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MR. SMITH

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Contributed by: Bob Rotruck on 10/6/2007

THE LANDLOCKED SAILOR
By Bob Rotruck, CWO3, USN (ret)
Castle Rock, Colorado

Mister Smith
When I was a young Airman Apprentice (E-2) in the Navy, I was ordered from boot camp to attend Aviation Electronics School at NAS Memphis, Memphis, TN. The students lived in barracks that were two story brick buildings like dormitories where about fifty guys slept on double high bunks at each level. Lockers sort of separated four sets of bunk beds into cubicles. We had a Chief Petty Officer as the Company Commander. His name was Smith.

Each day, we encountered Mr. Smith for one reason or another. I would always address him as Mr. Smith because that is how my parents raised us. We were taught to respect our elders and address them as Mr. or Mrs. I never wavered even to people that I knew well in our little home town in Maryland, it was always Mr. or Mrs. if they were older than me.

One morning, Mr. Smith stopped me in the passageway after I had said, "Good morning Mr. Smith!" He said, "Rotruck, my name is Chief!" I said, "Okay Mr. Chief!" He said, "No, it is not Mr. Chief, it is just plain Chief!" But I said, "If my Dad heard me calling you anything but Mr., he would bust my behind good and proper!" The Chief smiled and said, "Look son, you are in the Navy now and my official title is Chief. Your Dad is not here and the Navy has different rules. Trust me; you do not dishonor me by calling me Chief. It took me a lot of years of Naval Service for me to earn this title and I wear it with pride. Do you understand?" "Yes sir," I replied smartly. "Have a great day Chief," as a sauntered down the passageway having received a new life lesson in my early Navy career. Nine years later, I became a Chief Petty Officer and bore the name with distinct pride. Two years later, I was commissioned as a Chief Warrant Officer. Guess what, my name became Mr. Rotruck.

Fair winds and smooth seas!

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Bob Rotruck

Castle Rock , CO

Bob Rotruck has posted 60 stories and 2 comments since joining on 7/26/2006. Bob Rotruck 's average story rating is 4.89.

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