Unity in the Mess

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

There was an email that went out the other day putting an official end to the Once a Chief Always a Chief debate. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that I have been a long time advocate of enforcing this. I am wondering if you think the message was enough to make some of the sweeping changes needed. There are Messes that have banned Warrants and Os in the past, .....do you think those people will go back into that Mess, or wait until they're transferred ? And those Messes themselves,.... are they going to have to wait until some of their more adament members leave before the can honestly unify the Mess ?

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

I think that depends on the COTM. That e-mail did not go to CWO's, etc. It went to the Chiefs. I certainly hope that the COTM will get with their individual messes and discuss the e-mail. Agree with it or not, that is the way it is supposed to be. Makes perfect sense to me.

[MSTCS Jerald P. Motyka]

I can see it being pretty contentious in some Messes - especially after they kicked some "former" Chiefs out. I would expect a sizable number of "kicked out folks" to not want to try to re-enter that particular Mess.

And, yes, I would also expect to see a SMALL, but very vocal group that still says, "They turned their backs on us - keep 'em out!" I don't see that changing for several years, no matter what the MCPOCG puts out.

But, now we have it in clear, no-nonsense wording, and it is up to those of us that actually follow orders to enforce and support. Remember the discussions on here about accountability? This will be a perfect example of how SOME will buck the system and direction and try to keep steering their own ship, no matter what the winds and current.

We, as a species, are slow to change - and when we get "old", we are even slower. For some, the edict from MCPOCG will be new - and they will resist the change. It'll just take time.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Is there a copy of that edict anywhere on this site?

v/r

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Did the email from the MCPOCG go out via email? I didn't get a copy, all I have seen was posted on here.

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Brett and Eric, the e-mail requested that it stay within the Chiefs ranks, and not be posted on the internet, I will send you the e-mail via global.

[BMCS Burt Ford]

Dont forget its up to us, as Chiefs to ensure word gets out. If we dont invite them, what perception will we send? The MCPOCG has given us the policy, we owe it to him to share it with everyone.

[BMC Chris Gempp]

I didn't get it either.... :mad:

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Dave, I realize it was intended to stay within the chief ranks. I was wondering if it was a mass mailing from the MCPOCG to all chiefs or if it was received some other way by a few and then posted on here. I only ask because I thought I read someone say that it went out as a bang to all chiefs.

[SKC Jaime N Austria]

For those of us in the Reserve world, that do not have access to Global nor a USCG work station, Could someone please forward the email in discussion. The unit I'm in is Naval Coastal Warfare, we have 3 Reserve CG Chiefs, Two active duty Navy Chiefs, and several Reserve Navy Chiefs. In addition we have several Warrants. Thanks to all. SKC Austria (jaimeaus@cox.net).

[BMC Ken Gouge]

On board, the COTM forwarded the e-mail (which was filtered through the Gold/Silver badges) both to us and to the CWO and LT who are initiated chiefs.

Jerald, "We, as a species, are slow to change - and when we get "old", we are even slower. For some, the edict from MCPOCG will be new - and they will resist the change. It'll just take time." doesn't cut it.

Roger up, get over it, and grab the helm from those who think they have a better way to steer the ship.

This is the first time I can remember a MCPOCG taking this vocal and active a roll in making things work. The cool part is that we don't have to debate any more. We don't have to wonder if it's right or wrong. We have just been told what the rules are and we just have to follow them...

[BMC Mark C. Lewis]

Dave
Could you send it to me as well.

Mark

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Ken, I think this MCPOCG has been this vocal and this active in making things work since he took the reins. ............. but I don't think the debate is over. I think that you'll see lots of Messes questioning his decision. And I read the e-mail as he was "asking" for our help in making this happen. Don't get me wrong..... I think that he's dead on right with everything that he said. I wished that when I went into work tomorrow I had a bunch of e-mail from old friends who said they were invited back into their Mess. But I don't see that happening. I think that some members of some Messes will have to transfer before this change can take place. It shouldn't be that way.... but I think that it will.They're going to have to leave to allow that Mess to grow, and transfer to a place that's already, or better yet, always has been in compliance with this stance. One message isn't going to wipe clean years of snubbing. One message isn't going to make some people, make other people feel welcome. We may have to do it one Mess at a time. We'll be doing our part down here in Puerto Rico.

