CCTI and those hesitating

[SKC Danny Davirro]

I am currently uninitiated. I have been an E-7 since June 05. Due to my current billet's location, initiation would be next to impossible; I checked. Becoming a Chief Petty Officer in the Coast Guard is all I ever wanted to be. Tradition is very important to me. I am due to transfer next year, and when I do; I look forward to the whole thing. "Bring it on," as others have said. This is what I have worked my whole career to do.

Tradition is probably more important than anything else. I was taught many different traditions years ago from an individual who did many things because of tradition. I didn't always agree with him then, but I sure do now. Not all traditions are popular, but without them; everything gets watered down.

Thanks to the Dark Star.

[OSC Rich Kolar]

Let me be a first to congratulate you on seeking out initiation. When I first advanced I felt uncomfortable with the anchors, like they didn't "fit". During the course of CCTI I became more intimidated by them. After the initiation and evening ceremonies I was proud to have them on my collar. Seeing all those HQ Chiefs welcoming me into the fold I felt it my duty to uphold the traditions and carry them on. Enjoy the time learning about the Chief and what they stand for. I know you have been wearing the anchors for awhile but believe me when I say things change during and after CCTI. Enjoy.

[BMC Wayne Williams]

I made E-7 this April. I am currently stationed in Yorktown VA. They did not have a spring CCTI so I decided to go through in E-City. Yes, E-City with the Airdales. We had our initiation and dinner yesterday. I could not have picked going through initiation with a better bunch of now Chiefs, if I would have hand picked them myself. It was an AWESOME experience and I would do it again and again. Don't get me wrong it was very stressful!!!

All the Chiefs thought me a lesson throughout the intiation but that evening they welcomed me with open arms!! So, the dinner really opened my eyes and I was no longer just an E-7. I now understand the meaning of what a real Chief stands for and what other Chiefs “no-matter” what rate expect from you!

I hope I am welcomed to your mess!
Chief Williams

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Wayne, you'll always be welcome into any Mess I'm a part of, Welcome aboard.

[BMC Wayne Williams]

Senior Chief,
Thank you!! You know all "us" 180 saliors have to stick together. haha. It is my honor to be a part of such great Chiefs and to have a forum of expression. Thanks again.

Wayne

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Danny D!

It is good to see you posting. I'm just about wrapping up my CCTI here in St. Petersburg. It has been challenging, fun, eye-opening and interesting to say the least.. my big day is the 2nd, this Friday.

I'm glad that traditions have become a part of your heart!

v/r PCPO aka

[SKC Danny Davirro]

Hey Eric,

Let me know how it went. Good to hear from you.

Danny

[MSTCS Dave McClintock]

Wayne;

Congrats and welcome to the Mess. I dont mean to call anyone out (yes I really do!) but I hope PCPO Schmidtke reads your post and heeds your words. Someone in E-City needs to mentor him since he's dragging his feet and I dont have face time with him anymore to convince him that the Chiefs are a friendly bunch. Glad to hear E-City puts on a great CCTI. I will keep trying to convince him of the importance of going through, but I could use some help!

[S/A Gerald Griner (PSC)]

Howzit going, Dave? Fancy meeting you here! I'll keep bugging Mike for ya!

We have a PCPO IVC up in Minneapolis who tried to get initiated this past spring, but the local Mess didn't have enough candidates.

His alternative was to get initiated at a local Navy unit that was holding a CCTI, but he didn't want to do that.

I haven't heard whether or not there will be a fall CCTI in Minneapolis yet.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Danny,

It went really well! My coin is in my pocket, my hatbox on my desk, my creed on the wall. The Suncoast Chief's Mess did a great job putting us through the traditions and steps.

May I just say that we as a collective Mess really need encourage the junior petty officers as to the importance of our traditions. The mentoring needs to start early, not when someone has seen the advancement message to E-7 and then someone says, "hey are you gonna go through the CCTI?" That is horrible.

