO2 today,
 >  CS> is seldom aware of what their '2 or more ranks above' are really doing.
 >  CS>  It's just not a subject that comes up all that often.
 > 
 > True.  I have to admit I had no idea what a CT1 might have to do in re to
 > added military duty?  My guess is not much, he just got more pay for doing
 > the same thing I was doing.  :)

Somewhat and one of the frustrating things truth be told of the senior fellow
is the junior who thinks they do not work as hard.  It;s human nature.  You
see what 'you do' first and not much more than the senior fellow isnt doing
as much of that.

I am sure many a young sailor who stood 2 4 hour watches, thought I was
getting off light as section leader who didnt always stand one.  He didnt
know all the other stuff i did and that by the time of assuming the watch,
I'd already put from 8-24 hours (depending on the port) just getting the
watchbills right.  He would never have noticed I was at the quarterdeck much
of the day with him and also stood a watch or so.  He may have noticed me
helping carry mail back aboard but while he did 6-7 loads, he probably
grumbled that i only did 2-3 (not knowing I was busy getting others down
there to lighten his load).

He would not have known he normally got liberty after duty days in a liberty
port, 2-3 hours before i did.

LOL, I can bitch with the best but am aware that the RHIP=RHIR and my hours
were longer.

 >  > I guess my old mind set is still back in the days where we didn't even ta
 >  > to officers unless we had to - in fact went out of our way to avoid them.
 >  > Working side/side was a concept way beyond me :)
 > 
 >  CS> Smile, it's ok.  I bet you have managed things too were the folks who
 >  CS> who worked for you, didnt know all you were doing.  The layered
 >  CS> structure of the military leads to this.
 > 
 > The only thing I can recall I got stuck with, and that was when I made 3rd,
 > was I became 'hut captain' and was responsible for making sure the thing
 > got swept down once a day etc.   Also had to 'greet' the inspection party
 > on the very rare hut inspections.   Don't even know why I got stuck as
 > about 4-5 others in the hut made CT3 the same day? Maybe it was because I
 > was a 4.0 sailor?  :)

Grin, 'stuck with'?  Someone had to do it.  Tag, you are it!  Many times that
happened to me.  Later as you get really senior it's like 'ohmyghod, I best
take that job as no one knows how and i come close'.

 >  CS> A Junior officer is just that.  Junior.  The Navy has it a bit off as
 >  CS> by O3 they generaly have a decent clue, but are still called 'junior
 >  CS> officers'.
 > 
 >  CS> It is possible the blending I mention was there in your time, but
 >  CS> hidden from you.
 > 
 > Possible, and I'll be the first to admit I wasn't all that concerned with
 > it. :)  I lived by the golden rules: Keep your head down, never volunteer,
 > never be the squeeking wheel and hope they ignore you.  :)
 > 
 > Worked for me.  :)

Hehe i am good at finding sorts like that and adding to their burden to even
things out.  Believe it or not, but the troops love me.  Even the ones I task
to move a bit harder and longer to make the job get done.  Probably this is
because i dont hide behind a veil.  I may not mop the deck but I'm happy as a
clam to grab a sponge and clean the coffee mess or the microwave.

I dont mop the deck because my back is very bad now and i cant handle the mop
and truth to tell, I've earned that little bit of license to ask the guys to
do it for us all.
         xxcarol

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