HABS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Montreal 2-Washington 1. Canadiens win the series 4 games to 3. Jaroslav Havlak in goal was amazing in goal!

LPD-26, Part Two

I hit the navy blog with this one. The SecNav, one ray mabus, is on the post defending his choice of the low life, lying, stealing scumbag murtha name being on LPD-26. I demanded that he step down. He is obviously incapable of making any sound decisions at all. As is the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Roughead. I have even written my congress critter about it. My senators are worthless. boxer. feinstein. Lousy no good traitors in their own right.

Locked in

Went and did it finally. California plates on the car. Only 127 bucks. Ten year old PT Cruiser, paid for, 144,000 plus on the odometer. Could have been worse. So we are locked in. Stuck here for a while? I don't think the Missus would dig another move. Well maybe to Rosamond or Tehachapi but no major ones, anyway.

Jeff made pics of the Mountains Better

This is a stitched panorama of two shots I put on PHJ&F yesterday. He did his gee whiz magic and abracadabra! It is one picture.
Click and it will be larger and much easier to look at.
Thanks to Jeff.

Changes of a different kind

Me and Snigs were having a face book chat earlier. She was interested in things that I had experienced during my Naval Career. Among them was women serving along side men. I can only speak for the time I was in the Sea Service.


Here we go, then. Women were not allowed to serve aboard a man-of-war or in squadrons that operated from ships. This included helicopter detachments on Frigates, Destroyers and Cruisers. Auxiliaries do not intentionally go in harm's way. So the Tenders and Repair Ships had women starting in the mid seventies. When the Service Academies went Co-Ed, for lack of a better term, things really started to change. But even before then, we had women aviators. Jane O'Dea and Rosemary Mariner-Conatser were flying in the mid seventies in support units that did fly on and off carriers.


In the summer of 1980, while conducting work ups for an upcoming deployment onboard USS Ranger CV61, we had midshipmen aboard as part of their required summer in the Fleet or Fleet Marine Force. No trip home between the third and fourth year at Annapolis. It so happened that a young female midshipman and an E-3 from one of the Deck Divisions were caught in the act in a fan room. By the Ship's Master-at-Arms Force(police), no less. She said one word...............rape.................Yeah. Rape. The young man got a trip to the US Correctional Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The young lady got a reprimand. The whole world knew it was consensual. But her position would have been jeopardized had this gotten out. Class divisions, Officer-Enlisted. It is against the rules, period for reasons of good order and discipline.


Fast forward to my last trip to sea in the fall of 1992. The squadron I was in was embarked in USS George Washington CVN73 for it's initial shakedown with the Air Wing on board. I was sent to the Ship's Master-at-Arms force. I had 13 months left until retirement. We call it marking time. I had occasion to have to deal with the Discipline Officer concerning a young sailor's paperwork. A young, attractive, female Lieutenant. She asked the then First Class Petty Officer what he thought about her serving aboard ship. I asked her if she wanted an honest answer or did I have to sugar coat it for PC reasons. She asked Petty Officer Cassel to be straight up. I honored that request. I informed her that the Old Petty Officer thought it was one of the biggest mistakes the Department of The Navy ever made. Just about got a royal ass chewing out of that but she did ask. The LT then asked me to qualify my statement. I did. I related the above incident on Ranger. And then I asked her for permission to be candid. Permission granted. I informed the LT that being and attractive woman and in the khaki trouser uniform, walking down a passage way, these young pup sailors would turn around and watch. She said, no they don't! I reiterated that they did. When asked why would they do that and how did I know? I responded, I used to be one of them. After pondering this for a bit, she said that she understood my point and it was duly noted. I had been advanced to PO1 when the Lt was in high school. In that world it is almost a generation difference. At the nineteen year mark, at which I was, I was an old man at the age of 38.


Now Women command ships, squadrons and stations. Bob Dylan reference goes here.
Next June, I plan to go to Whidbey Island, Washington for a retirement ceremony. Rebecca (Burt) Hagemann is retiring with 25 years of service as a Mustang Lieutenant Commander. In 1989 to 1991 she worked for me as a young and extremely capable AMS2 while I was on my last shore tour. My own vanity tells me I had a hand in her success. Just a little bit but a hand in it none the less. I am extremely proud of her.


