tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post4568564867667800406..comments2024-01-03T05:18:54.650-05:00Comments on CDR Salamander: What a C.O.W.CDR Salamanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05981221786954902349noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-26267359780619130272010-06-18T03:33:28.000-04:002010-06-18T03:33:28.000-04:00Advice to any who come across her:
If she approach...Advice to any who come across her:<br />If she approaches you, walk to a public place. In plain sight, turn the video camera on your cell phone on, and begin recording.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-40477258270965943102010-06-17T21:33:49.000-04:002010-06-17T21:33:49.000-04:00I think people who behave like this --well, they j...I think people who behave like this --well, they just haven't figured out how to be really happy. I mean, the kind of happy that enables you to get beyond pettiness, using threats and most of all --thinking you're so much better than others.<br /><br />Quite frankly, I don't have time for people like that. I just don't. I can be nice and not give an inch. But when I meet someone who is so full of ego, so disrespectful of others, I tend to put distance between myself and them, and think "Wow, that's one hot mess."<br /><br />And then I walk away. The sad part for people like them? As they grow older, they'll find that none of their friends are good enough. Their kids aren't good enough. No one around them will do what they want. They'll see the world through a very tainted lens. Usually they tend to self isolate, and they die having repelled so many.Kanani Fongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-48000540034833517712010-06-17T10:11:38.000-04:002010-06-17T10:11:38.000-04:00" it's all going to change come October.&..." it's all going to change come October."<br /><br />and that is dumb. if its a legitimate security issue, change it TODAY. if it can wait until October, then do we really have a problem?anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-3743871244196711532010-06-16T21:01:11.000-04:002010-06-16T21:01:11.000-04:00Oh, and I forgot to add: The Admiral was a total ...Oh, and I forgot to add: The Admiral was a total sweetheart. He was much more approachable and nicer than his wife. Although he did tell me, the very innocent 18-year-old daughter of his host and hostess, that I should go bar-hopping in Key West for a good time. My father wasn't terribly appreciative, but I guess that's proof that Navy men stay young at heart. :) Kristennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-11956672744574075052010-06-16T20:30:36.000-04:002010-06-16T20:30:36.000-04:00Very senior officers have not been issued stickers...Very senior officers have not been issued stickers in the WMD for decades. They get a plastic sort of thing with their "sticker stuff" on it that they can put on the dash when they enter the installation. Outfall from the General Dozier thing. <br /><br />OTOH, I went to Camp Pendleton to play golf a couple of years ago and there were half a dozen SUV with 4 stars on each windshield of generals there playing golf. It was CMC and cronies but they eschewed the Army Military District of Washington approach which was to try to make anonymous the very senior guys so open to terrorism.<br /><br />The whole sticker thing is a scam. Needs to be discontinued. Biometrics is sure to cost billions and amount to nothing in terms of security. Either do it for real/post Khobar or don't bother.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-24182709350731615742010-06-16T20:23:53.000-04:002010-06-16T20:23:53.000-04:00Sir,
We're going into the weeds here and thus,...Sir,<br />We're going into the weeds here and thus, will never see the light of day again but do you actually have any security at your installation? Is there an overwatch for your gate guard? INCONUS or out I'd say a quite visible overwatch with a machine gun might be appropriate in this day and age.<br /><br />A 10 year old can drive onto most bases at will. That guy looking at CAC cards is toast if the car slowing down and pulling up and lowering the window just pulls out a pistol instead of a CAC.<br /><br />You do know it's a joke right? Do you have $ to put in place real security? Think of the FAST buzzards. Or embassies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-84603338531167545382010-06-16T20:17:41.000-04:002010-06-16T20:17:41.000-04:00speaking as a very old member of the old community...speaking as a very old member of the old community, the base sticker also used to involve a full vehicle inspection to insure that any vehicle admitted to the base was in full working condition, headlights, tail lights, horn, brakes, stuff like that. You probably can't imagine what clearing quarters and the base were like in the Army in 1968. That whole sticker needed to be presented to the provost before that box could be ticked off on the base clearance checklist.<br /><br />I never saluted a sticker.<br /><br />I drive to MCRD periodically for stuff and the young marines come to attention, always, for the stickers but they don't salute until after they've seen the CAC. I've always felt awkward about it because I can never return the salute.