A letter from a Navy Wife to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.

[BaadVR4]

I served 21 1/2 years in the Navy from May 1964 to Nov 1985. Clearly my service was LONG ago. But the more things change, the more they remain the same. Some well intentioned bureaucrat some where (who probably makes more in a month than the dead sailor did in a year) decides we need to save money or improve force "readiness" and creates a "program" to achieve the lofty goal he has in mind. It is then VERY SELECTIVELY applied, and most often to the detriment of a large group of otherwise well qualified, dedicated servicemen and women. It takes several years to find/fix the "glitches" in the program, but in the meantime many hundreds (if not thousands) of lives and families are irreparably damaged, if not utterly destroyed. "Up or Out" blatantly discriminated against minorities as it was initially implemented. And the "fat boy" programs of the 1970's and 80's cost many thousands of sailors their careers because the could not meet height/weight standards that didn't exist when they were making career choices to remain in the service.

The problem is NOT fair and impartial enforcement of rules and policy. The problem is the rules and policies are changed AFTER the fact.

And, no, Vantage, military retirement is NOT welfare. If you added up just the HOURS I spent deployed in Submarines and Aircraft Carriers, my 21 1/2 years of service more accurately reflect a 40-45 year career. I EARNED every damned penny of every paycheck I have EVER received, both while Active Duty and during my retirement. And EVERY Sailor, Soldier, Airman or Marine who takes his or her own life as a result of the ignorance and lack of caring of the self serving bean counters might as well have been executed by them.

And, no, Vantage, I lack neither intelligence (member of the triple one club) nor employable skills (I have been General Manager of two companies during my retirement). I enlisted in the Navy. I advanced in rate through E-9. I won selection to Warrant Officer and held rank from W-1 through W-4. I won selection to Limited Duty Officer and held rank from O-1 through O-3. My entire Naval career was spent as a Nuclear Propulsion Systems specialist. I never lacked for promotion. I never faced losing my career. But I watched many who did, through no fault of their own.

All that Navy wife is asking is the MCPON uphold the oath he took. The oath to protect those men and women entrusted to his care when they are unable to protect themselves. Whether in battle with an armed enemy or in battle with the demons of war or in battle with the self imposed demons of hopelessness, our servicemen and women DESERVE to be protected with every last ounce of our power. And that applies to every link in the Chain of Command from the bottom all the way to the Commander-In-Chief. And ANY one who doubts that is welcome, in my opinion, to stand between those service members and the enemy with real bullets in real guns. If you are willing to do that, I accede you the right to complain about our whining. If you are not, then kindly refrain from denigrating those who ARE willing to do so.