>  CS> CPO's are enlisted so get the same money E1-6 get.  This is turned over
 >  CS> to the mess and then, in a closed mess, they buy food with it and cook
 >  CS> it.  In an open mess, it all goes to the same buy as the E1-6 mess and
 >  CS> we just pull out our share of the foods.  We also have an ancillary bit
 >  CS> that we voluntarily kick in from 10-15$ a month for (varies by ship)
 >  CS> which is used to get 'extra stuff' we want.
 > 
 > I guess there's some advantage to never being more than a 2nd class, and
 > having a job that was so tightly focused you didn't even know about how the
 > messhall was funded.  :)

It's kina irrelevant to all but mess members .

 > I find it interesting that as a CPO you were so deeply involved in this
 > stuff?  I thought that was what officers were for?

Officers?  In the CPO mess?  NOT!  The line at E7 and even more at E8 blends
between Officers and enlisted though.

 > Obviously, even in my day, someone had to budget this stuff but I never
 > gave it a thought and if I did I would have guessed that someone came up
 > with a overall budget of xxx dollars per white hat per day thing.   It
 > would then be up to the base commisary officer to decide do we buy steaks
 > or cold cuts with it - and just prior to my arriving at Skaggs that dude
 > was arrested for pocketing the difference.  :)
 > 
 > The only extra I ever had was on the eve watch we always made a run to CPO
 > club and ordered hamburgers for the watch.  I think they were 35c back
 > then?

And we were happy to help watchstanders I am sure.

On the Fort McHenry and the ESSEX, the standard was anyone just checking in fi
rst got a hot meal unless they said 'no thanks, just ate'.  Didnt matter what
hour.  CPO mess kept ready food on standby, like something you could fast
warm up if it was 3am.  Later, after getting some food, we'd find out where
they belonged and get'em in a rack or stateroom.

         xxcarol

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