<br /><br />My mom was an army bride back in 1957 and heir to another army bride of 1935. She was PA Dutch to the bone. She would either have climbed Dr. Drinkwine like a tree and ripped her head off the very first time there was any kind of 'problem' or just never attended any future activities. She would do just what she did throughout the Vietnam War and payed calls on the widows and families and offered endless support but perhaps without any official cachet. I remember her irritation as the senior officer's lady at one post when she declined any further participation in the Wive's Club. It was on an Air Force base back when, as C-14 mentioned, the USAF still rated officers on the performance of their wives. It was our only time on a USAF installation. <br /><br />Anybody can meet her today. She's a guide at the Smithsonian; both the National History Museum and the Natural History Museum. Used to hand out acousti-guide headsets at Air and Space. For the last 20 years. It's flush with power that she is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-46898594497061850962010-06-16T19:18:07.000-04:002010-06-16T19:18:07.000-04:00Guess I should have replied to this comment instea...Guess I should have replied to this comment instead. See my link above, it's all going to change come October.Grumpy Old Hamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-68684533599564265122010-06-16T19:17:32.000-04:002010-06-16T19:17:32.000-04:00C-dore, I just remembered the first Admiral's ...C-dore, I just remembered the first Admiral's wife that I ever met. I'm not a Navy wife and this was back when I was in the first year of college, before I met my husband or ever thought about being a military wife. She and her husband were at a party at my parents' house. I absolutely could not believe what a name-dropping snob she was - it was almost humorous to listen to her. It wonder if she could have been one of the ladies who made your wife's life difficult back in the day. :)Kristennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-53515053083513142292010-06-16T19:17:27.000-04:002010-06-16T19:17:27.000-04:00The latest BRAC joint-basing initiatives killed th...The latest BRAC joint-basing initiatives killed the Air Force's idea to get rid of base stickers, at least here in the land of the five-sided wind tunnel:<br /><br />http://www.bolling.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123169474<br /><br />OTOH, gate guards at many Army installations around here are happy to let me on with an un-stickered car once I show my retired ID. Maybe that will also change in October.<br /><br />Like MTH, I just wish we'd make up our damned minds on the subject. I've never been able to get through a gate post-9/11 without showing ID so I really don't understand why we need them.Grumpy Old Hamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-15970000925171379072010-06-16T19:13:21.000-04:002010-06-16T19:13:21.000-04:00Therapist, that's a very funny story about the...Therapist, that's a very funny story about the hippie girl being his daughter.Kristennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-68676133755518449472010-06-16T18:23:52.000-04:002010-06-16T18:23:52.000-04:00oops me above. sorry folksoops me above. sorry folksTherapist1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-19115372590179167182010-06-16T18:23:20.000-04:002010-06-16T18:23:20.000-04:00This is truly an "Old School" way of loo...This is truly an "Old School" way of looking at the C.O.W. It was always my understanding from various readings only, that the COW did have a function in the interaction and morale of the families left behind. This however is clearly the latter. You can't hve men/women who are on deployment worried about what might happen because their wives are not getting along with the CO's wife. As if there is not enough to fill their minds.<br /><br />A funny anecdote: my best friend's grandfather was a vet of WW-II, Korea and Vietnam in the Army as a logistics COL. After a deployment to Vietnam he returned to Germany in the height of the hippie love movement. Driving to the PX he sees this long haired hippie girl and comments about things going to Hell in a hand basket etc.... His wife turns to him and tells him to take a closer look, that is your daughter.<br /><br />Things happen and change quite a bit on deployment but the fighting men and women need to be insulated if possible. As a former Army nurse in the Pacific theatre, she recognized this and raised her 4 children, largely alone. RIP to them both, they are a dying breed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-72648410821478329842010-06-16T18:05:14.000-04:002010-06-16T18:05:14.000-04:00Kristen, See my comment below. Can't wait to...Kristen, See my comment below. Can't wait to share this with my wife when she gets home from work tonight.C-dore 14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-80554890445342823172010-06-16T18:03:08.000-04:002010-06-16T18:03:08.000-04:00My sentiments exactly. Our Family Support Groups ...My sentiments exactly. Our Family Support Groups did incredible work keeping the information flowing (especially important in the pre-email days) and things under control while my commands were deployed. Had to shake my head about the General's comment that they Army doesn't have "any expectations" for CO's wives. Either he's been single since he was an O-4 or he's clueless about what his wife does when he's away. Mrs C-dore would be glad to explain things to him.C-dore 14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-56589443726856335542010-06-16T17:55:30.000-04:002010-06-16T17:55:30.000-04:00Kristen, As I understand it the actual requirement...Kristen, As I understand it the actual requirement only lasted for a couple of years in the early '60s until the uproar against it became too great. However, most