Navy guy gets yelled at for wearing kilt into work!

[SingleBarrelBourbon]

Big Jim,

Are you serving on an attack boat or a missile boat? (I have been out for quite a while and have not kept up on all the boats.) I am assuming that you know there is a Polaris tartan. It's beautiful and was designed by the commander in Holy Loch at the time for the boomer sailors. Two of the colors are used to designate the two crews -- two gold stripes (gold crew)with a sky stripe (blue crew) in the center.

The Polaris tartan is much better looking than the Edzell (Navy) tartan. The USNA Pipe and Drums wears the Polaris tartan. Check out their site to see the kilts.

Alexis Malcolm makes both an 8-yard and a Hillwalker (5-yard) in the Polaris tartan. It is a special order tartan, so it is a little more expensive, but her prices are well within what anyhone else charges for a handmade kilt. I have spoken with the lady and she is very helpful. I just have to wait for a while before I purchase one. She also has kilt pins with dolphins on them.

[Kirkwood]

I'm a former Boomer squid myself. I couldn't imagine climbing down the L.E.T. in a kilt.
Maybe that's why the Cob is pissed. He saw something he didn't want to when your friend was coming down the ladder.

[navycb]

"I'll just have to talk to the CO... or file a grievance."

Boy the Navy sure has change since I was in. File a grievance? When did the Navy go union? This must be part of the kinder and gentler military. When I was in you did what you were told untill you attained the rank to do the telling. Have a talk with the CO? I guess there is no such thing as a chain of command anymore. Oh well at least we still have the Marines.

[GatorUK]

I'm retired from the USN..but when I came in over 30 yrs ago Navy Regs provided for sailors to have direct communication with the commanding officer. A sailor may request to see the CO. His request will go up the chain of command and he may or may not disclose why he wants to see the CO. In my experience, when a sailor has a problem and has requested this, when he has disclosed why he needs to talk to the CO, the problem was resolved at a lower level.
Even though it's been over 10 years, the Navy is still "feeling the pain" from Tailhook. Any incidents of discrimination, or harassment whether it is sexual, racial, religious or cultural is dealt with swiftly.

[JackK]

... Have a talk with the CO? I guess there is no such thing as a chain of command anymore. Oh well at least we still have the Marines.

When I got to 'Nam our Battalion, 3d Battalion/4th Marines, Commander had an open door policy on Sunday afternoon (if we weren't in the bush) to jsut come in and have a talk. When it started a couple of the company commanders decided it really 'ment that you had to go through the chain of command, meaning through them. Man when the Col. found that out there was a couple Captains with sore butts for a while. This Colonel was one that us Marines would have gone to hell with

Jack

[Riverkilt]

Guess freedom of dress isn't one of the freedoms we defend....? Sad.

Maybe the two of you could go together....the COB would think a mutiny was afoot.

Ron

[Pour1Malt]

soonds like the ignorant bastid needs tae bae reminded that...

John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747–July 18, 1792) was 'merica's first well-known naval hero an the faither o' the US Navy... he is frae SCOTLAND... where kilts arr also frae...



sheeesh!

[Riverkilt]

Aye Pour1,

A quick google found this page full of photos of the U.S.Navy from the U.S.S. John Paul Jones with kilted folks on Tartan Day 2004 in San Diego, CA

http://www.tartandaysd.com/photos/photos.apr6.htm

Ron

[morrison]

I can't figure any reasoning whatsoever for a person in command to display such intolerable belligerence toward subordinate individuals. It's particularly disturbing in light of the fact that in an emergency situation the COB might actually have at some point a necessity of direct command over those in his immediate command posting. Having already shown his poor judgement about civilian attire, what respect will his on duty rank presence gain?
We should get him into a kilt and take him someplace in public. He can know for himself the freedom and pride that fills the man. He would find a greater ease in his self image as a commander of followers.
rsl

[Riverkilt]

This pic, if it posts, is from the Alexis Malcolm military tartan site.

http://www.alexismalcolmkilts.bigste...generic14.html

Should be enough to give your COB the fits.



Navy tartan kilts at a Navy ball somewhere...

Ron