And I look forward to seeing her and many other shipmates from long ago. Straight up, it may be the last time for some of us. I did start a "Bucket List" of sorts last year. Only prudent at the time, don'tcha think? Not being pessimistic but simply dealing with reality. 85 percent survival rating after the surgery is good but at 55, anything is possible.


Just relaying what has transpired since a bewildered nineteen year old from the middle of nowhere went to sea in 1974. Not taking sides? Make your own conclusions.

The San Gabriels

Snow covered above the bone yard and other stuff at Mojave Airport. These are to the SSW of where we live. Mojave has the closest disposal facility and supermarket. Had to make a trip to both! Could not pass this up. I hope you all enjoy.

Seal Acquittal/Arizona has balls

I see and here on the TV news that two of the Navy Seals who were accused of beating a captured muzzie terrorist have been acquitted. By a Courts Martial. 2 of the 3 accused so far. Deliberations have been short...............hmmmm? The bits and pieces I get from the Drudge Report and Fox News have most of the prosecution witnesses contradicting one another. I won't go into the part about the Convening Authority being Air Force. Two different ways of doing business, there. That is all on that in deference to Buck.
I would place a twenty on this..........obama, holder, pelosi, napolitano and company are probably having apoplectic fits over this one. Cause we all know that the idea of these fine, upstanding young Petty Officers not being convicted is just too hard for them to swallow.
So this is a score of two for the Good Guys. Let us hope it is a sweep.
The Arizona legislature and Governor Brewer pretty much drove a spike up the Administration's Ass today. It is now against Arizona law(90 days after the session ends) to be in the United States of America illegally! The woman has bigger balls than the cinc or the attorney general. The aclu is already having major hissy fits about it. Advice to them, don't go to Arizona. The majority of the citizenry there is tired of the bullshit.

Old haunts/stomping grounds

Took a look in my feedjit thing over there on the left side. A visitor from Oak Harbor, Washington. Spent eleven years there and in Coupeville, Washington during my sort of illustrious Naval Career. Nice place, The Sound, The Strait and all. Some of the most beautiful country on God's Earth. Sometimes we kick ourselves for leaving. But the reality sinks in. Gregoire, Murray, Cantwell, the population of Olympia remind me of the shear stupidity of the not so loyal opposition.
Still, it brings fond memories. Going back next year? Rebecca, an outstanding AMS2 back then is retiring from active service then. Mustang LCDR! She was in my Airframes shop at VA-128 in 89-91. Went to NDI School and on to a splendid career.

Inquisition cancelled

I see where Henry "Torquemada" Waxman has cancelled the proposed inquisition of corporate executives for following SEC rules and regulations. Regs he more than likely had a hand in writing. Kind of nice to see a worthless cretin get his comeuppance. A self inflicted Bitch Slap of the Highest Magnitude.
I guess he figured that the fact he had "requested" certain corporate CEOs to show up in the torture chamber and respond got the better of him. So it was bail with minimum damage to the one and his care for all.

History Lesson

April 18, 1775.....hardly a man is still alive.
Paul Revere's Ride. Two Hundred and Thirty Five Years ago.
To Arms, To Arms. The Redcoats are coming!

April 18, 1942. The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and The Kwanto Plain by 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers flown from the deck of USS Hornet CV8.

Playoffs

Caps 6, Canadiens 5 OT. Backstrom got his hat trick with the winner at :31 of the OT. Series is tied at one game a piece. The Caps came from a 4-1 deficit to tie at 5. They played like they were supposed to. But both games have gone to the OT. Good series for hockey fans.

LPD-26

I see where the Department of The Navy has decided to name LPD-26 after John Murtha. I do have a problem with this. Big time.
Murtha. Porker Supreme, Liar, Cheat, Felon. Gets a ship named after him. What is the world coming to?
And the only thing he deserves is a chamber pot on his grave.
I guess today's Navy is more different from the one I was in from 1973 to 1993. Way different.
But then again, the peanut farmer got a submarine. At least he was in the Submarine Service serving ADM Rickover. Still.........................

Stanley Cup Playoffs

Got the Penguins and Senators on Versus. Like the DirecTV thing. Yup. Sure do. Especially since it is the most wonderful time of the year.

Changes have occurred

I had posted at some previous point in the space-time continuum that I would be getting a jet. This is the one. F-16C, 83-1120. At some point my name will go on the canopy frame on the side showing in the above picture. I got it off of f-16.net. I am a member of that site and have a Crew Chief profile on it. As soon as the name goes on, I will have a photographer from the base take pictures for your further entertainment.

