In the last week I have had some very interesting and trying things come up here at work. As some of you know I am employed by the US Navy, that makes me a Sailor by definition; However, in the course of my duties I have many titles: Barracks Duty Officer (BDO), Counselor, Mentor, Confidant, Instructor, Rule Enforcer, Aviation Electrician (My Trade), and many other things. My workweek starts on Sunday night at 2200 and ends on Friday morning at 0600.It is now Thursday morning at 0218; here is a summary of events to this date:Sunday night 2350, I had a student (young female sailor in training) come to my office to tell me that she was worried about her roommate. She gave me some details and we went to her room to find out more. When I got to her room her roommate was sitting on chair hugging a pillow and two bottles of prescription drugs (to treat depression). I asked her what was going on. She handed me the pills and told me that she hates it here and does not want to be here any more, that she wanted to take ALL of the pills so she did not have to deal with it anymore. I spoke to her for a few minutes and convinced her to come to my office and we would find her someone to speak to so she could air her issues and find some help. In this situation I am trained to call for an ambulance. When the EMT's arrived they spoke to her briefly, asked her if she knew that if she took the drugs that she had that she could have severe seizures and die? Do you know what she said? No. She said that she did not know that but just wanted it all to be over.To make a long story short she was taken to the hospital and observed over night. She is now being processed for discharge from the Navy for "failure to conform to Navy Lifestyle". That is what she wanted. She seems much less depressed. Right after that happened I received a phone call from that TSC CDO. This is the Training Support Command Duty Officer for our command. He wanted me to find a few people. The first guy woke up fairly easily. As instructed I had him dress in civilian clothing and report to his office so he could answer some questions from a local police department, Lake Forrest PD. After he departed I noticed that there was some activity in the parking lot. There were three Great Lakes squad cars and a Lake Forrest squad car. They were looking at a white ford f-150 and a red Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. They were taking pictures of both vehicles. Soon after I noticed this, my phone rang again, it was the CDO, He wanted a second person, and he warned me that they might be resistive and violent. Now, it may be naive of me but I am not afraid of any of the students that live here, maybe I should be but that would make it harder to do my job. Anyhow, I went to his room and gave him much the same instruction as the first guy; the only real difference was that he was harder to wake. He seemed to be drunk and without many of his motor skills. Within a few minutes I had him dressed and sent him to the CDO's office with the Duty Driver. As it turns out, the second guy was in the days Duty section, among other things this means that he is not to leave the building except during chow hours to go eat, he must be in the uniform of the day, he may not consume alcohol regardless of age, and may not go on liberty until the next day's duty section has relieved the former. So he was on duty, had left the building after taps (2200 hrs), purchased and consumed alcohol - under age, was speeding / racing on highway 41 and had a rear end crash with another car. His truck hit the other driver's Honda Civic. Then he fled the scene and returned to his room. The driver of the other car was in critical condition in the hospital. The first guy was a witness to the accident and had not reported it.I am very ashamed of the actions of these shipmates. Monday night was pretty quiet, just had to enforce a few rules. No putting feet on the furniture in the lounge, no horseplay in the passageways, stuff like that. I spoke to a few students about life in the "fleet" or in the "real Navy" as they like to call it. It all refers to what they might expect once they are no longer students at a training command. Most of the time this type of thing is fairly rewarding. I feel that I am helping put their minds at ease, and helping them be excited about the adventures to come in their Navy careers. But all in all it was quiet night. Tuesday night was by far the worst. As I was driving in the gate to the base I could see a Great Lakes Fire Department ladder truck parked in front of my building. Initially I assumed that I was in for a night of false fire alarms. (This happens quite frequently) I soon realized that I was very wrong. On the other side of the fire truck there was an ambulance. It became clear that there was something very serious happening. Now before you excited let me be up front, I am not going to share with you exactly what happened, I can't and I won't. But what I will say is this. One of the students that live here is a real idiot! He hurt himself. The act was intentional, the injury was not. He was rushed to the base hospital. Upon their initial evaluation of the situation he was Life Flighted to Milwaukee to a civilian Hospital for emergency surgery. Today he is in recovery. Because of this person and the aftermath of the injury, I spent my entire shift cleaning and sanitizing his blood from his floor, shower, tub, toilet and mirror. I also had to do the same for three different places in the passageway on the first floor. And the biggest job of all was in the staff head (restroom). In there I started with a water hose, moved on to some scrub pads, and finished with a mop and a ton of bleach. In this whole evolution I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees scrubbing, then bagging biohazard materials. I ruined my favorite shoes and pants, and shirt, then had to include them in the biohazard materials. These were the things I was wearing prior to changing into my uniform. The reason I am so up set about this whole thing is not very clear to me. There are so many things that contribute to it, but none of them really seem too bad - I guess. 1. I had to clean up the blood. 2. I know how it happened. 3. I DON'T know why he did it. 4. Why are people so dumb? 5. Is this the type of person I work so hard to train? 6. My favorite clothes got ruined! 7. I was worried if he was going to survive. 8. I had to talk to his wife about it. 9. I had to see the Shock on her face. 10. What's the matter with some of these kids? 11. Do I need to worry that someday my to children will do something this stupid and Disgusting? 12. .............. Fill in the blank. My mind is racing! Wednesday night AKA will it ever end?Prior to work today but before tonight’s shift I had a dental appointment, three fillings. For some reason the Lanocain was not very effective. After he gave me the eleventh shot I could still feel the drilling, I just lied to the Dentist and said that it was numb so I could get it over with. After that I had to go to "Captains Call" This is where the commanding officer tells us some information that he feels we need to hear directly from him vice the chain of command, and then he conducts a question and answer period. Usually this is not too painful. This one seemed to be "okay". Then the questions started coming. What should have been a one hour meeting turned in to three. At this point I am very tired, my teeth hurt, I am hallucinating that I see blood all over the place and my mind is still racing about the WHY of the events from the previous night. By 1600 I am finally able to get some sleep. But in my dreams I am surrounded by my clean up activities from earlier, and I awake drenched in sweat, to the sounds of my sweet wife and two beautiful children. They have come in to the bedroom to wake me so I can get ready for work. I love them so very much. This was a very nice way to wake up. So now I am on my Wednesday night to Thursday morning shift and all I can think of is, one more day until the weekend, and "What is the matter with some of these idiots?"

¶ 3/24/2005 12:12:00 AM

 Anonymous said...
Hi Art!
It has been a very very long time since I have talked to you! (Hopefully you remember me and aren't like who is this weird girl?) Anyways.. You have a beautiful family! I was excited to come across your website... well if you want you can email me at tonya79015@yahoo.com.. I would love to hear from you!
Tonya  

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