Scenario:

Dick Vopelek had gotten chewed out for authorizing "carry rain gear" without the OOD's approval. The OOD had been late getting back from noon meal.

Vopelek........

time running out and the Batts screaming for an answer I decided to use
some initiative and promulgated carry raingear.  The OD returned to that
being announced in the Hall wanting to know who authorized the uniform. Of
course I said I did at which point he asked if I'd checked the weather
forecast at the Naval Station.  I said no, I'd looked out the window and
it was so dark and cloudy it seemed reasonable to carry raingear.

Patois......

And we always thought it was the Supe's wife who determined whether or not
to carry that @#$% raingear!

I'm not so sure that the OD was so far out of line.  Had you known that
calling the Naval Station was the routine and you had called, it would have
been a non-event.  To be sure, the OD could have made this a "mentor" moment
and pointed out that there is no need to make a subjective call when quality
information is readily available.  He may have had a bad breakfast, forgot
to bring his own "rain gear", or was embarrassed that he was not there, in a
timely fashion, to make the call.

Remember, he was one of those ill-fated JO's that would amply be criticized
if we carried rain gear and it didn't rain.  Had that circumstance repeated
itself, you were certainly trained to make the correct response.  Isn't that
the point?  The system, though sometimes painful and humiliating, works.

top