Anyhow.. I have much more to say, but my batteries are dying on my wireless keyboard.. so I'll reserve those words for later

v/r

[AMTC Kevin Langlois]

Danny,



May I just say that we as a collective Mess really need encourage the junior petty officers as to the importance of our traditions. The mentoring needs to start early, not when someone has seen the advancement message to E-7 and then someone says, "hey are you gonna go through the CCTI?" That is horrible.



v/r

This is the first post for me, so I think the right thing to start with is my own introduction...

My name is Kevin, I’ve been an E-7 for a couple of years, and although I've been lurking in the shadows of this message board for over a year, I have (up until now) not read any topic that stirred me enough to register and jump into the debate. I have not initiated, although I attempted to participate in CCTI 2+ years ago in Miami, with NEG-RES occurring during the "Look Away" process. That story isn't important to this topic, so I'll save it for some other day. SKC, I can appreciate your comment (quoted above), in the time that I have been a PCPO, that question is about the only thing I have heard regarding CCTI. I can only say that from "out here" (by "out here" I mean the uninitiated E-7 world), that question is hardly enough to make me want to participate in CCTI. Now, before the judgement of my poor attitude commences let me get this out on the table: I want to initiate, and will. I'm neither as pessimistic nor as leery of the process as one other PCPO was last year (although I did watch the MSTC's posts with great interest) :D . I really wish that there were more effort on your (the Honorable Chief Petty Officers) part to persuade my peers to become involved. What I have heard from my CPO mess are subtleties like "Oh, you're going to have your day in court" and "Just wait, you don't know what you're in for!". Now, I am a self admitted wise-a$$, and I provoke those kind of statements, mostly because I want to enjoy my day under your tutelage, and I don't adhere to the mindset that I can minimize the difficulty of my lessons at CCTI by being a church mouse, so I'm not going to say that those kind of statements are commonplace towards all PCPO's, but I do hope that there might be something more that can be said to a PCPO than that. I know several E-7's that have not, and will not initiate, largely because there is no hint of anything positive about the process, and it's hard to convince yourself that the potential humiliation, expense, and six weeks of effort will be worth it. Let me again remind you, that I am already sold on the process, because as I proofread myself I see that I may be sounding a little negative about CCTI, when what I want to get across is the idea that CCTI might be more widely accepted by PCPO's if the verbal harassment (and I use that word very lightly, mostly because I lack knowledge of a more appropriate word) were saved for the actual day and closed door portions of the preceding weeks before the big day. Unfortunately, too many E-7's that I have spoken with get a taste of "the treatment" while they are still on the fence, long before the official start of the CCTI process, and I'm afraid that's just poor advertising. I'm sure you've all seen at least one E-7, when asked if they plan to go through CCTI respond with sagging shoulders and a dejected "I suppose so...". Unfortunately, that customer's attitude can only be attributed to the efforts of the providers of the CCTI product...

About twenty years ago I worked for a Chief Boatswain Mate named Chief Hutchinson, he was (in retrospect) quite possibly one of the greatest Chiefs in my career. From him I learned that it is always better to present a solution to a problem than to complain about it, so I offer this to any Honorable Chief who might believe that we PCPO's may have a valid idea from time to time (I understand how improbable that is...) Once in a while, it might be more effective to tell a PCPO that you want him/her to attend CCTI, that is important to you as well as the PCPO, and maybe, just maybe, you could shake their hand, genuinely, and affirm that you're glad that your PCPO is going to be a part of the mess soon...

Respectfully,

Kevin

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Kevin,

Good post and I understand your sentiments. When any Chief has hesitations about the CCTI I usually ask them to read the Chief's Creed

Chief Petty Officer's Creed (http://www.uscg.mil/comdt/mcpocg/CPOCall/)

The third line says it all "There was no desire to insult you, or to demean you. Pointless as it may have seemed to you, there was a valid, time-honored reason behind every single deed, behind every pointed barb."