Milestone

I did not pay attention very well on the last post. It was number 100 for The Old Retired Petty Officer. Yeah!
There has been an amazing amount of change since I first started this. And thanks to kc, Buck, Kath, Jeff, MUD and all the rest. It's been fun and let us have some MORE!

Earthquake

We didn't find out until my daughter-in-law got a text message from her mom asking if we felt it. Eldest Son and his Bride were in Cal City for a short visit while on vacation in Vegas. The niece in Oceanside did text Diane to say she felt the quake.
We then turned on the Fox affiliate out of LA and bingo! Coverage of a quake near Mexicali. The Imperial Valley city of El Centro seemed to be hit fairly hard. But up here in the Mojave Desert/Antelope Valley we didn't notice a thing. But it is California and earthquakes are a fact of life. Like tornadoes in Kansas when we lived there.
But all is quiet at Casa de Sharon y Glenn.

New Pictures

Here they are! Piper is the Red Head. Little Carrot Top. And then Bailee. She just turned nine on the 31st of March.

Easter Wishes

To all my Christian Friends. May you have a pleasant Easter.

Mellowing out? Apologies?

My buddy Buck has an excellent post up at Exile in Portales http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/ about losing the edge. Partially it comes down to the bloggers who really get ugly. This includes yours truly. I can get nasty, ugly and down right reprehensible on this here blog. The other one at wordpress http://desertf16apg.wordpress.com/  is Among the Joshua Trees and it is much more civilized due to several nice ladies commenting on a regular basis. Maybe the in your face, I am right, screw you should be toned down? Not a bad idea. I could as Buck says, be losing my edge. Don't want that.
Also, I did a sort of reflective post on Joshua Trees. Go read it or not. Just me, ya know. But it does make a reference to the Bucket List. Yeah, I have sort of thought about it. Started one? OK, yeah, I did. Geez read the header on this blog! I had cancer for crying out loud. Seeing some old shipmates from days gone by would be a plus.

Funny poster

Swiped this from Camp of The Saints. Is it cool or what. His rule five stuff is enough to put me back in 6th grade with a stolen Playboy.

Missus ORPO is home and other sundry items

Got her at Terminal 6 at LAX last night. She was the last one into the baggage claim. The wheelchair route had been modified due to an elevator out of commission. And wheelchair passengers are the last to deplane. We got out of LAX about 2230 hours. We had a potty stop in Santa Clarita and a late meal at Denny's in Mojave. We hit the house at about zero-two something hours in the AM. I moved my RDO from yesterday to today. I wasn't going to show up at work at 0630 this morning. Not on your life.
I made it to LAX in less time than I had estimated,,,along with google maps. I did the trip in two hours flat. Two weeks before it was about 2:30 to 2:45. Hmmmm?
And for those interested, I finally commented on PHJ&F about the Flight of the Intruder video. Thought provoking? Probably not. Memories? A lot. That airplane represents nine years of my life. Along with a lot of fine folks that I had the privilege to serve with over the years. Going to one of them's retirement next year. She was a young AMS2 back in 89-91 in my Airframes Shop. And now she is an LDO LCDR. With 24 years of service.

Roeder Update

Life. With a Hard 50.

News from Kansas

1. The Missus Old Retired Petty Officer gets into LAX tonight at a scheduled arrival of 2120 hours local. The Allegiant Air MD-82 is a non stop from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. She has been at the Daughter and the Gang's visiting and taking care of certain things. Glad to have her back. After almost 27 years and the seagoing part being almost 17 years ago, not liking the separation. Unless it paid the bills like the ballast trains did.
2. Scott Roeder will be sentenced today for the murder of noted late term abortion provider George Tiller. Nola Foulston, the prosecutor, is going to ask for a hard 50. Roeder is 52. His days will be spent in a Kansas Correctional Facility to be named later. Sucks to be him. Regardless of how I feel about abortion, cold-blooded, pre-meditated murder is what it is. He admitted it. And he shot Dr. Tiller in church for crying out loud. Bag him and tag him, Nola.
We lived in Wichita for over eleven years. The subject of Dr. Tiller and abortion rights, anti-abortion rights and all is a testy one.