Did anyone enlisted ever "want" to attend a change of command? (Navy, uniforms)
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Been through several CoC and only one brought a smile to our division because we hated the Captain so much. The Navy seemed embarrassed by him as well. Though it was a bright sunny day, the CoC was in the hanger bay with all doors closed. All enlisted were in their dungarees (our blue jean bell bottoms and blue cotton shirt). No band, no music, no cheap chairs with fancy material covering the chair, and a going away speech that literally started with, "Well, the Navy sure knows how to take care of their own". He was being sent to shore duty with no chance to renew his commission. We were ecstatic. But we never wanted to attend any CoC. I would have rathered crawling through the bilges than get dressed up for nothing.
I always enjoyed the pomp and circumstance. But it may have been just me. I didn't mind dressing up and standing at attention for long periods of time, trying to avoid locking my knees. I made it a point to have my ribbons and medals in the correct order and knowing how to keep my service dress uniform clean and ship shape. Toward the end I assisted in the preparation of CoC ceremonies. Very interesting and the history behind everything made it worthwile. For the average joe in the ranks, I can see the resentment though.
My experience was to not enjoy changes of command. Though i understood the traditional aspects of the event, i always thought a change of command is not unlike the coronation of a new king. Which leads to my never ending "delight" of personnel inspections.
Only good thing about CoC was I earned $20 to sew on the patches. I use to be quick with a needle and thread thanks to home ec in high school. Sewing up pants legs was double the price. On a Navy ship, it's hard to maintain a clean pressed uniform. Coffin lockers are hell on pressed uniforms. Bates cheater shoes (plastic with mirror gloss) were illegal on Navy ships, doesn't mean they didn't tr to wear them anyway. Had a guy in our division who could get a high gloss on the worst boots. He also charged $20 and could get that gloss in about 5 minutes a pair.
Had a great change of command ceremony while in Spain.. Because of the NATO element and the fact the outgoing CO was friends with many of the Spanish Military. The food was first rate, half a steer, lobsters, caviar "first time in my life", and it was an open bar, not just beer and lower shelf liquar...
It always seemed to take a lot of time to get dress uniforms ready, with last minute divisional inspections. Form-up and stand at attention beginning an hour before the invited guests arrive. A series of speakers, each with a long boring speech. I do not think there was ever any part of any speech that was memorable. Then the officers and guests would be invited to the O'club for refreshments, after they had left we could finally break-up formation and leave.
I have been through dozens of COC ceremonies. There were never refreshments for the crew.
I remember one that was topside on the tender in Holyloch, dress whites and we had near-horizontal hail during the ceremony. I remember my ear being packing with hail.
My first boat, had been doing a COC ceremony topside on the boat, during crew-turnovers. But one time a crane dropped a pallet on the crew and killed four crewmen. When I reported on-board I was replacement for one of the guys that had been killed by the dropped pallet. That ended the 'tradition' of doing crew turnovers topside.
No, I never wanted to attend a COC.
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