Further along it goes on to say "You were subjected to humiliations to prove to you that humility is a good, great, and necessary emotion, which cannot harm you, which in fact strengthens you. In the future, you will be caused to suffer indignities, to experience humiliations far beyond those imposed upon you today. Bear them with the dignity, and with the same good grace with which you bore these today."

I try and tell PCPO's that the CCTI is not a chance to have the FNG get you a cup of coffee, it's a chance to learn the Chief'ss network, the importance of the CPO in this organization, and mentor the PCPO's to carry on the fine tradition of the Chief Petty Officer.

Some of the older generation would snarl and say, "It ain't what it used to be!" And you know what, it's not! But when you sit at the Initiation dinner and watch the PCPO's get pinned as Chiefs you realize that the end result is exactly the same that night as it was twenty years ago. Your laundry bill the next week is a hell of alot less also.

In your post you said "largely because there is no hint of anything positive about the process, and it's hard to convince yourself that the potential humiliation, expense, and six weeks of effort will be worth it."

Best money I ever spent, best six weeks of my life, and one of my proudest moments was standing up there with my fellow PCPO's and our families.

I wish you all the luck and hope that you get the chance to go through.

Dave

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Kevin...that was quite the first post. I have a couple of questions for you.

1. You mentioned that you planned on being initiated, when do you plan on going through the CCTI?

2. Do you think that the CCTI should be mandatory prior to pinning on the Anchors?

Now that you've registered, you may as well keep posting.

[AMTC Kevin Langlois]

Good day, Senior Chiefs!

Okay, okay, I guess I'll define myself a little more...

For as long as I can remember the Chief's Creed has been hanging on a wall or perched on the mantle in my home, because my father wore khaki clothes in the Navy. I've read it many times, and I believe the premise and try to support the philosophies contained therein...

My post was designed to provoke exactly the type of sentiment offered by you Senior Chief Considine..."Best money I ever spent, best six weeks of my life, and one of my proudest moments was standing up there with my fellow PCPO's and our families." That language is what will raise the interest of PCPO's, probably as far back to the E-5 grade if they hear it often enough!

How often do you feel that the prospective CPO ever reads the "Creed" before they are charged with finding a copy and placing it in their book? By that time it may be too late to impress those very solid foundational ideas in their minds. I don't know, I'm pretty much free writing here, so these thoughts may be somewhat disconnected...as I think about it, I can't recall ever seeing the Chief's Creed posted out in a place where the troops are free to read it, usually it's hanging in the MCPO's office, where most sailor's don't wish to spend too much of their free time :p ! I hope I've responded adequately to your post SCPO C...

Senior Chief Smith, I was slated to participate in this Fall CCTI, but TQC offered me the chance to get to the Academy this year instead of the next, and that would make me eligible for the May SWE, so I defaulted on the CCTI this time of my own accord, but come next spring I expect the mess here will have the opportunity to give me what I like to call "My Day" (mostly because I actually see the burden of responsibility in the CCTI process being placed on the mess, not on me or my hat Box or my Charge Book, you guys have a lot of work to do if your going to mold me into a Chief, just ask my Dad!)...it's probably for the best that I do wait, as I just transferred into my unit and haven't really been able to get acquainted with many of the Honorable Chiefs here...

As for the prior to pinning issue, I do believe that you should initiate first, in fact I tried to initiate as an E-6 above the cut, I alluded to that in my first post, but it turned out poorly for me and for the mess...if you're interested I'll e-mail you the story, but I won't post it publicly...I think that would show poor judgement. Now as for why I believe that a PCPO should initiate prior to pinning, I can't support my belief with facts (after all, I haven't initiated), but I'll offer up what "feel".


As a first class petty officer, nothing seemed more ridiculous to me than watching a cadre of Chiefs (remember, once they make E-7 a PCPO is still a Chief to me) walk through the shops with coffee and doughnuts for the "Honorables". That demeans their new grade and authority in front of the troops, but if they were wearing E-6 devices and trops then they are still subordinate to the "Honorable CPO" and are experiencing a team building process.

