"Self Improvement"

The U. S. Navy Way

PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 4, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate Handling Airman Andres Garcia studies for a qualification exam in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are underway for a scheduled western Pacific Ocean deployment in support of the Maritime Strategy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Robert Winn/Released)

Almost everyone knows that The Flower Child, the originator of this Blog "The World This Week" served in our U. S. Navy for many years.

This image brought back fond memories of when I was onboard the USS Ranger (CVA-61) and my tour as a Mess Cook for three months. I am confident that the system of having non-rated Sailors perform Mess Cooking Duties as well as Compartment Cleaner Duties continues to this day. I know that in my own case, no one had to tell me to study for advancement. Just as the Sailor above is studying during a break in his duties, you can be sure that one three month tour of Mess Cooking was enough for me. I wanted to make Petty Officer Third Class so that I could be a junior supervisor of non-rated Sailors.

My duties as a mess cook consisted of wiping down tables for seven hours and then for one hour we struck down the tables and cleaned the deck in preparation for the next meal. Of course we set up the tables for the next shift of Mess Cooks. On a Carrier the routine called for meal service to be conducted twenty-one hours a day when at sea to allow all watch standers ample opportunity to enjoy three great meals each day, no matter what their work schedule.

I am glad that I was not a compartment cleaner. In addition to keeping the berthing (sleeping and recreation areaa), the showers and the heads clean the compartment cleaners were responsible for gathering up the dirty uniforms and taking them to the laundry. Once the laundry was clean they returned the large bags to the berthing spaces and sorted it out and placed each Sailors gear on the proper bunk.

A Compartment Cleaners task were never done. But it must be stated that they were very responsible for the good morale and a positive attitude of their Shipmates. Each Division had their own Compartment Cleaners. They were always on duty unless they were sleeping or eating.

After a non-rated Sailor worked a few weeks at a Mess Cook or a Compartment Cleaner, no one had to tell him, or as is the case now, a her, to study to advance in rate. Every Sailor I knew was self motivated. No one wanted two tours of Mess Cooking or Compartment Cleaning.

Now, for those who could not comply with common rules and regulations of ship board duty there was the "Side Cleaners Division" which seldom had free time when the ship was inport while overseas. They were a special group who primed and painted the exterior of the ship when we were inport to keep the Ship looking good for the benefit of impressing Foreign Visitors.

If a Sailor was really a non-conforming member of the crew he found that duty in the Scullery was often the cure all for not abiding by the rules. This was the area that held the dish washing machine. The prisoners in the brig had to pay respect to the Scullery Captain when they turned in their dirty mess trays by calling him "Sir!!"

One tour of duty as a Scullery Captain often changed the attitude of many Sailors while I served in the USS Ranger as a non-rated Seaman Apprentice, a Seaman and as a Yeoman Third Class.

Motivation the Navy way certainly helped many Sailors find their position in life. I am grateful and thankful that I had the opportunity.