Viewpoint
Families are important
Like many of you, I was glad to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday. Last month was the month of the military child; this month is National Military Appreciation Month; one week ago was military spouse appreciation day; and Memorial Day and Armed Forces Week are quickly approaching. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that Mother’s Day is on the calendar so close to those other events. Mother’s Day gives us a great opportunity to reflect upon the larger context of our families. Families are important. CNO and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy believe that and I believe that.May 19, 2006
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Sense and dollars
This is the second part of a two-part column on personal finance. As I mentioned last week, this topic is important and your financial health concerns me. Let me repeat how strongly I feel about payday lending. It isn’t an answer and it’s not a solution. Payday loans are a shovel with which to dig a deeper financial hole. Avoid them! If you have financial problems, seek help - there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Don’t let pride get in the way of getting the right help. Remember that your Command Financial Specialist is available to help and should be your first stop.May 12, 2006
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Personal, professional growth a must
This is the first of a weekly column I intend to write to discuss items of interest and importance for all the members of the Navy Region Northwest family — Sailors, families, civil service and contractor employees alike. I encourage your feedback; let me know what topics you want to see discussed and let me know your thoughts on what’s presented in this space. Last week we saw several senior chiefs throughout Navy Region Northwest selected for promotion to master chief petty officer. That is great news, and I offer congratulations to all. Competition, as always, was keen and I know that all our eligible senior chiefs were top notch. Because of the just-released master chief selections and because the March petty officer exam cycle is still in recent memory, I’m glad of this opportunity to write about professional growth and advancement. Though my remarks will focus on Sailors (officer and enlisted), I strongly encourage civil service and contractor employees, as well as family members, to focus on their personal and professional growth.April 28, 2006
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End of an era
I often wonder about stupid things. You know, like why a light switch actually has the words “on” and “off” printed on there. I can’t quite explain my curious wondering, but I’ll mark it down as something I’ll learn one day. Excuse the terrible segue, but you’re currently reading the final edition of “A View from the Sidelines” and hopefully you’ve learned something over the past three years. I know I’ve learned a ton about stuff that I would’ve never cared about before. For example, I’ve learned that gas prices will never dip below $1.50 a gallon ever again and I don’t care because there’s nothing I can do about it. But come on, this column hasn’t been about me, it’s always been about you, except for the few times it’s been about me. My goal when I started this little thing was for you to get caught up in my world and become a tad more cultured when it comes to sports.April 28, 2006
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Rodman was pretty cool
Some things aren’t always so easy to figure out. Take my wife for example; with my son just barely over two years old, she’s convinced that she can potty train him quickly. She bought a Nemo toilet seat for my son to practice on, so for him to get used to it, she let him play with it for a while. Low and behold, he got it stuck on his head. Sadly though, I wasn’t there to see it, as he was apparently screaming like his world was crashing down. It’s also not so easy to figure out how the basketball Hall of Fame works. I understand why Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and Geno Auriemma were selected to the Hall, they easily deserved it, but Joe Dumars and two other guys I’ve never heard of. Seriously, if I’ve never heard of you, you probably shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. There is no criterion for basketball enshrinement. What you have to understand is that this is not the NBA Hall of Fame or the NCAA Hall of Fame, it’s simply basketball. The people that vote on the entrants, God only knows who these people are, simply do whatever they want to do. It got me thinking that if it’s just a “basketball” Hall of Fame, then I’m going to put in a few people of my own.April 7, 2006
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Control debt, don’t let it control you
I just got my tax refund and have it headed toward the retirement fund. But since I’m not quite ready for a walker yet, maybe a little chunk of it will go for something special. My refund also got me thinking about my younger (and maybe a few not-so-younger) Sailors out there and what they plan to do with their tax refunds. I’m sad to say many will be applying it toward overwhelming debt. Too many Sailors continue to overextend themselves. Some because of a series of tough breaks, some because of a series of bad choices or mismanagement.April 7, 2006
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Wanted: Hybrid Sailors
From everything I hear the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is entering the fleet with a splash. The LCS is small, fast and lethal. What’s more, the Sailors who serve aboard this new class of ships are going to find the assignment completely unique. If you’re looking for a challenge, and think you might be willing to be a part of something new for the Navy, you might want to keep reading. The LCS is a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant. In addition to the core missions, the ship will be utilize reconfigurable mission modules that will allow the ship to counter threats from surface craft, submarines and mines.March 31, 2006
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Yes I am a ‘know it all’
I’m not aware of too many things, I know what I know if you know what I mean.” Remember that song? It had a certain, uh, I don’t know what, but it goes along with what I’m talking about here. So as we prepare to jump our clocks ahead and lose an hour of precious (oh so precious) sleep, here are a few things I know I know. I know that anyone who put George Mason in their Final Four is a freak. These are the types of people who will do anything for a laugh and when they try to show people their brackets now, people laugh at them. Look, I love a Cinderella story and I was pulling for Mason as much as anyone when they took on UConn, but I would never in a million years put an 11 seed in the Final Four, much less an 11 seed like George Mason.March 31, 2006
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Not your space, its MySpace
It’s time to expose that green elephant in the room that is MySpace. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You’re not too cool to admit you’ve got an account or even snooped around there a bit. I’m basically hooked on the thing, but when people start threatening their friends by saying they’re going to remove them from their “Top 8,” that’s when you realize that life is simply ridiculous. How about a little ridiculousness in the NCAA Tournament last weekend? Come on, George Mason? Not only did I not have them on my “Top 8,” but if I didn’t hail from Virginia, I’d have no clue where they came from. Moving along, did you notice what the screen said when Bradley took on Pittsburgh last Sunday? It read “Brad Pitt.” I found it humorous, but I’m a loser and that’s okay. I’m announcing right now that I will never pick Kansas for anything ever again. Why Dorothy and her little dog too wanted to get back there so bad is beyond me. A first round bounce last year when I picked them to win it all and another first round exit this season when I picked them as a Final Four team! If I never visit Overland Park or Lawrence or wherever the stupid Jayhawks play, I’ll die a happy man. As far as I’m concerned, since I’ve never been there, Kansas doesn’t exist.March 24, 2006
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Loose lips can still sink ships
Just returned from another trip talking with many Sailors and I’m happy to say 2006 is going really well. While I was out and about I also chatted with an Army Soldier and he started to tell me about some of the “loose talk” he’d been hearing. It wasn’t anything earth shattering, but it was enough to make you go “hmmm.” Warriors, loose lips can still sink ships. Unfortunately the world is still a place full of bad people who would love nothing more than to deep-six any one of our ships, submarines, or aircraft. And just as important, they would love to attack any of us, even our families.March 24, 2006
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