The PCPO will still be getting paid for his E-7 grade...so it's not going to hurt his/her pocket...

The initiate has proven to the Commandant that he has the knowledge to perform the duties of a Chief, that is a given through written exams...my son has proven to the state of Alabama that he has the knowledge of road signs and speed limits. Now he has a learners permit, but the state requires that I or my wife are in the car with him when he drives, ensuring that we impart our experience of the roads, and inclement weather, and idiots with cell phones upon him. The PCPO has demonstrated, like my son, that he can perform his duties in a stable controlled environment, but the initiation should be comparable to having the more experienced Chief sitting in the seat beside you, showing you the hazards of unskilled, or undedicated subordinates, tyrannical junior officers, and the many other hazards of supervisorship (is that a word?). I try to impress upon my son that he can count on me to be there, to tell him to apply the brake a little more solidly, to swerve slightly to miss the pothole in the road, and to offer the pedestrian a safe opportunity to pass without the fear of being run over. My son doesn't need the real drivers license until he has been subjected to as many of the difficulties and dangers of driving as I can safely simulate for him (kind of like a practical examination or an initiation, I think). The initiation should be (hopefully) your opportunity to impress upon the PCPO that he can count on you to share your knowledge when he/she is in over their own head, and to trust that you will see him through the busiest intersections. The PCPO doesn't need the anchor for that. Let him/her wait until they've passed the practical exam...

That is all.

Respectfully,

Kevin

[BMCS Dave Considine]

as I think about it, I can't recall ever seeing the Chief's Creed posted out in a place where the troops are free to read it, usually it's hanging in the MCPO's office, where most sailor's don't wish to spend too much of their free time :p !

Kevin, again, great post. I pasted the link for the CPO Creed from the MCPOCG site, which I hope all Coast Guard personnel have spent at least an hour looking through, MCPOCG Bowen has updated the site, everyone should check it out.

Maybe we should have the EPQ's for E7 changed to add "Read and explain the CPO Creed" or "Meet with initiated Chief's and discuss the CCTI process" Or have the EPME cover the Creed and CCTI process.

This would make the E6's learn about the CCTI process, and what is expected of them as they transitition to Chief Petty Officer.

What do people think. Sounds like a good change to me!!

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Dave...those are great ideas under the current system. But, there's a better way. I've said this many times and you may not of heard it yet...CCTI should be mandatory. No one will ever convince me otherwise. If it were madatory, everyone would expect and hopefully look forward to it. They would be forced to think about it prior to making E-7 because they would know that they would have to go through it to accept those anchors.

Think about it...how proud would it feel to go through the CCTI and get the anchors at the pinning and that be the FIRST time you have ever worn them? How complete would you feel when you went to work on Monday and everyone called you Chief for the first time?

[ASTC Ronny German]

Think about it...how proud would it feel to go through the CCTI and get the anchors at the pinning and that be the FIRST time you have ever worn them? How complete would you feel when you went to work on Monday and everyone called you Chief for the first time?

It happened during my CCTI. One guy (E-6 above the cutfor E-7) was allowed to go through the CCTI. Our CCTI was on a Friday, and on Monday (the first of the month), the guy was officially advanced on his first day back to work. I thought it was awesome.

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Ronny...that's the way everyone should be left feeling. That's the way it should be. That's the way it makes sense.

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

I got to take part in the First Coast Consolidated Chief's Mess this past Friday (01SEP), and it was very well done. It also made me think about my own history...

The more time that passes, the more pissed I am at myself for NOT going through CCTI right off the bat. I did have the satisfaction of knowing that two of the guys in our E-7 crew were directed to my essay, and it helped them make up their minds. It may not have been apparent to me prior to the initiation, but, believe it or not, we are ALL supposed to be here for the "new guys and gals".

I offer my thanks to those that helped talk me into and through the process once again. Kevin, I hope you can find a way to get going through the process - it is well worth it.

