The drama ashore

When sailors aren't at sea they become restless. This restlessness is abated by creating some sort of grief at someone else's expense and shared with everyone within earshot or email. Here is the latest email war between a guy in my office responding to a retired Chief Petty Officer who still thinks he is on active duty who sent an email out over the Navy's intranet mail server. The conversation has been presented in an altered format to promote flow ie. turned upside down, so to speak, so that the reader would not have to scroll up the follow the thread of conversation.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent and to prevent the chastising of the retarded.
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From: Civilian dude, who can't seem to let go of the Navy
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 14:17
To: Everyone, most of whom could give 2 shits about this email
Subject: 4 CU. FT. FRIDGE & FREEEEEZZZZZER

Aloha All,

Anyone interested in purchasing a 4cu. Ft. Micro Chef Refrigerator and Freezer can contact me at 867-5309. This unit is less than a year old. Asking $200.00

Mahalo,
M L

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From: STS2
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 7:23
To: Civilian dude
Subject: RE: 4 CU. FT. FRIDGE & FREEEEEZZZZZER

NMCI was not created to try and sell your junk. There is a lot of stuff I want to sell as well but I am not trying to advertise it by sending it through email. Use Craigs list or the news paper not my email.

V/R
STS2(SS)

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From: CIV
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 8:57
To: STS2
Subject: RE: 4 CU. FT. FRIDGE & FREEEEEZZZZZER

Petty Officer,

Please read this email in its entirety before "Deleting" it.

After reading your email and conducting some research, I have been informed that you are right about trying to sell personal items on NMCI email. Because of this, I have tried to recall the email I sent yesterday. However, Let me start with a Lesson/Advice in Protocol, Military Bearing, and some "Good Old Fashion Common Sense." Rule 1. Before you reply to an individual, regardless of what infraction or issue they may have caused, take some time to think of who you are addressing and what you are going to say; 2. Regardless of an individual who is a part of the Department of the Navy, there is a Rank and File status that all personnel have in the Navy; 3. If a person, regardless of their uniform or civilian status, there is a Rank/Seniority status attached to all DON personnel and if you are "JUNIOR" to them, then, "WATCH YOUR TONE!" Yes, that is correct, by using all caps, Yes, I am raising my voice towards you. Again, as right as you may have been in notifying me about selling personal items via email, you were completely "OUT OF LINE" with your speech and approach to this issue you had IRT personnel advertising personal items for sell. If there are any questions IRT this issue, or additional issue you may have in the future, I would rather have you call me or come see me in person in order to resolve the issue at hand. This advice would also reflect an issue you have with someone else.

R/
Pissed off Civilian Dude
DCC(SW) USN, Ret.

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From: Smart-ass sonarman
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 11:48
To: Pissed off civilian dude trying to save face
Subject: RE: 4 CU. FT. FRIDGE & FREEEEEZZZZZER

DCC(SW) RETIRED,

Rule 1: I was not raising my voice or tone with you like you did with me 2) I was not "OUT OF LINE" by sending you a response to your "NSTCP ALL" Email trying to sell your stuff. I even gave you other options of how you can sell your items. 3.) I never disrespected your retired status, or the time you served in the military. 4.) I do not appreciate you raising your tone about a mistake that you made. You spent plenty of time in the military and have been using NMCI probably for quite some time now and should know that it is not a place to sell personal items. 5.) You were wrong and knew that from the start. You should be man enough and not hide behind your retired status and learn from your mistakes.

V/R
STS2(SS)

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After this email the retiree was so livid that he ran to our Command Master Chief (CMDCM) with the email conversation. Our CMDCM talked to our Assistant Leading Petty Officer who then sent this out to my division.

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From: Confused guy that got caught in the middle of this shit
Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2006 12:02
To: Smart ass sonarmen
Subject: RE: 4 CU. FT. FRIDGE & FREEEEEZZZZZER

We are all adults, and e-mail wars are not the answer. If you two have a mis-understanding or disagreement call each other and talk it through, or just drop it all together.

STS1