[QUOTE=tengineer;67573]OK, here is where I have a problem with the thinking in the GOM. There is not one master unless that guy works 365 days a year. He has his EQUAL who relieves him and vice versa. This “lead” and “relief” Master, Chief or whatever is silly.[/QUOTE]
Allow me to offer an explanation as to why I think it is silly that there is a relief and lead in the GOM. Many years ago I was a young third engineer who drew a billet on a ship with a Dutch Chief Engineer. He came in midway thru my hitch and I just continued writing my minor reports and doing my job as I had while working under the chief he had relieved. The first told me the chief wanted me to do a couple of things different from the way I had been doing them and I protested. The first told the chief and I had an audience with the chief rather quickly. He said “Turd, what is the problem?” I told him I was third not turd but at any rate I was used to doing things as the previous chief asked so why should I change since things seemed to be working well? He then told me to sit in front of his desk and said" Turd, I know you are third but you need to understand that I was not deposited on this ship by God as Chief. He then launched into this speech I will never forget he said "I was a turd once also and I had to learn how to be flexible. Every chief has his own way of doing things and as turd you just do what you’re told if it is not too much trouble for your turdish ass.Learn from each of us and one day you will sit here and talk to a turd like yourself. Now get your ass out of my office and go do what I told you to do the way I told you to do it."
I learned a lot from him as it turned out. Although we didn’t work together for a long time I never forgot his lesson and we stayed in touch. I went to his funeral and hung out with all the other former turds, had a blast !