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Your articles always remind me of my 11.5 years at sea in my career (plus three years in WESTPAC traveing a lot). Thank you. My pentagon tour in my first 0-6 tour was an eye opener about how the political appointees can manipulate the promotion process (for example - 'hey, you were a good Marine Corps E4 in my front office so I will you spot promote you to E-5, that simple - I will just call my friend the Marine Corps Commandant and he will get you promoted right away'). The Pentagon is a horror story of decadence if anyone wants to check it out. As an 0-6 I happened to work for an SES in the Navy Secretariat who did not want to be troubled with nonsensical meetings, so I ended up filling in for meetings all the way up to the DoD Comptroller level (basically to take notes as an 0-6 in the Pentagon which is still meaningless). I know some maybe troubled by my comments, but it is the truth

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6 hrs agoLiked by CDR Salamander

Picture reminds of the story of the SECNAV tasting the wares in the enlisted chow line of an underway carrier which had a skipper obsessed with winning the NEY award.

Secnav looking at the vegetables and impressed by how fresh they appeared - given this was the Indian Ocean - remarked - "wow, are these things indigenous?"

To which the Philippine-American MS Chief immediately replied - "oh no sir, we throw them out before they get that bad".

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