Culture Shock! Speaking of the Navy, which I guess I have several times this week, I have to tell an old soldier’s story. I wasn’t new to the military, having been in the Army for several years and raised by an “old Navy man” my whole life, but my first visit to a United States Navy Ship was an eye opener. I was a somewhat freshly commissioned Army Lieutenant, and had the opportunity to “come aboard” a “Fast Frigate,” the USS Capadanno, FFG - 1093. On this particular day, I was the acting commander of the Army unit that was invited aboard, and as I approached the Officer of the Deck (OOD), I was announced as “[the unit number] Arriving.” I saluted the OOD and requested permission to come aboard, and then once the permission was granted, I saluted aft towards the colors, and stepped onto the ship.
The OOD seemed impressed that I had at least a clue about how to get on board, and within minutes, myself and the other officers in my contingent were taken to the Wardroom. Let me say that all of us were exhausted, dirty, and probably as smelly as any humans could be, after spending almost three weeks in a swampy nasty place. We’d been living off “C” rations and just about anything else we could get our hands on. Now we were standing in what could pass for a formal dining room. There were table cloths, china with the ships logo, and cloth napkins in silver plated rings. We were seated, and then served! There was no “chow line”, we actually had someone come out and serve us a REAL meal! The culture shock almost killed us all, especially since it culminated in the first real hot meal and decent coffee in weeks. It was then that I realized that we might have the same goals, and complimentary roles in the service, but the Navy is just different. Sitting there, enjoying the coffee, and fine surroundings I was also struck by the obvious notion that originated from the old “Jody Call”. “GI Beans, GI Gravy, GI wish I’d joined the Navy!” ~ Michael S. Pauley
The OOD seemed impressed that I had at least a clue about how to get on board, and within minutes, myself and the other officers in my contingent were taken to the Wardroom. Let me say that all of us were exhausted, dirty, and probably as smelly as any humans could be, after spending almost three weeks in a swampy nasty place. We’d been living off “C” rations and just about anything else we could get our hands on. Now we were standing in what could pass for a formal dining room. There were table cloths, china with the ships logo, and cloth napkins in silver plated rings. We were seated, and then served! There was no “chow line”, we actually had someone come out and serve us a REAL meal! The culture shock almost killed us all, especially since it culminated in the first real hot meal and decent coffee in weeks. It was then that I realized that we might have the same goals, and complimentary roles in the service, but the Navy is just different. Sitting there, enjoying the coffee, and fine surroundings I was also struck by the obvious notion that originated from the old “Jody Call”. “GI Beans, GI Gravy, GI wish I’d joined the Navy!” ~ Michael S. Pauley
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