[AMTC Kevin Langlois]

MSTC,

Don't worry about me, I'll find my way into an initiation somewhere...

On a related note...won't you be here in Alabama with me soon? It would be worth the drive from Mobile to shake hands and request words of wisdom from one of the most obstinate PCPO's (before your reformation to Honorable Chief) to ever post on this thread...almost like a trophy in my charge book if I could pull it off :D !

V/R

Kevin

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

I won't be in Montgomery until next year...

And I don't know if I like the word "obstinant"... it sounds so... plain.

Perhaps "conceited" or "so-full-of-myself-I-couldn't-see-what-was-going-on-around-me"

I'm a smart guy. I pride myself on being able to put two and two together early - even when I only have two and what LOOKS like it will end up being two... I really did think I had all the answers. I have lots of them.

It took CCTI to show me that I don't have all of them. It also took CCTI to show me that if I DIDN'T have one, that I didn't have to invent the wheel to go and GET an answer!!

CCTI provides a whole slew of things for the candidate - and even the assembled Chiefs. Working together, trusting your teammates, planning, redistribution of resources... if you need the little boost in training - CCTI will help both YOU get it, and US to see where you need the help. If you don't need it, then we will both see that as well - and you can help out your shipmate.

One of the things that the process provides is a little humility. If you don't need it, then it's wasted on you. That's okay - I'll take your serving!! Some of us need the extra! :D

And I'd be proud to be included in your Words of Wisdom. ;)

[AMTC Kevin Langlois]

Thanks MSTC...that's exactly the type of talk I think my peers (and all the other folks who read this thread) need to read about CCTI...good, solid promotion and advertising. I think now you're what Stan would call a "True Believer"! And don't worry too much about my use of the word obstinate...that's really more of a word I'd use to describe myself. I read your essay last night for the first time...if you were truly obstinate then you wouldn't have been able to draft an essay like that..."Good form, Peter Pan!"

V/R

Kevin

[AMTC J BRANDT]

Honorable Chiefs, Senior Chiefs and Master Chiefs,

First allow me to introduce myself- I am PCPO Jeff Brandt, Frocked in April and Advanced in June, I have 18yrs 10mths & 9days Active duty in the CG (long waited advancements being a prior AD). I have been reviewing different threads on the site for about a month now after stumbling on to it through and google search trying to find information on what to expect for CCTI and to try to get a head start so I do not fall on my face, what I have found is a Truly outstanding venue! This is a great tool that can be used to get a wider perspective and bring more of us together as a Corps- The Chiefs Corps.

Second- CCTI, as you gathered from above I am going through CCTI, I am not "just going through" it, I am looking forward to it and have anticipated it for many years and now I am like a kid awaiting the first crack of dawn on Christmas morning.
I remember driving through the front gate at Cape May NJ in '88 one fine Coast Guard morning and seeing what?!!! A grown man in a PINK "TuTu" with a box of doughnuts greeting some vehicles-not all but some, why would a grown man do that?- oh maybe I'll get one too, nope it wasn't for me. So I inquired with the guys I worked with as to what that was all about- You know the "Experienced non-rates and 3rds who had been in a long time"- nope they didn't know. Hey I'll "Ask the Chief" he'll know, Yep he knew but "I wouldn't understand- It's a CHIEF THANG", anyway as time went on and I learned a little more here and there and have watched from the outside the secretive happenings and what-not, I have wanted this day to come more and more- (No not to wear womens clothes!) because I believe in History and Tradition, I also believe "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger", I have EARNED my rank and look forward to EARNING my title and place within the Mess.
I do not NEED to go through initiation I WANT to- nor do I think someone should HAVE to go through initiation (as mentioned on other threads) if they do not wish to, I think that would lessen what I anticipate to be the Greatest day of my career, "MY DAY" :D

AMTC Jeff Brandt

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

Good for you Jeff. Welcome to the board.

