As John's was my initiation was my memorable one. I was the only OT being initiated as I was at SWDG Little Creek. My costume was several burn bags made into a garment. Won best costume and free steak dinner at CPO club. Had an ISCS as sponsor he and the rest of the CPO community took very good care of me, my wife was due to deliver any time and I was broke they paid all my fines and showed me what Chiefs were all about. Best part was when i got home I took my wife to Portsmouth Naval hospital and my son was born on the day I was initiated as a Chief Petty Officer.
I was inititated in 78, the first one to be so honored at CVB in 3 years. Back then frocking wasn't allowed,so I was first up on 16 November. It was me and the CPO's from the Fac and RTF, totalling 35 as I recall. My sponsor was Harold Braudaway (sp) so not alot of detailed description is needed to summarize the several months between the list coming out and the promotion date....except that I remember asking him where I was going to come up with the sperm sack from an Eel River steelhead. So much for helpful "advice" from your sponsor...he just said he felt sorry for me. :)
Ah, the name Tribble comes up again...he was the judge and obviously a seasoned veteran of these matters. It's probably not appropriate to go into all the day's events but Jim was a hoot. He was NOT sympathetic to my defense efforts, or those of my Ensign counsel, but I must admit he prevented me from swallowing a raw oyster tied to a string, which Harold swore he would pull back out. I think I still have pictures of the whole affair, including my uniform of a diaper, crown and beard of Neptune and the "Miss OTC 1978" banner across my chest. Oh yeah, and the trident with port and starboard running lights....
John, Randy and others -
At the risk of boring some with a lengthy account, I guess I can't let this post go by without a say of my CPO intiation in Nov 1970. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most memorable occasions during my 23 year career.
Myself and Herb Fabricus were the first two E-6 ST's to be selected for advancement to OTC following creation of the OT Rating in 1970. I had been E6 for 5 years and would be remiss if I did not duly acknowledge George Widenor's role in honing my study skills for the STC exam. Thus, I was able to achieve this milestone in my career !
The OT Rating was so new, there were no OT rating badges to be had, but I was determined to have one on my new CPO dress blue uniform. I made a complete, life-size drawing of an OTC rating badge and mailed it to a uniform shop in San Francisco. They did a superb job and this "one-of-a-kind" was in my hands prior to my promotion!
Around the 2nd week of October - with STC Willie Fogleman as my sponsor, the fun and games began:
Duly outfitted with a 40 lb, 6' cold-rolled steel trident (I am sure this was the first of many), my charge book and several packs of Trident sugarless gum - I was informed that if EVER that trident was out of my possession, I would have to pony up one case of beer, each time. Also, upon demand by any CPO, I would have to immediately provide them a piece of Trident gum.
I still cannot believe that those sly Chiefs managed to "steal" that trident no less than 32 times - once, even on my way to command personnel inspection, after I had loaded it in my 1948 DeSoto - then went back in our home to get my neckerchief!
Fast forward to my initiation day 16 November:
Like Randy, clad in my diaper and "MISS OTC 1970" sash - and armed with my trident, I was allowed to enter the "inner sanctum". Only problem was - I had to get by the "executioner", who was probably the biggest black man I had ever seen, broadly grinning at me through the mouth hole in his black hood!
I was the ONLY one being initiated that day - so, for a couple of hours all attention was focused on me as I attempted to defend my charges. Needless to say, "guilty of all" - and sentenced to appropriate "ritual punishments".
The good news - they settled for 10 cases of Black Label (yuk) beer. At about $3 bucks a case at the NEX, I fared pretty well !!
Then the time came for the reading of the CPO creed, pinning of fouled anchors on my khakis and presentation of my "BOOT CHIEF" certificate (which hangs on my office wall today).
The Chief Petty Officers present were, argueably, the most influential individuals of my career - save the many fine First Class Petty Officers which I had the privelege to serve with. Up until that time, like John Ellis and others - I thought I was a "hot-shot" 1st Class. The only difference between John and myself - he was just 8 years removed from the cottonfields of Arkansas, and I was a mere 11 years "out of the Northwoods" of New York's Adirondack Mountains !