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

The fact is, many bridges have been burned by messes casting out the CWO's, et al. This message is simply asking the messes to re-build those bridges. Construction of a new bridge may take a little time and some wounds may leave scars. I am quite sure that the MCPOCG is well aware of that and I doubt he expects things to be all rosey tomorow. However, we need to start making steps in the direction that he has asked us to go. I really don't think that is a heavy lift. A little outreach will go a long way. We need to take the high road.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

My thoughts,

Agree or disagree our Senior Enlisted man has spoken. This is the stance. Unity in the Mess.

Make it happen. Send the invites, support the MCPO-CG.

v/r

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Dave, I realize it was intended to stay within the chief ranks. I was wondering if it was a mass mailing from the MCPOCG to all chiefs or if it was received some other way by a few and then posted on here. I only ask because I thought I read someone say that it went out as a bang to all chiefs.


Brett

I think it went out to the gold badges, letting them forward to the CPO bang lists in their area. I received it from a CPO bang list.

[BMC Mark D. Emerson]

Dave can you send it to me. This is the first I have heard of it.

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Dave, received it from you. Appreciate it.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

I hadn't heard about it either until Senior Chief sent it to me. I think that there needs to be some sort of ALL CHIEFS bang list that the MCPO-CG has so we are ALL on the same page.

For us to find out in a trickle is not conducive to being united. I know there is a system in place. Obviously the system doesn't work.

Question to those that might know: How hard would it be to have such a list available for the MCPO-CG? Is it realistic or unrealistic and why?

v/r

[SKC Ronald Brumble]

I RAS'd in and saw the email today.

Well, there is no arguing the intent.

Agree to disagree or not, the MCPOCG has spoken.

Eric, it is there to some degree. He has his list of Gold badges. They have their lists and so on and so on. That is the best way to do it if you ask me. Other wise he would be the one receiving all the out of office replys and possibly the bad email address notices.

If it does not get out fast enough then it is at the lower levels not forwarding the info out. I got the email today from our MCPO of the Mess.

If I were in his shoes, I would do it the same way. To try and manage a gloabal list would be a big pain. Even with the change for the @uscg.mil, you still have folks on ships and they don't get the @uscg.mil. In most cases they are @shipsname.uscg.mil.

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

And you're looking at around 4000+ Active Duty E-7 to E-9 alone. Then under the unity theme, tracking down those that have gone before........ then factor in Ron's out of office replies, then factor in the people who always "reply to all" , then factor in the replies, and replies to replies.........

The system in place "should" be fine. He tells the Gold Badges who tell the COTM or soon the Silver Badges who tell everyone in the Sector. Or He tells someone, who tells everybody here .... and we send it to each other. This is where I got word of it. Our Gold Badge is TAD, but there is always someone here who gets the word out. I'm used to getting my information second hand from the people on the west coast. Life was easier for me when Deane was still over there, but there's always someone.

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Stu,

That is why I was asking if it was even plausible....

I wasn't sure if there was some "twidget" up in the puzzle palace somewhere that kept an active record and could easily create a bang list. But with all of the replies, and out of office and tad etc etc.. I'd have to agree with you.

I really wish that the "word" would get out to us .. in a manner in which we didn't feel "blindsided" sometimes.

I don't know of a solution, and I personally hate it when people bring up problems without solutions (the antithesis of the Coast Guardsman's Creed)

So without a solution, I will simply say.. if anyone out there gets a word like this, please don't assume that everyone has heard the word.. and pass the word!

Thanks!

v/r

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

But this shouldn't have blindsided anyone. About a year ago there was an e-mail that was sent out that said the opposite. In a matter of a day a response came from the previous MCPOCG that stated his take and told the COTM that it was up to them to do what they felt was right. Our debate about that can be found in the archives.
I think that we are doing what's right. We need to respect the accomplishments someone makes in their career. We need to respect the decision they make with their career. And we need to work together to make it better for those that are coming up behind us. We are all in this together. We always have been.

Edited to add. And when the COMDT makes his rounds to your unit, he is going to speak to how he needs the senior enlisted ranks to pull together to accomplish all the changes that we need to make over the next four years. Some of those things are going to need an all hands effort........

[SKC Eric S. Highland]

Well I can tell you that my COTM was blindsided when I told him over the phone what the MCPO-CG said.

You'd think he'd be the one telling me. Instead, I heard it here first.. (kudos CGChiefs.com) and relayed it to him. He was a little shocked that he hadn't heard about this before I told him.

That is what I'm referring to.

I remember that other email you are talking about last year.. and what a stir that brought about.

v/r

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

This is still the only place that I have heard about it. I sure wish I could get on Deane's old bang list.