Jim

[YNC Mark James]

I grew up in the Coast Guard working for Chiefs who let it be known it was expected that if your competed for Chief, your should be preparing in 'all' ways to become a Chief. To be advanced and not wish to be initiated, strikes me as downright wierd. The Creed is on my wall and I was a crying babbling, fool the day I completed the intiation. I have never felt so proud nor, so accepted.

I was a Marine. I know the pride that comes from belonging to something better and greater than the sum of its parts. My mess, our mess, is a beautiful, if imperfect, thing. Now I am a sponsor and a salesman for the initiation. I feel sorry for any who do not know the sense of accomplishment and pride in belonging to a mess that is active, responsible, and productive.

I know I am preaching to the choir. This is just a step in becoming someone that the young coasties will point to in their memories and emmulate when they become the Chief. Make sure you are someone you would want your son or daughter to emulate. As a mess we must make sure our initiation is one our new brothers and sisters want to emulate for those who will follow them.

[ETC (FT type) Ed Shank]

A few issues/items for discussion regarding some of the comments on this discussion. First is going through CCTI prior to pinning on the Anchors. In theory this would be great. I imagine that would be a great feeling. However needs of the service prevail and make it a virtual impossibility. I made E-7 1Nov04. I was in C school in Petaluma. I graduated C school, went on leave and reported in to Attu Island for an isolated tour. The message revising cuts and authorizing promotions does not come out in nearly enough time (under the current process) to allow for initiation prior to advancement. Another issue is the number of advancements throughout the year. Since advancements are dependent on vacancies, we can't hold promotions or early promote to provide enough people to go through initiation at the same time. Now my seond item of discussion, lends merit to my first point. I am currently going through the CCTI process. Our group of humble E7's have visited three commands with over 100 Honorable Chief's, Very Honorable Senior Chiefs, and Most Honorable Master Chief's. That is over 300 sources for words of wisdom, signatures, etc. I have 70. That includes other commands. The average turn out has been less then 30. We have enough left over doughnuts to feed a starving country. With the support of the hallowed fraternity of the Chief's Mess at such a low, and the commitment to making "my day" so meaningful non-existent I can understand why people don't want to do it. If support can't be gotten for two CCTI's a year, how could we gather the support for multiple initiations to meet the promotion needs of the service if an initiation is mandatory prior to pinning on?

For those who come out to see PCPO's and make time for us, thank you. Being an E7, having been an XPO and currently a shop supervisor I know how busy it is.

[ETC John D Zidek]

Good Afternoon Honorable Chiefs, Gear Adrift and Turncoats,

If I can steal a moment of your time to introduce myself. I am PCPO John Zidek. I was a bit slow to be advanced to E7 (18 Years, not a real rate grabber) After alot of fence sitting and some conversations with the Honorable ones I have decide follow in the footsteps of those that came before me. I am going through the Training Center Yorktown Fall CCTI. Our Rites of Passage are on the 19th of Oct and our Dinner is the 20th. I would like to extend an open invitation to all of you that can to join us at Port of York @ yorktown for breakfast on the 19th and the fun and games to follow at The Chiefs Hut. I am sorry to say that the tickets for the Dinner sold out in a couple of hours, so if you dont already have yours its too late.

I look forward to meeting those of you that can attend. If you already know me and I have just been a slacking E7 at bringing you a charge sheet Please let me know. You know where to find me...I'm in the Global.

See you on the other side.
ETC "Z" :D

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

OOH! Can I be the gear adrift?? I always wanted to be gear adrift! WOO HOO!!

A bad attitude and the gall to sign as an "ETC"... hmmmm, you'll have fun at the rites of passage!

