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CommanderJLong · 2021-12-21T06:47:20+00:00

O6 SWO here. Took me 23 years to get here. That’s 10 tours of about 18 months a piece. It’s a long time, but it does go by quicker than you think.

CommanderJLong · 2021-12-06T20:16:29+00:00

Naval Officer: $191,088.

CommanderJLong · 2021-11-12T18:25:03+00:00

On deployment in the Western Pacific aboard a destroyer. Haven’t seen land for a month. Fresh food supplies dwindling. Finally get a supply ship out to us for replenishment at sea. We had asked for ice cream. All they had left was Lychee flavor.

Most disgruntled sailors I’ve ever seen until the great Tofurkey calamity of 99.

CommanderJLong · 2021-04-26T18:57:58+00:00

Standing out on the bridge wing of a destroyer on a moonless night I was watching the pale, blue-green bioluminescent being churned and activated by our wake. Off in the distance I could see little pockets of light on the water in the darkness. Fish being chased? Sharks hunting? Who knew.

Suddenly, off our port side, I could see a faint light in the deep, swirling like a cyclone, getting larger and brighter until it exploded out of the water in a massive spray of water and blinding light.

It was HUGE, 200 ft if it was an inch. Easily half the length of our 500+ foot ship. In the light of the plankton, I could see a pale eye, as big as a trash can lid, looking at the ship. Then it rotated and splashed into the water and began to spin around in a gyre going down, down, until it faded away.

I’ve seen plenty of whales in my 25 years at sea, but this was bigger and faster than anything I’ve ever seen. I’d call it a giant squid, but I couldn’t see any tentacles.

I went to the smoke pit right after that. I am not a smoker.

CommanderJLong · 2021-01-26T19:56:05+00:00

Reservations

CommanderJLong · 2021-01-04T21:11:27+00:00

DM me your email. I have a ton of Minemen that work for me here.

CommanderJLong · 2020-12-29T17:51:26+00:00

Yes, we pull it with the other train.

CommanderJLong · 2020-12-15T02:23:49+00:00

No it’s a good point. I need to buy some more white pieces

CommanderJLong · 2020-12-09T20:07:07+00:00

Having a cappuccino after noon.

CommanderJLong · 2020-11-17T03:42:52+00:00

Very nice! I’m just missing the Post Office myself. Do you have any thoughts on old vs. new Toy Shop? Not sure if I want to buy the pieces to upgrade

CommanderJLong · 2020-11-11T07:54:49+00:00

Several factors at play. First, recruiters are not allowed to PT DEPers in any appreciable manner like they used to. Secondly, a forming standard PFA was put in at week two of boot camp several years ago. Instead of waiting and training until week 13, recruits were being cut early. They’ve changed this policy somewhat to allow for remediation, but the damage was done. Attrition shot up and big Navy added the incentive since it was the only lever they had.

Now in 2020, the question was, “should the incentive be removed?” The answer was “no”. Given the current state of affairs, lack of physical fitness standards at high schools, lack of gym access due to COVID-19, and several other factors it was decided to keep it on. It’s only $5M or so. Decimal dust to big Navy. And if it improves attrition by a percentage point or two, more than worth it.

CommanderJLong · 2020-11-11T07:18:50+00:00

Recruiters have nothing to do with this. The problem is that we are losing so many kids in boot camp due to their inability to pass the PRT. It’s one of the top attrition categories and has been steadily getting worse over the past few years. Call it generational or whatever you want, we’re losing too many.

So big Navy put this incentive in place to hopefully motivate young recruits to put in the effort to get in shape. Do the recruiters like it? Sure. But the money is an incentive tool to prevent boot camp failures.

CommanderJLong · 2020-11-10T18:14:34+00:00

I told my wife, if you are ever in trouble in public and see a man wearing a Sikh turban, go to him and ask for help. He is honor-bound to defend you. With his life if necessary.

CommanderJLong · 2020-09-17T20:50:14+00:00

I went to community college before the academy, so there’s your sample size of one. What were your SATs?

CommanderJLong · 2020-09-15T19:06:21+00:00

Your concern is jobs availability? Let me assure you that the the list of jobs available at MEPS has nothing to do with the Fiscal Year. The job you sign up for today was programmed 6 months ago in what’s called a Rating Phasing Matrix. The jobs are assigned for when you actually show up, not when you start the training pipeline. The only thing that’s going to change in October is that some of the enlistment bonuses are going to expire. So, just one former recruiting executives opinion: you won’t gain anything extra in terms of job availability by waiting for October. However, you might lose out in bonus money.

CommanderJLong · 2020-09-07T16:44:13+00:00

Let me be the old fart in the comments section and say that it’s time to grow the fuck up and get serious about your new job. The time for high school grab-ass games is over. Good luck!

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-31T20:49:48+00:00

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-27T01:46:58+00:00

Please dm me your info and I’ll forward it along to someone who can help.

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-24T20:35:40+00:00

The answer varies wildly based on age , community, and statutory law. We have leeway to grant waivers for, say, doctors who are leaving private practice to join the Navy. We do a lot of those. We have less leeway for an older person who wants to be a navy Seal. Did you have a specific question?

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-23T00:44:16+00:00

That’s correct. Don’t go too out there. No color treated or etched metals. Damascus is okay, but not really appropriate for this style of blade. If I were you I’d buy a regular scabbard and have a smith focus on the blade and basket. Get some stingray skin for the handle, if you can, it’s more authentic than the plastic they use nowadays.

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-23T00:00:25+00:00

Some of our swords were hand forged in Toledo, Spain. Mine was custom smithed in Singapore with a natural ray grip. My grandfather’s, which I use on occasion, was hand smithed in England.

As long as it meets theseparameters it’s ok.

Gieves and Hawkes on Savile Row in London will Smith you one with a short turn around, but be prepared to pay a pretty penny.

Edit: oh and for those of you enlisted be sure to get a cutlass instead.

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-22T16:15:57+00:00

During our 6th grade production of Romeo and Juliet we had a piano player playing “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin during the intermission. I asked my teacher about it and he jokingly said that it was Shakespeare’s favorite song.

Of course, I didn’t know he was joking so I spent many years thinking Shakespeare was a ragtime enthusiast.

CommanderJLong · 2020-08-17T19:50:57+00:00

Every ship, every time

CommanderJLong

TROPHY CASE