[SKC Ronald Brumble]

Ok, if someone needs it, send me a PM and I will ras in and send it to you.

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

It didn't blindside me, another Chief sent it to me along with a whole long string of people. Glad to see it. I personally don't care how the word gets out as long as it gets out. Who cares if I haven't seen it, if one of my fellow Chief's call or emails me then I can look forward to seeing it but their word is good enough.

I think the current system is fine, just like the SWE or OIC results or the revised cuts, sure we all want to see it in black and white but if another Chief call me to let me know , Rock On!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't care if it came from the MCPOCG himself or the youngest boot Chief in the fleet, just put the word out.

Todd

[DCCS Brett Wickett]

Todd, to some degree I absolutly agree with you. But my thoughtis that if a message comes from the top then there should be a program that sends the information from the top down. You should not have to here an important message from the top, from the bottom up. I too have not seen anything except on here and the email that Dennis sent when I aksed about it. So if the info goes from the top to a badge, then a badge to a badge, then the badge to all cheifs under that badge I should not have to read about it on a online forum. The system did not work properly in this case, at least as far as I am concerned. I am the silver badge at my unit, and I heard about this on here. Now if this was an official CG messaging system then that would be fine. But it's not. Although with the rapid release fo information on this board it might as well be. I like it........So thanks to all.

[AMTCM John Long]

I agree, there historically is a breakdown in comms from the top sending to bottom. I received it from one of our RFMC's which I would consider normal. In the Aviation community, this is how much of the policy info is passed to the troops.

To share an experience.....I had that same problem with my job. On 2 different occasions the LCPO was TAD/LV and I needed to get some info quick. I called one unit and started asking around who was backfilling for the LCPO. I got several "I dunno's". Grrrrr..... :mad:

My fix was to have all the LCPO's designate and send to me their back-up training person's name. Since that time I have not had any problems with comms within our community. I update the banglist often or when I get a heads up from the LCPO. For me it works well.

So.......I would offer the suggestion that all E7-E9's (Gold Badge included) in the information chain ensure they have their "backup" get info'd on their emails. If the intended E7-E9 will not have a warm and fuzzy about their "backup" addressing their emails, then maybe the two need to have a sit-down and come to a professional understanding. The ones most affected by the breakdown in comms are the troops.

Anywho....when used, it doesn't gaurantee it won't every happen again but it should close some of the weaklinks.

John

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

From the email I saw it did come from the top down, but I happened to get it first from another Chief and not the Badge first, Some folks have things going on that we don't know about, maybe the Badge asked someone else to disseminate due to outside influences.

I agree there should be a system in place, Oh wait there is -the Badges. If they have to wait and coordinate their blanket emails until they can all hit the send button at the same time and so on until we all get it. We would be sitting here saying I heard the rumor, but haven't seen anything in writing yet, why are the Badges holding on to it?

I agree, it would be great if we had some magical banglist in which we all got the info at the same time, but we don't so I'm just glad our fellow Chief's are passing the word!!
Remember we don't have a perfect system but it's the system we have and let's all just keep on passing info.

Todd

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

Ok, I'm on the left side and have received no email. Ron, can you forward me the email. Thanks.

CS

[SKC Ronald Brumble]

:D Emails have been sent guys.

[ETC Pat Kaschube]

Stu,

That is why I was asking if it was even plausible....

I wasn't sure if there was some "twidget" up in the puzzle palace somewhere that kept an active record and could easily create a bang list. But with all of the replies, and out of office and tad etc etc.. I'd have to agree with you.

I really wish that the "word" would get out to us .. in a manner in which we didn't feel "blindsided" sometimes.

I don't know of a solution, and I personally hate it when people bring up problems without solutions (the antithesis of the Coast Guardsman's Creed)

So without a solution, I will simply say.. if anyone out there gets a word like this, please don't assume that everyone has heard the word.. and pass the word!

Thanks!

v/r

Eric
I will admit I did post the message in the password protected portion of this site but after re-reading the email I posted again mentioning that the email said internet release was not authorized so I brought that up to Admin and they removed the post. Oops.

This is a small thing but as a former "Ping Jockey" turned "Twidgett" we aren't we don't generally do bang lists so I guess we need a new name for the IT world since they are the computer guys.

I received the email from my CMC pretty fast so I'm satisfied with how it worked out. A Chiefs Bang list would be huge and would have to have limited release permissions so not everyone could flood our inboxes. That would be scary.