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Letters

‘STUPID’ RESPONSES

In reference to the “protection from the cold” response [about why sailors can’t put their hands in their pea coats], I thought the chief of naval personnel’s answer could have been clarified better [“No-brainer,” July 27].

“Sailors are not authorized to place their hands in their pockets because it appears unprofessional and detracts from military smartness,” he said.

How about adding: “The Navy issued you gloves.”

IT1 (SW/AW) Jon-David Crawford

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

The responses Navy officials gave on silly rules are as stupid as the rules.

Why are Navy Personnel Command officials reiterating the regulations in their responses? We all know what the rules and regulations are and what we are not allowed to do. Most of us know exactly where to find [the regulations], as well. The response they gave to the hand-in-pocket rule was especially stupid. They just said the exact same thing that the complaint stated, which was also in the regulation. I don’t think those people are trying to ask them what the regulation said or where it was stated. They want to know why those rules exist.

AD1 (AW) Felix Yu

Oak Harbor, Wash.

SMOKING BAN INCONSISTENT

Why is it that medical personnel in the Navy can no longer use tobacco, yet we can stop a bullet [“Rx for military: Ban tobacco use,” July 20]?

The logic just seems off to me, especially now that they are talking about going Department of Defense-wide with this smoking ban.

HM2 (FMF) Derrill George

Twentynine Palms, Calif.

I feel sorry for the officer or NCO who, after a bloody firefight, tells one of his troops to put out that cigarette.

JOC Dennis Argyrakis (ret.)

Waukegan, Ill.

HATE CRIMES STRIKE TERROR

Quartermaster 1st Class Eric Wagner [“Why call it a hate crime?” Letters, Aug. 3] responded to an article about an alleged hate crime at Camp Pendleton, Calif., expressing concerns that we are now “punishing people because of what they think.” He argues that people are entitled to believe whatever they want as long as it doesn’t affect those around them.

We have always taken into account what someone thinks when preparing charges. Premeditation is a factor in first-degree murder.

It is important to label hate crimes as such because there is a social effect beyond the violent act itself. Hate crimes are like terrorism, because they are intended to strike fear into a given community. The crime itself is a signal to members of that community to withdraw from full citizenship. If a gay person is attacked because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, then that is not a hate crime. If he was attacked “to show them” that they shouldn’t be in the military, then it is.

Lt. Cmdr. Allen Stout (ret.)

Orange, Calif.

PRIDE IN UNIFORM, SERVICE

Having been inundated with proposed uniform changes and regulations over the past few months, I wonder whatever happened to “pride in the service” represented by the uniform you are wearing? This, of course, included wearing that uniform when you went ashore — meaning off your ship or out of the main gate there was the officer of the day or a sharply dressed Marine to make sure you were not out of uniform.

We wore our dress blues, summer whites or khakis — not dungarees or “cammies” — because we were sailors and proud of it, and did not want to be mistaken for any other armed service member.

Dungarees also were regarded as a working uniform. “Un-dress” blues or working khakis were required for quarterdeck or bridge watch.

Incidentally, my son spent four years in the Navy, and the only time we saw him in uniform was when his boot camp graduation picture was taken. And when I went aboard his ship (a cruiser), the OOD greeted me at the quarterdeck in wrinkled khakis, tie askew and service cap appearing to be two sizes too large — perhaps in an effort to cover his shoulder-length hair.

All of these uniform changes must cost thousands of dollars to make a sailor look like something else. Pride in your chosen service begins [with wearing its distinct uniform].

ENC (SS) Ron Baptista (ret.)

Mountain View, Hawaii

‘TIRED’ OF SLOPPY SAILORS

We all see it everyday — sailors breaking simple rules — and we all wonder why? Why do rules and regulations cease to exist on Navy bases? Who’s to blame?

The answer is: We all are. Junior sailors are getting away with breaking rules such as no shaves, unsquared uniforms/haircuts and wearing inappropriate civilian attire, and no one does anything about it. We do not enforce these rules. We are not addressing this virus that has infected the majority of the fleet.

I, for one, am tired — tired of sailors not respecting rank, tired of walking into the Navy exchange and seeing sailors with shower shoes, PT gear, tank tops, and jeans hanging off their behinds. This is unacceptable. It is laughed at by other services. Since when has the Navy sank so low? Did we forget that we are in the military?

We complain about stupid rules, but we have lost sight of following those rules with no hesitation. What is even more unacceptable is the senior sailors standing by and not correcting the issue.

We all know Marines are the most squared away, most disciplined around. Why can’t we learn from them? I work on Marine Corps bases, and every time I come back to a Navy base, I am disgusted by the lack of discipline.

I have seen staff sergeants storm into a Marine Corps exchange and kick Marines out if they were anything but perfect, or pull off the road to straighten a junior Marine out. We, however, just look the other way and carry on with our business.

If you want sailors to start acting like we are in the real military, invite a couple of motivated gunnery sergeants to a Navy base and allow them to walk around and verbally correct any problems they encounter. Once the initial shock treatment is complete, we would all have to enforce those rules. We have started cutting corners, and when grooming standards start to fall, other standards are soon to follow. And that, my fellow sailors, is unsat.

HM3 Bart Stanisz

San Diego