As John mentioned, I and other CPO's came to learn, "humility" is a good and honest trait. I also learned that there was a time and place for "pride". That day was one of the proudest of my lifetime - as one of two individuals in the entire Navy, to be the first E-6's to be promoted to Chief Oceansystems Technician.
That source of pride is embodied in the "one and only" OTC uniform insignia like it in the world - which was hand made for the first wearing of my CPO dress blues ! This dress blue Navy uniform is destined for the Skeenesborough Museum (Birthplace of the U. S. Navy) in Whitehall, NY - where my retirement ceremony took place in July of 1981.
Irv (Dee)
My CPO initiation was most memorable. 1. The CPO Association of Eleuthera, Bahamas allowed the first class E-6, to take control of this E-6 and 1/2 until midnight of the initiation. After that I reported to the CPO’s at midnight with 1/2 of my 30 + year mustache. 2. It was tradition to make the CPO’s breakfast the next morning. I set my alarm and as you have already guessed it was changed during the 3 hours of sleep I had so I woke up late!!! 3. Since I was not going to let them get to me this early I just ignored that. As I found out I had more to get pi—ed at. I went back to the cooking area with all the breakfast orders and the first egg I broke open was hard boiled, and all of the next tray and the next tray, on and on!!!! That did put me over the top and so early in the initiation too. The Judge asked me if I wanted to stop my participation in the initiation because of my bad attitude after I slammed down his breakfast and mumbled something, I guess I called him some names, of course I said no. 4. Did I mention I was the only one initiated at the party and the last one at NavFac Eleuthera before we closed.
And so it went on and finally the finale was being in an outside wooden stockade and all the CPO’s voted with a Raw Egg, (where were they at breakfast I wondered). At that point I was finished, no fight left in me.
5. My sponsor took me off to the showers and I emerged in uniform, (without a mustache) to the “Reading of the CREED” As John and any other CPO that was initiated would admit that is when everything that occurred during the day all came together. There were NO dry eyes!!
After that the CPO community hosted a steak cook out with all the family members. My steak did taste somewhat “TRUTH SERUM” as I recall.
6. Oh yea, I forgot that just prior to my initiation getting I had to be checked over by the independent duty Corpsman. “Here take this Vitamin”.
Well you guessed it later that evening when I had to urinate and the color was red.
I was again reminded of the “CREED” and have been many, many, over the last 30 + years.
Chuck
Chuck -
So, when did all these CPO shenanigans of yours take place? Or could it all have been just a bad dream?
Brother in Arms - Dee
Dee,
After missing the cut off on the test for too many cycles, (ask George about me and test taking), I finally made the cut: 91.50 required 91.50 was my multiple, so made it first increment September 16, 1979. Closed Eleuthera in March 1980. My Sponsor was Senior Chief Rasmussion "RAZZ".
He could be your age Dee.
I just went to check out my initiation binder and found a lot of pictures that brought back many memories.
Thanks Dee
Chuck
Chuck -
I remember so many of the good times we had in Bermuda (74-77). If my memory serves me correctly, when I became Ops Dept LCPO, John Ellis took over as ODIV LCPO and you moved up to ODIV LPO. Is that correct? Like you, I have several Navy mementos - among them, pages from my "charge book". Nice to be able to "go back in time" - now and then !
I also remmember the Asian dinners on cushions at your home. One of our on-base neighbor wives was Phillipino. She made the best Lumpia ever !!
Our two "Linda's," certainly put up with a lot from both of us. And, they are still "hanging in there".
Give YOUR LINDA a hug from me and MINE !
Take care..........Dee
Your own initiation is always the most memorable :)
I was told that mine was the first CPO initiation at NAVFAC Barbados - July 1976, just a few days before I departed for NAVFAC Brawdy.
I had to purchase uniforms on the way to Brawdy as none were available in Barbados. Order by telephone and stop for 1 day to pick-up the items before the flight. Brawdy was expecting an OT1 and got a Chief..
My CPO initiation was the last on at NavFac Eleuthra before we shut the doors.