Welcome aboard!! Well met, and here's to many a year of sailing and telling stories! :D

[ETC John D Zidek]

Honorable Chief, I do apologize if the tone of my post made you believe I have a Bad Attitude. I have been enjoying every moment of my CCTI thus far, but The big day is still a week away. I look forward to everything I am about to experiance and learn from. I sat on the fence for awhile and having made My Decision to go through, I am in this for everything I can get out of it.
You have to have Fun, no matter what you are doing. It's what makes life worth living.
And in the "Poke the bear with the big stick" approach I have right now I will share the Ditti I wrote for the Chiefs of the mess with all of you.

:D
Deep breath
:D
The Chief's of the Mess they old
Some are crusty, salty, and bold
They can't see their belts
a mirrior sometimes helps
but only if they lift up their roll
:D
See you the 19th

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Who is the judge over there?

Send us the judge's name for your CCTI BEFORE your breakfast.

v/r

[BMC Ralph Williams]

Is this wannabe calling me "FAT"? ;)

On a serious note congrats and have fun on "YOUR DAY." :D

Ralph

[ETC Pat Kaschube]

Ralph
If he is calling YOU fat then it must all be between the ears. I kill myself.

[ETC John D Zidek]

Honorable Chief
We have been told we will have 2 judges:
Honorable Chief L. Loomis
Honorable Chief D. Boyer
Most Honorable Master Chief S. Wilder is the COTM
Thank you for your interest in My Special Day :D

ETC "Z"

[ETC John D Zidek]

I just make'em up if you read something personal into them...that's on you.

:D

[MKC Brandon Andrews]

John,
Congrats on your decision to go thru with the CCTI. I hear that they have a good one down at Yorktown. Have fun.

[ETC (FT type) Ed Shank]

Hey John, I laughed at it.

Funny little anecdote, they wanted a signifigant other to write a letter as to why I should be a Chief. Being very happily single, I had no one to do it, so I asked my 10 year old to do it. I set him down at the computer, opened word and let him have at it. He comes out 10 minutes later and says he's done. Here is what he wrote,

Dear coastguard, 10\01\06
My dad should be a chief cause he’s fat. He is very good leader. He’s always 1 step ahead of his enemy. My favorite thing about him in the coastguard is about his buddies.
Your Friend, LOGAN
I about died when I read the first line. From the mouths of babes.

Good luck John, have fun, I did. I am not sure what I was supposed to learn, I am still waiting for that revelation. I still have some issues with people showing up to fine me, that couldn't find the time to sign my book but hey you never know I might be busy when they need me to help them, and be first in line to throw stones.

Have you guys come to ISC yet? I haven't made it on anyone's bang list so I never got the email.

[ETC John D Zidek]

Thanks Ed I needed that chuckle.

We came down yesterday, but there were 12 of us in the group and time went by way to fast to visit everyone.
Master Chief Paris sent out some emails to have all the anchors down there come by the Galley. About 10-12 showed up. Then we went to the Forward for somemore fun.
Honorable Chief Delaney charged me with doing my very best to make the Yorktown Chiefs Mess donut free. He is just a bit anti-donut. Ones of those rare fitness freak Chiefs. I guess thats what happens when you make Chief before you are 30 years old. The only exercise I get is walking to the smoke deck.
Thanks for the encouragment.
ETC "Z" :cool:

[ETC (FT type) Ed Shank]

Sorry I missed you guys. Like I said I didn't get the email. Kinda dissapointing knowing how many chief's are on that base and only 12 came out. Supposedly this is important and a really big deal, until they have to help someone. Oh well, if you want/need some more, email me and I will get some words done up for you.

[ETC John D Zidek]

I think I am good I have 52 sheets right now and about a dozen more to pick up on Monday. Turning in my book tuesday. Building my box tomorrow.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

PCPO Zidek,

A friendly message has been sent to your two judges and your COTM from the 10 Chiefs at PSU 307.

Congrats on your day.

[ETC John D Zidek]

Honorable Chief Highland,
Thank you for taking the time to help insure that my special day is just that. I am sure any comments that you and your fellow Honorable Chiefs at PSU 307 will only help guide me and better prepare me to walk near your side.

Thank You again :D

ETC "Z"