of my first COs included positive comments about my wife ("active in the wives organization", "the make a great Navy team", etc.) in my FITREP. We thought it was the norm back then.C-dore 14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-23734919382574323142010-06-16T16:38:51.000-04:002010-06-16T16:38:51.000-04:00Like the "Y" plates in Japan.Like the "Y" plates in Japan.QMC(SW)(ret)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-49190670106460946872010-06-16T16:21:32.000-04:002010-06-16T16:21:32.000-04:00Oh my, the wives were actually in the FITREPs? I ...Oh my, the wives were actually in the FITREPs? I had no idea that had ever been true. My suspicion is that the husband's home situation is still quietly taken into account, but not put into writing.Kristennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-75437767247261701262010-06-16T16:18:00.000-04:002010-06-16T16:18:00.000-04:00Wow, what an eye-popping article. My brother-in-l...Wow, what an eye-popping article. My brother-in-law is in the 82nd. I can't wait to call his wife and see what she thinks about all this.<br /><br />It's not uncommon to have some tensions among the military wives who are pushed together because of their husbands' service, but I've never heard of anything quite this bad. My own experience with senior officers' wives has been mixed, but definitely has been more good than bad. I think most of them really do everything they can to help the younger wives make the transition to military life. Many of them have been very kind to me. Although yes, wearing the husband's rank is mighty common...but I don't think I've seen it carried to the extent of the Drinkwines. They were really made for eachother. :) <br /><br /> Oh, and my favorite quote from the article:<br /><br />"Helmick said there are no expectations for spouses in the Army. Their participation is strictly voluntary, he said." <br /><br />Ho, ho, ho. I can't believe he was able to say that with a straight face. I like being involved and volunteering time, but even if I didn't, the pressure would be pretty intense to take part in spousal activities. Kristennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-44321282512274793292010-06-16T16:01:49.000-04:002010-06-16T16:01:49.000-04:00Guest, When I was stationed in Italy from 91-94 al...Guest, When I was stationed in Italy from 91-94 all O-6 and above had their stickers on little plexiglass squares that they could stick in the glove compartment for force protection reasons. Of course this overlooked the fact that the car also had nice white AFI (Allied Forces Italy) license plates as well.C-dore 14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-67225184535556504222010-06-16T15:41:23.000-04:002010-06-16T15:41:23.000-04:00haven't been there in a little while, but it u...haven't been there in a little while, but it used to be at the bolling afb/navy base anacostia complex the rules were different depending on which gate you went in. at the navy side- sticker required! if you had a rental, you got out, waited in line to get a pass. if you went to the air force side- ID/CAC gets you in. but once on either base, you could travel freely between the two. madness!anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-79425034065763847822010-06-16T15:40:21.000-04:002010-06-16T15:40:21.000-04:00You rate a salute if you are an active, reserve, o...You rate a salute if you are an active, reserve, or retired officer. If you are the wife or husband of same, you RATE NOTHING, because you are NOTHING. If they didn't take the oath and get a commission of their own, they are a DEPENDENT CIVILIAN. Nothing more. And they rate nothing at all beyond common courtesy. It is not a difficult concept. <br /><br />The stickers need to go given that they serve no useful purpose other than to show that the driver has insurance. They never did serve any useful purpose anyway, given that the ID card should always have been checked to ensure the driver and his passengers rated base access.USMC Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-37763906110989239912010-06-16T15:32:37.000-04:002010-06-16T15:32:37.000-04:00Welcome to the military that I joined. Most wives...Welcome to the military that I joined. Most wives from that time frame have at least one story of a woman like this (Mrs C-dore has more than one).<br /><br />At one time the Navy required comments about the wife's contribution to "an effective Navy team" as part of the officer FITREP. Although the requirement disappeared in the late '60s many COs continued to include these comments in the narrative section until 86/87 when SecDef issued a DoD-wide ban on any comments, including positive ones, after an Air Force incident where officers were being penalized by their Wing Commander for their wives' lack of participation in Wing activities.C-dore 14noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-28928648928642066152010-06-16T15:16:38.000-04:002010-06-16T15:16:38.000-04:00If I remember right the Air Force did a study abou...If I remember right the Air Force did a study about getting rid of the stickers, and the savings could be millions of dollars.<br />Plus the stickers are in stark contrast to the force protection teachings.Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704146.post-21510581053981634202010-06-16T15:07:22.000-04:002010-06-16T15:07:22.000-04:00You mean, 19-year old service members driving arou...You mean, 19-year old service members driving around in uninspected, uninsured cars? The HELL you say!UltimaRatioRegisnoreply@blogger.com