My father has passed away, but one thing he never said has always resonated with me.
Learn the rope and never make a mistake.
He loved the Navy.
He was a Botswain.
As a man that handled ropes for large and gigantic ships, when a young guy that had never experienced the deck of a modern ship, questioned him?
My dad flew off the handle.
It had been 20 years since my dad served, but he was pissed.
This dumbass Annapolis kid barked.
Well, dad, he responded and FAFO. If not connected to DC? Not a good outcome.
That is the problem and corruption of our country.
That recent graduate of the Naval Academy got a post in Chicago for the VA and then decided, beacuse my Father said, "go fuck yourself".
He would upend our entire family.
Good men find no refuge in DC.
Noone good lives there. All evil people.
Have high hope for future, tho.
Incredible change about to happen.
Not if you serve on a surface vessel, tho.
We have zero defense from China and Russia to protect our surface battle groups.
These young men and women have no clue.
Our govt should reclassify them as humanitarian vessels and not war fighting.
5 years for Saying fuck you ! My God how could this happen ? I’m so sorry Fren ! Your father and your family suffered needlessly! As another pede ssid … so many that we don’t hear about ! This news hurt my heart , much love to you !
Thank you!
At the time? My closest friend said to me, "the FBI said your Father committed a crime. He is surely guilty."
Thar was the mindset back then.
I forgave my buddy and love him still, but damn.
People are still clueless.
Wtf even 100 years ago it doesn’t make sense ! Even 60 days would be outrageous ! Man they committed such a crime against him ! Did he get out early ? How much longer did he live ? Did your family hold up while he was gone . Really I can’t believe this ! My brother sat in jail for 6 months for murder charge . My brother is white, the real murderer was black, they had same name ? but took 6 months to figure out and release ! But 5 years for your dad ! He’s In heaven now but damn that’s hard to deal with . You are surely looking forward to seeing hopefully some major prison and death sentences !
My dad had money. It was self-made. At the time, he ran the 3rd largest roofing company in the country.
The billion dollar roofing companies were not yet around.
He had an eighth grade education, but was super smart.
Back in those days, when you took the asvab, if you scored off the charts?
You were given additional tests by companies.
Corporations had access to those scores and could recruit. My dad got approached with a crazy offer from Exxon.
Full college, weekly allowance, apartment, car and all school paid for.
At 16 years old!
He was like screw that. I will do it on my own. He did at the end of his life regret it.
He said, "for you kids, would have been best, if I was not such a rebel"
Anyway, he would go on to roof CDC in Atlanta, Fort Bragg, and a yellow brick road base in Alabama that we believe stored Nukes.
Follow the yellow brick road or be shot, haha.
In the end?
The powers that be hate men like my father.
They would rather you live in DC or go to school at SMU and be part of the defunct financial sector.
Not an independent thinker that can make money outside.
If you say, "fuck off" to the wrong person?
They will jail you just as they did to grandma at J6.
Dude speaks in riddles. I think he said FU to the Ensign and years later the Ensign got back at him via connections in DC.
I must add for any chiefs that read this. My dad was 16 when given control of the ropes on deck.
Smart guy.
This is why we need to promote mustangs and not let the academy lead from the front. It makes me angry your dad who contributed in a meaningful way and who was obviously a brilliant dude got punished for not bowing to the classism that has no place in a real fighting force. I am so sorry that happened to him and you by extension. I also can now see one of the reasons the VA is a mess.
100% mustangs make the best officers by far.
My youngest sister is a mustang!
Shit! That’s fucked up! I wonder how many have been through this same nightmare when they pissed off the wrong deep state fuckhead!
Before sentencing in the 5th circuit Court in Houston.
My Father looked at me and said, Judge Hitner is a weak man that his wife decided to be a lesbian and left him during trial to be with another woman.
My defense counsel is gay and hates me because basically, if you are a guy that commands the ropes on cruisers at 16 years old?
Yeah, you get it.
My father had everything stacked against him.
He said at the end before going to prison? Once people realize, it will be too late.
The first thing I thought when I saw that new IRBM with the MIRV warheads that Putin just dropped was this... 36 man-made meteorites, each traveling at mach 10, totally unstoppable, pinpoint accuracy, zero fallout, zero collateral damage...
One per engine room and/or bridge equals a sunk/disabled naval battle group with one missile.
I so wish my dad was still alive and I could have a conversation with him about that 11 sec video of 6x6 meteor drop by Russia.
Even though the govt went after him and he lost all love for the govt, he died loving the Navy.
He would have a strong reaction to protect sailors.
My honest opinion?
He would say no more surface ships, unless to provide humanitarian support for poor nations.
Focus everything on the submarine.
Like Russia did.
It's like they knew all those years ago.
100%
To be fair, a ship is (or should be) a moving target. Much higher probability of survival not to be a sitting duck.